Using Maps & Databases

The purpose of this page is to explain the system in more detail. The main components are shown above.

The system is built around the functionality of Mapalist. This allows a database to be created as a Google Sheet (think of a large spreadsheet) with fields (columns) for geographical location such as latitude and longitude. It then allows such a database to be viewed on a map by using that location information. In addition a Mapalist field is used as a link for further information on the place in question. We have used this functionality to create a set of supporting Google Documents, one for each place, containing textual information, references, newspaper clippings, historical maps and photographs.

Viewing the map is the simplest and easiest way to browse the system, by planning and zooming to find a particular place. The map view also provides 2 useful filtering features as shown below to reduce that search:

1. Selecting one of the icon groups (the example selects only active and non-operational ice rink)
2. Using the 'Pin List' to select places which contain a given text item (the example uses 'roz' in order to find the two Rozelle places)

For more complex analysis, text-searching can also be used, for example if one is looking for all the curling places where a particular club played, or when looking for a place name.

See the document below which explains these more advanced text-search capabilities, or indeed please feel free to contact Lindsay Scotland (lscotland@btinternet.com) who would be very happy to help.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ox4OKItwJrjU6lgEbdK3ZvmJaqqs7CZ4arsoSbE7oBk