Neha Patil (Editor)

Maptitude

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Developer(s)
  
Caliper Corporation

Operating system
  
Microsoft Windows

Initial release
  
1995; 22 years ago (1995)

Stable release
  
2017 / January 29, 2017

Type
  
Mapping Software, GIS, GIS software

Website
  
Caliper Mapping Software Home

Maptitude is a mapping software program created by Caliper Corporation that allows users to view, edit and integrate maps. The software and technology are designed to facilitate the geographical visualization and analysis of either included data or custom external data.

Maptitude is intended for business users but competes at all levels of the GIS market in many different sectors. It encapsulates the core GIS functionality of the Caliper mapping software suite of products, and integrates with Microsoft Office, data mapping from various sources including Microsoft Excel, and includes a proprietary BASIC-like programming language (Caliper Script) within a development interface (GISDK) that allows automation of the Maptitude environment.

The Caliper technology is used in the following end-user desktop software:

  • Maptitude (for international users, with primary markets in, and tailored add-ons for, the USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Brazil; with additional versions for Argentina, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, and South Africa)
  • Maptitude for Redistricting (for redistricting professionals)
  • Maptitude for Precinct and Election Management (for county and state election offices)
  • Political Maptitude (for political campaign strategists) [Discontinued in 2008]
  • TransCAD (for transportation professionals)
  • TransModeler (for traffic simulation)

    • The Caliper technology is also used in the following web-based software:

  • Maptitude for the Web
  • TransCAD for the Web

    • The Web development platform uses application source code that can be edited using Javascript, HTML and ASP.NET. Application templates (Mapplications) are used to create a web application or service. The default templates include Ajax applications and mashups that use Google Maps via the Google Map API.

    Product history

    The standard Maptitude product is typically released every year as both an upgrade and as a full packaged product; the current version is 2014. Maptitude, which was first released as Maptitude 3.0 in 1995, and numbered to agree with TransCAD 3.0, the first Microsoft Windows version of that software. The Community 2020 edition was released in 1997, a product developed for the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Maptitude 4.0 was released later that same year (1997) and subsequent versions included 2000 U.S. Census data and additional capabilities. Version 5.0, was released on January 29, 2008. The MAF/TIGER Partnership Software (MTPS) edition was released in 2008, a product developed for the U.S. Census Bureau. Version 6.0, was released in early 2011.

    Maptitude 2012, Maptitude 2013, and Maptitude 2014 included updated maps, data, demographics and features. For example, for the USA, the 2010 US Census Data, ACS demographics, and Nokia HERE Map data were all refreshed. Maptitude 2014, the current version, focused on improvements to output, with the inclusion of 3-D maps, reports, and live tiled imagery.

  • Maptitude 3.0 (1995), initial release as a commercial product
  • Community 2020 (1997), for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
  • Maptitude 4.0 (1997), significantly updated features
  • Maptitude 4.1 (1999), first version with 2000 US Census Data
  • Maptitude 4.2 (2000), first version to include the GISDK rather than offer it as an option
  • Maptitude 4.5 (2001), significantly updated features
  • Maptitude 4.6 (2003), very similar to 4.5; more of a Census data update
  • Maptitude 4.7 (2004), new features and data
  • Maptitude 4.8 (2006), first version to support aerial photo downloads
  • Maptitude 5.0 (2008), major release
  • MTPS (2008), for the U.S. Census Bureau
  • Maptitude 6.0 (2011), first version to include commercial grade street data
  • Maptitude 2012 (2012), updated software, data, and demographics. Features provide improved drive-time and routing capabilities.
  • Maptitude 2013 (2013), updated software, data, and demographics. Features provide further international capabilities. First 64-bit version.
  • Maptitude 2014 (2014), updated software, data, and demographics. Features provide improved output.
  • Maptitude 2015 (2015), updated software, data, and demographics. Features provide improved reporting.
  • Maptitude 2016 (2016), updated software, data, and demographics. Features provide tools targeted at usability and the discontinued Microsoft MapPoint audience.
  • Maptitude 2017 (2017), updated software, data, and demographics. Redesigned menus and buttons to streamline the map making process. Features provide tools for logistics/operations and the discontinued Microsoft MapPoint audience.

    • New versions have sometimes been released before the equivalent TransCAD releases, and have been identically numbered, but recent versions have always followed the release date of the TransCAD software. Maptitude 2012 represented a shift in the version numbering, from a sequential release value to a year number.

    The software is available for Microsoft Windows.

    References

    Maptitude Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA