Ruby GUI GIS Application

Ruby
1

I’m looking to move from Perl to either Ruby, Java, or Python. Looking
at my three choices I like Ruby the best.

However, I need to make a GUI where I can make a map window and import
layers like roads and political boundaries. The window also needs to
pan and zoom in/out and maybe interface with PostGIS. Some of my files
will be ShapeFiles and I need to place markers on the map and color them
by value.

Can Ruby do this and is there a recommended tool-kit?

Thanks,
Adam

2

However, I need to make a GUI where I can make a map window and import
layers like roads and political boundaries. The window also needs to
pan and zoom in/out and maybe interface with PostGIS. Some of my files
will be ShapeFiles and I need to place markers on the map and color them
by value.

Can Ruby do this and is there a recommended tool-kit?

Your GUI application seems appropriate for something like WebKit,
assuming you’ll be working with the Google Maps API. In that case, you
could look into Titanium, which allows Ruby or Python to be used:

For a nice ruby framework (built on top of Titanium in fact), take a
look at Bowline:

http://leadthinking.com/191-bowline-a-ruby-gui-framework

If you want to go the minimal route instead, there are also plain ruby
bindings for the gtk+ port of webkit, if that’s preferable:

Of course, if you don’t need webkit, there are a few more options. The
ruby bindings for gtk2 and qt should get you far:

http://techbase.kde.org/Development/Languages/Ruby

I personally really like Shoes, and LimeLight looks promising. But these
frameworks aren’t quite mature yet, and may not be appropriate for the
type of application you want to make. And Shoes is in temporary disarray
as the maintainer (_why the lucky stiff) mysteriously disappeared, but
the community has been picking it up rather well.
http://limelight.8thlight.com/main/sparkle
http://shoes.heroku.com/

  • Ehsan
3

On Tue, 2009-09-15 at 13:49 +0900, [email protected] wrote:

I’m looking to move from Perl to either Ruby, Java, or Python. Looking
at my three choices I like Ruby the best.

However, I need to make a GUI where I can make a map window and import
layers like roads and political boundaries. The window also needs to
pan and zoom in/out and maybe interface with PostGIS. Some of my files
will be ShapeFiles and I need to place markers on the map and color them
by value.

Can Ruby do this and is there a recommended tool-kit?

In my case I am using OpenLayers, an open source javascript library
similar to google maps as the user interface within my web application.
You can write a small viewer as you describe just with some few lines.

The data is provided by a local Mapserver (mapserver.org) using WMS -
Openlayers can interface with it. Mapserver can be scripted in ruby.
Mapserver can also read and publish shapefiles.

The great advantage is that you can connect any other GIS application to
your datasets…

If you use ActiveRecord and PostGIS - there is ruby support for it:
http://rubyforge.org/projects/georuby/

Martin

4

On 15/09/2009 07:13, Ehsanul H. wrote:

Of course, if you don’t need webkit, there are a few more options. The ruby bindings for gtk2 and qt should get you far:

http://techbase.kde.org/Development/Languages/Ruby

Google used QT for Google Earth, so I think it would be reasonable to
assume that it is quite good for doing GIS-like stuff.

http://qt.nokia.com/qt-in-use/story/app/google-earth

Charles