Low-Cost, High-Quality Basemaps for Smallworld GIS
Do you need a cost-effective alternative for displaying street and background maps in your Smallworld environment?
The FCSI OpenStreetMap Plug-in for Smallworld Core Spatial Technology (CST) leverages freely available OpenStreetMap (OSM) data to deliver up-to-date, high-performance basemaps directly within your Smallworld applications—without the expense of additional commercial map licenses.
This makes it an ideal solution for utilities, telecom providers, and municipal agencies looking to provide background mapping to a broad user base at minimal cost.
Interoperability and License Efficiency
The OpenStreetMap Plug-in is designed for seamless coexistence with other external data plug-ins:
- Runs alongside third-party vendor map and data services
- Allows administrators to control access based on user roles or seat counts
- Reduces the need for additional per-user licensing
This approach enables organizations to extend background mapping to more users while maintaining cost control.
Core Capabilities
Live Map Tiles with High Performance
The plug-in streams map tiles directly from:
- OpenStreetMap
- MapQuest Open
Key benefits:
- Always-current map data
- No preprocessing or data conversion
- Supports any valid Smallworld coordinate system with zero configuration
- Local and in-memory caching for fast pan and zoom performance
Aerial imagery is available:
- Free for the United States via MapQuest Open
- Available internationally at low cost
Powerful Search Functionality
Users can search against any searchable text in the OpenStreetMap database, including:
- Street addresses
- Towns and municipalities
- Postal codes
- Building names (e.g., “Elizabeth House”)
- Street names
- Airport codes
Dynamic Geometry Selection
Users can interactively select OSM features on the map without downloading the dataset.
Once selected, additional attribute information—such as:
- Feature name
- Usage or classification
- Revision or update date
—can be reviewed directly within Smallworld.
Routing and Path Generation
The OpenStreetMap Plug-in includes built-in routing capabilities:
- Integrates with the routing engine of your choice
- Supports providers offering free routing services
Users can:
- Search for addresses as start or end points
- Select points interactively from the map
Routing options include:
- Fastest route
- Shortest route
- Trail generation for long-distance routing
This functionality supports planning, field navigation, and emergency response use cases.
Optional Advanced Features
Offline Access for Field and Emergency Operations
The Offline Access option allows organizations to:
- Cache OpenStreetMap and MapQuest tiles locally
- Download map and satellite imagery for offline use
- Perform searches using cached OSM data
This capability is ideal for:
- Field crews with limited or no internet access
- Emergency response situations where connectivity is disrupted
Download and Integrate OSM Data into Landbase
FCSI provides tools to import OpenStreetMap data directly into your Landbase dataset.
Key features include:
- Customizable mapping configuration to map OSM features to internal object models
- Automated, incremental updates that retrieve only changed data
- Elimination of full re-imports or manual data matching
This ensures your internal datasets stay current while minimizing maintenance effort.
Ideal Use Cases
- Cost-effective basemaps for enterprise GIS users
- Background mapping for utility and telecom network planning
- Municipal street, address, and POI visualization
- Field operations and emergency response mapping
- Reducing dependency on commercial basemap licenses