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2. DGM AND MAPSOFT 
Considerable efforts have been made in survey agencies 
in Federal Republic of Yugoslavia towards utilization of 
computer technology within standard survey activities. 
Unfortunately, a lot of projects have failed. The main 
reason for this was that they were either based on poor 
foundations offering only partial solutions or they were 
too ambitious to be completed. 
Certainly one of the most important efforts giving good 
results has been involvement of the concept of Digital 
Geodetic Map (DGM) in survey practice. DGM is a 
parcel based Land Information System composed of 
three vital components: data, software and hardware. It 
provides all the functions that were available using 
conventional large scaled maps, greatly improved in 
terms of automation level and accuracy, and extended 
with many new functions. The concept of DGM in the 
Republic of Serbia is confirmed in a set of regulations 
proclaimed by state survey administration. 
The core of the DGM is composed of topologically 
organised vector data. DGM concept requires the data 
for the whole project to be kept in a single data base 
without any limitations caused by map sheet borders or 
any other divisions. Data base entities are not graphic 
elements (point, line, circle, arc, etc.) but objects in the 
field (spot, boundary edge, area) with the corresponding 
attributes. The regulations do not specify which data 
base management system should be used. Detailed 
specification of requirements that data (content and 
accuracy) and procedures for their acquisition, 
verification, archiving, maintenance and distribution have 
to satisfy are given instead. 
  
Acceptance of the DGM by survey agencies was initiated 
by appearance of the MapSoft software system. As it has 
been already mentioned, this software is a PC based 
solution for the realisation of the DGM concept. 
    
207 
RE 
Figure 1 : Interfac 
Acquisition, processing, analysis and maintenance 
(update) of the DGM data are completely supported by 
numerous modules of MapSoft. 
The MapSoft is a system with carefully designed and 
integrated modules. The main module of the MapSoft 
provides the following functions for the user : 
e photogrammetric mapping, manual digitization 
using tablet digitizer and manual on-screen 
digitization of scanned maps as three major data 
acquisition methods; 
e sophisticated detection and elimination of digitizing 
errors caused by distortions of the existing 
geodetic maps; 
e input of the existing survey data in various forms; 
e selection of data base entities for display and 
analysis using spatial or layer criteria; 
e full set of functions for data base handling (browse, 
editing, search, statistics, etc.) in text or graphics 
mode (Figure 1); 
e transparent on-line topology generation and 
update; 
recovering of damaged data base; 
data exchange with other systems (DXF, Arcinfo); 
support to various plotting devices; 
editing of symbol libraries; 
simple COGO and measuring functions. 
Application modules provide the following functions: 
e area calculations with polygon overlay functions; 
e DGM data base maintenance with history of 
changes; 
e advanced COGO functions; 
e DTM module. 
  
  
of the MapSoft 
It has been widely accepted fact that data represent one 
of the most important components of any GIS/LIS. One 
of the most important roles of MapSoft is to provide 
survey data necessary for realisation of various GIS 
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B4. Vienna 1996