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upgraded maps database for italy?

3 messages · livio spam, Greg Snow, Ray Brownrigg

Greg Snow
# 
If I remember correctly, the maps package only has a few dedicated maps that works with it.  The maptools package has similar (but not exactly the same) functionality and can work with shapefiles that are more commonly available.  Maptools also integrates nicely with the sp and related packages that give many more options for working with the maps.

For the 2nd question, I would suggest plotting the map first using the province, then plot a second map over the top using the information on the regioni using a different color/line thickness for the boarders and no fill (so that the province show through).  This requires having 2 different map files, one with province and one with regioni information (there may be a better way with overlaying information, but this method works without having to think about it too much).

Hope this helps,

--
Gregory (Greg) L. Snow Ph.D.
Statistical Data Center
Intermountain Healthcare
greg.snow at imail.org
(801) 408-8111
Ray Brownrigg
# 
The "italy" (and "france") databases only exists in the maps package because somebody 
supplied me with the data in an appropriate format - latitude/longitude pairs separately 
for each polygon (provinces in this case).  If you have the appropriate data for what you 
want i.e. updated provinces and regioni, then I could generate a new database (no promises 
as to how quickly this will happen though).  You *could* do it yourself if you read all 
the references contain in the maps documentation, but I wouldn't recommend learning how to 
do this unless you intend doing it frequently.

However as Greg Snow comments, maptools may well be a better way to go and uses a more 
generally available data format.  The maps package, which traces its roots back to 'New' S 
(the Blue book), is rather showing its age, but there is no reason to delete it while some 
people still find it useful.

Regards,
Ray Brownrigg
livio spam wrote: