Case Studies

The following examples provide step-by-step case studies of how a practical business problem is solved using Manifold and data available from Manifold.  They are mainly oriented toward active Manifold users and assume some familiarity with the System; however, for newbies or people contemplating purchase of Manifold, they will also reveal some of the power of the system.  If you have not yet used Manifold, keep in mind that almost all of the steps illustrated can be accomplished with a single mouse click and thus are far faster to accomplish in real life than they are to read about.  Note: the names are invented, but the tasks are real.

Database Commander Users: This page is the Manifold System GIS Case Studies page.  For Database Commander, see a Case Study of "harvesting" a competitor's dealer database from the web. The Case Study presents a step-by-step procedure with thumbnail illustrations (click to see full-sized screen shots) of harvesting data from a web site, converting the dealer list into a handy database, and making formatting conversions for easy use. 

A note to our International customers:   The following are real examples drawn from our customer files.  Some use US data in the form of postal codes or TIGER/Line data sources. However, the techniques presented may be used to create custom maps from the DCW or used in proximity analysis using local data sets.  They are certainly worth browsing by international users as well as US users.

Confused by some of the detail in these case studies?   For the latest edition of Manifold System, see the Online Manifold 5.00 User Manual.

Intersection Overlays

A Release 5.00 example that  that uses Transfer Rules, Split with, Clip with (Intersect) and Spatial Overlays commands to split intersecting areas along all boundaries, including internal boundaries of either layer, and transfers data fields to the resulting intersected areas.

This is a small, but sophisticated example suitable for intermediate users who are expanding their use of Spatial Overlays.

Zip Codes are Not Polygonal Areas - This is not really a case study, but is an explanatory note with a nice map.  The most common misconception in GIS is that Zip codes are polygonal areas.  This is quite false, since Zip codes are mostly linear features associated with roads or (occasionally) point features associated with military bases or specific apartment buildings.

Creating the Great Lakes

This elegant Release 4.50 example (illustration above) shows how we can create the Great Lakes in a continental map that does not show them. We use information from high resolution maps to create a "cookie cutting" area that is then used to cut out the shape of the Great Lakes from a continental map.  The example shows simple editing, creation of new areas and use of the area union and split solvers. Manifold is a terrific database and analytic GIS, but it also has superior map editing and cartographic creation capabilities.  This example uses the sophisticated, but easy-to-use spatial topology operations in Manifold to create new map features.

Making Time Zones using Area Splits and Table View

This is a 4.50 "mini case" showing one small sequence of steps used to "cookie cutter" a set of areas into new areas in the shape of the desired time zone followed by use of Table View to rapidly copy data attributes into the new areas. (illustration at right)  This shows how Manifold can not only create cool new map objects in cartographic editing, but how with a single mouse double-click it can populate those objects with the right data attributes as well. Manifold makes it easy to combine database functions with mapping in a full-power GIS.

Use Topology Factory to "Cookie Cut" a Road System by a County Boundary

Topology Factory is an optional, $45 package for Manifold System Release 4.50 that adds an interactive display/repair console that identifies and fixes 14 common topological problems.    An interactive map view display allows stepping through incidents with highlighting of problems using color animation.  This is a terrific new product that should be in the toolkit of every serious map author.   We've used it extensively to repair hundreds of megabytes of world map files for the Manifold World series. This user manual example shows how to cut out a road system to align exactly to county boundaries. [Note: this can also be done using the Split solver]

Send Email to All Customers within 50 Miles of the Customer Care Caravan

This is a really simple 4.50 example that shows how easy it is to send email in Manifold based on Maps.  Our company is running a North-South "Customer Care Caravan" this October, where factory specialists hit the road in a specially-equipped van to visit our customers.  They visit factories, run diagnostics, pass on the latest tips, and otherwise thank our customers for using our equipment.  No doubt the tour will result in a few orders as well.  We'd like to encourage customer participation by sending an email to customers who are located within 50 miles of the planned route of the Customer Care Caravan.

Send Email using Manifold as a Visual Email Organizer

It's pretty obvious how to use Manifold's 4.50 Send Email solver package to send geo-targeted email using geographic maps.   However, Manifold is such a strong database manipulator that many people are using Manifold to organize their email campaigns using abstract maps.   Here's how.

Custom Maps

Manifold is often used to create maps for presentation and usage in other projects.  Although Manifold provides more analytic, logical and mathematics functions than almost any other GIS, it also provides spectacular and powerful graphics design capability.  The following two case studies focus on simple map preparation.

Create a Map of US Regions - This is the simplest 4.50 example from an analytic perspective, but it is the longest case study because every last tiny detail has been included.  We use a variety of Manifold features to create a simple map that shows the United States as six differently colored regions.  The map shows which states are included on various TIGER/Line 1997 CDs.   This is the actual procedure used to create the map that is on the TIGER/Line page of this website.  This case study focuses on the use of Manifold as a graphics editing program.

Create a Custom, Local Map from TIGER/Line Files - It's often the case that we wish to extract a custom map that contains only those features or data desired from a large, complicated map or data set.  This 4.50 example walks us through the preparation of a custom map of Reno, Nevada, from the Washoe County TIGER/Line dataset.    We'll use this custom map later in the Frank's Catering case study below.  Using variations on the methods presented, one can create custom maps from any complex data set.  The focus is on extracting high value, high accuracy information in the form of a map from a US Government database that contains a lot of information but which is difficult to use with lesser GIS systems.

An Essay on Selection

Using the Omo Ranch map of gold mines, this Case is more of an essay on 4.50 Selection methods  within Manifold.  Perhaps the biggest use of GIS is using maps as a visual "handle" to grab and manipulate database information associated with the map. The biggest issue is often making just the right selection of records. Manifold has flexible and easy methods to make and refine selections using Map View, Table Views, and Solvers or SQL.  All three methods may be simultaneously combined in an easy, free-form approach to getting just the right selection.  Here's how.  See this essay for a look at screen controls.  Some visitors to this web site have suggested that we show more of the Manifold console/toolbars so they can see how it looks in action.  This essay includes numerous full screen views that have been a) set aside on thumbnails and b) color-reduced so they load fast even over a modem Internet link. This essay is not about heavy math analysis, but about the intrinsic analytic capabilities inherent in Manifold's flexible, powerful, and easy to use windows style.

A Demo for the Boss

OK, so you know you want Manifold System, but your boss is fond of asking technologically astute questions like "Do you think Windows will ever replace CP/M?" 

It's time to show a simple 4.50 demonstration of selection methods that even management can understand.  We'll feature lightning fast mouse selection for snappy visual effects.  Remember, at one time management actually worked with software, so they might remember how hard it was to make a Selection in Brand X or Y while balancing a can of Jolt and a doughnut.  This demo shows a few visual selection modes that you simply cannot do in Brand X or Brand Y.

Along the way, we'll touch on a few key Manifold.pngts to GIS workers that provide convenience, power, and flexibility.

Buffer Zones and ViewBots Tour - A streamlined Case Study showing the use of ViewBots for spatial analysis.  A very powerful combination, especially if coupled with Manifold's new Send Email solver to send geotargeted email.

Proximity Analysis using Buffer Zone Spatial Analysis and Nearest Neighbor Solver

The case studies in this section use some of the spatial analytic capabilities of Manifold System Release 4.50.  Although Manifold sells for less than $250, the system contains spatial analytic capabilities not found in many products that sell for over $1500.  Manifold System Release 5.00 is even more powerful.

A common task in business marketing is to find Zip codes (either 5 digit or Zip+4) that are located within a given distance of one or more business locations.  Lists of Zip codes may then be provided to a mailing vendor, who is usually instructed to extract addresses that meet certain demographic criteria from within the given zip code ranges.   For example, one can find all zip codes within 50 miles of an RV service facility, and then provide the list of zip codes to the mailing house with instructions to pull the addresses of all people aged 50 and up who are registered owners of an RV.

Find all Zip+4 Zip Codes® Within 1 Mile of Frank's Catering Locations in Reno Using TIGER/Line® Data - Frank's catering has 3 kitchen/service locations within the Reno, NV, metropolitan area.  Frank wants to spam all businesses within one mile of each location to promote a new "walk-in" box lunch program.  He wants to use his kitchen capacity to capture some of the lunch-hour trade.  Frank figures that people won't go more than a mile even for one of Frank's killer values on gourmet box lunches so he  prefers to mail only those businesses within one mile.  Frank wants Zip+4 accuracy but he only has a few locations and doesn't want to spend a lot of time learning a mailing program.   Plus, he's really cheap and loves the idea of solving his problem with a $145 program and free data. A 4.50 example.

Find all Zip Codes Within 30 Miles of  RV SuperStores in California Using only Manifold CD Maps - RV SuperStores have launched a chain of mega-centers to service the Recreational Vehicle (RV) trade in the central valley of California, where it seems that just about everyone has a Winnebago parked in the driveway ready to escape the summer's heat.  They don't need Zip+4 fineness, and feel that 5 digit Zip codes are accurate enough to avoid wasting mailing dollars on people outside their trade area.  They plan on opening a dozen stores overall and need to mail frequently.  This example uses the Nearest Neighbor solver to show how to use a network concept (unattached nodes) to solve a proximity problem. A 4.50 example.

New Feature:  Step-by-step instructions from Technical Support's case files.  From time to time Technical Support creates a sequence of screen shots to send to a customer to resolve a question.  Following are some 4.50 support examples from the tech support archives.  A few of these include more than 20 shots.

• UTM Projection Notes
• Converting a DEM for use in 3D View Studio
• Entering a Formula and Exporting the Table to Access
• Find all Regions visible from the top of a 100 foot Tower
• Perform "Polygon in Polygon" Operations

Seriously, isn't this a bargain? - Now's the time to put to work the spectacular, synergistic benefits of a whole lot of desktop technologies maturing at once.  Desktops now outperform the supercomputers of earlier days, Windows software provides the highest leverage development tools, and Internet makes it possible for us to sell to you by providing more data and faster product delivery than ever before.   Tired of waiting for your GIS vendor to wake up from a Rip Van Winkle sleep?   Buy a copy of Manifold System and see how much power, performance, reliability and value modern technology delivers today. Visit the Manifold.net Online Store for a quick, easy, and secure purchase of Manifold products, or (in the US) call 800-556-5919 to order by telephone (9-5 PST).

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