[ale] Linux & CAD/GIS

[Alan Stewart]

Just a note for those with an interest in Linux in the CAD/GIS world:

I've been working for over two years now on a Linux application for 
plotting MicroStation CAD files to PDF. We have support for native 
MicroStation fonts, custom linestyles, and IPLOT pen tables. A co-worker 
is developing the equivalent product for AutoCAD. Our model has been to 
create a complete server-based system for plotting CAD documents to PDF. 
We package the software on a Linux appliance. The Windows client for 
submitting plot requests is written in Java, as is the plot server 
running on the Linux box.

The primary sales so far have been in support of our core business of 
providing customized solutions to utilites for distributing their 
engineering data. We integrate information from multiple sources into a 
database of  'intelligent' PDFs. We've written Linux tools for adding 
bookmarks and annotations to PDF files. We've created a standard for 
georeferencing PDF and custom plug-ins for Adobe Acrobat that recognize 
this.

All the heavy lifting is done on Linux...

Alan

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D. Alan Stewart
Senior Software Developer
Layton Graphics, Inc.
155 Woolco Drive
Marietta, GA 30065
Voice: 770/973-4312
Fax: 800/367-8192
http://www.layton-graphics.com