Table of Contents
List of Figures..................................................................................................................v
List of Tables..................................................................................................................vi
Notions and Abbreviations..........................................................................................vii
Geographically Encoded Objects for RSS feeds..................................................................................................vii
Chapter 1..........................................................................................................................1
Introduction.....................................................................................................................1
1.1. Introduction...................................................................................................................................................1
1.2. Our approach.................................................................................................................................................1
1.3. Thesis structure..............................................................................................................................................2
Chapter 2..........................................................................................................................3
Web-based system: model, architecture.......................................................................3
2.1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................3
2.2. Web-based system model...............................................................................................................................3
2.2.1. Static web model....................................................................................................................................3
2.2.2. Dynamic web model..............................................................................................................................4
2.3. Dynamic web-based system architecture.......................................................................................................6
2.3.1. Three-tier architecture...........................................................................................................................7
2.3.2. Client design: Thin client and rich client.............................................................................................10
2.4. Web 2.0 and virtual community....................................................................................................................11
2.5. Summary......................................................................................................................................................12
Chapter 3: .....................................................................................................................13
Web-based Geographic Information System.............................................................13
3.1. Geographic Information System overview....................................................................................................13
3.1.1. Definition.............................................................................................................................................13
3.1.2. Data representation in GIS system......................................................................................................13
3.1.3. Other terms in GIS system...................................................................................................................15
3.2. Web-based Geographic Information System................................................................................................15
3.3. Microsoft Virtual Earth................................................................................................................................17
3.4. Summary......................................................................................................................................................18

6.1.2. Server Side...........................................................................................................................................39
6.2. Use cases.....................................................................................................................................................39
6.2.1. First look at GreenPeace......................................................................................................................39
6.2.2. Sign in..................................................................................................................................................40
6.2.3. Work with GreenPeace........................................................................................................................40
6.2.3.1. Home menu.......................................................................................................................................41
6.2.3.2. Features menu...................................................................................................................................42
6.2.3.2. Services menu...................................................................................................................................43
6.2.4. Context menu.......................................................................................................................................45
6.3. Application evaluation.................................................................................................................................47
6.3.1. Benefits of application.........................................................................................................................47
6.3.2. Application scopes...............................................................................................................................47
Chapter 7:......................................................................................................................48
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................48
List of Figures
Figure 2.1 Static web model
Figure 2.3 Three-tier architecture
Figure 3.1 Raster map image
Figure 3.2 Vector map image
Figure 3.3 Three-tier model in Web GIS system
Figure 3.4 Virtual Earth in action
Figure 4.1 System Architecture
Figure 5.1 Web service model
Figure 5.2 Database diagram
Figure 6.1 Full view of GreenPeace
Figure 6.2 Sign in form
Figure 6.3 Docklet menu
Figure 6.4 Image viewer
Figure 6.5 Bookmark block
Figure 6.6 Tag block with information box

SOAP Simple Object Access Protocol
GeoRSS Geographically Encoded Objects for RSS feeds

Chapter 1
Introduction
1.1. Introduction
The development of human society makes a change of environment to satisfy their
needs. It produces consequently destructive effects to the environment. In the reverse
direction, environmental changes affect human being deeply, such as forest destroyed,
the global warming, etc. It is the ring alarm about World Environment which is in
danger nowadays.
The importance of environmental protection was realized and mentioned many
years ago. In November 11
th
, 1997, Kyoto Protocol[1] of reducing Greenhouse was
agreed, covers more than 170 countries in practical actions. According to Word
Resources Institute, over 10000 non-governmental organizations which work in
environment preserving field were established up to first decade of 21
th
century.
Regardless all protective activities, the global environment is getting worse,
because the efforts to fight for environmental protection is too small while the world’s
population is raising up very rapidly. People with their activities such as consuming,
producing, building and so on harm the environment daily. Unfortunately, almost of
them ignore or do not realize it. The perceptive ones do not know the best way to share
with others, to react for better place.
Modern technologies with their innovative products such as Internet, World Wide
Web and Mobile Phone are powerful tools which can help to solve all problems above.
GreenPeace is an instance of these solutions, a web-based system for community
to incorporate to monitor and notify all environments problems to government and

Chapter 6: gives a summary and objectives in the future.
2
Chapter 2
Web-based system: model, architecture
2.1. Introduction
A web-based system is a client/server model, in which browser is client connects
to web server using Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTML). Data transferred is often
Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) page and related resources. Browser downloads
all resources then renders contents and displays them in user screen.
World Wide Web today is the most used communication channel over internet.
After ten years of development, World Wide Web has grown to serve more requests
from users all over the world. In this chapter, we explore the development of the web
based system model and architecture.
2.2. Web-based system model
Web-based system nowadays has the traditional principle: client/server model, in
which client is web browser and server is web server, using HTTP protocol. There are
two kinds of web-based system design: static web and dynamic web[2].
2.2.1. Static web model
Static web model is the model in which the contents and resources of web page
are not changed. The contents of these pages are no more than just information
presented on HTML tags. The contents of these pages are predefined, cannot be
changed or customized.
This diagram below show how static web is served:
3
Figure 2.1: Static web model
1. Web browser sends a HTTP request for specified page to a web host server.
2. Web Server searches the page on local directory containing the corresponding
contents.
3. Web Server collects all information needed before responding.
4. Web Server sends response to web browser for displaying contents on screen.

2.3. Dynamic web-based system architecture
Dynamic web-based system is client/server architecture that comprises many
components which work separately at cross platform, such as user interface, functional
logic process, data access... For easy development and management, this system is
divided into multi tiers, each tier has spectacular function and works independently as
single module in order that the change made in one module does not affect the others,
for example the web server are changed from Windows to Unix, but the presentation
code does not change. All of tiers are linked together to make web system works
properly.
6
<html>
<head>
<title><% Response.Write("Welcome to ASP.NET") %></title>
</head>
<body>
<% Response.Write("ASP.NET code is embedded inside HTML tags")%>
</body>
</html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Welcome to ASP.NET</title>
</head>
<body>
ASP.NET code is embedded inside HTML tags
</body>
</html>
Typically, dynamic web-based system has three main components: the user
interface often runs on desktop personal computer or work station using graphical user
interface, the business logic may consist of one or more separate modules running on
application server, and a Relational database management system (RDBMS) on database

- ActiveX: The Microsoft’s way to perform logic process. ActiveX objects like a
desktop application, but they base on web platform with ActiveX plug-in.
- Java applet: A part of Java Platform that runs on the web-based. Java binary
codes may be downloaded to browser before processing.
- Microsoft Silverlight: The newest web platform from Microsoft to perform
logic process inside the web browser. Like Adobe Flash, Silverlight’s user interface and
logic behaviors can be programmatic. It also needs a Silverlight plug-in to run on web
browser.
The appearance of high interactive embedded object inside HTML page will
increase the development of rich internet design, as mentioning below.
2.3.2.2. Business logic tier
It is the core tier of dynamic web-based system. It receives requests from
presentation tier, processes them and responses the results. It can control the application
by performing detailed processing in specified scripts.
8
Business logic tier is web scripting or web engine, often hosted inside a web
server. Web server receives requests from client, and then calls the appropriate web
engine module to process these requests.
There are some web servers available, all of them are free to use: Apache web
server (can runs on Windows or Linux), Internet Information Service (IIS - runs only on
Windows).
Each web scripting or web engine processes the specified language, such as PHP,
ASP/ASP.Net, JSP, ColdFusion... There are some kinds of combination with each type
of web server with each type of web engine, the most popular ones are Apache/PHP and
IIS/ASP/ASP.Net.
Web engine has two separated functions:
- Perform input/output processing: parse the input form, such as textbox contents,
process it and response the corresponding HTML contents.
- Access database server to query information: use the database connection
provided by the language platform to access database, manipulate it for expected logic

Thin client is the pure browser-based solution. This means that there will be no
add-on required on the user’s PC except for the web browser. A thin client should be
completely browser independent, and not require a specific vendor’s browser or
operating system. Almost of thin client page is pure HTML code, all logic processing is
perform as server side. One example of this kind is Google web search
().
Thin client has the following advantages:
- No add-on download or installation.
- Available from any PC with browser.
- Instant updates and revisions.
It also has the following disadvantages:
- Low level of interactivity
- May have to navigate multiple browser screens to emulate current client
screens.
- Must write to lowest common browser
10
- Limited access to services on user’ s machine
2.3.2.2. Rich client
Rich client is the system designated for the complex web application with rich
information and high interactivity. It often represents for a windowed-like application.
Almost of rich client is browser dependent, and require browser to download the plug-in
to run the embedded application, such as Flash plug-in. The program logic is performed
at both client side and server side, this means it can reduce the overload of server. One
example of this kind is Silverlight Showcase (
Rich client design has the following advantages:
- Rich screen functionality, high level of interactivity
- Balance server side/client side load.
- More access to services on user’s machine.
- Support asynchronous network communication.
It also has the following disadvantages:

contents faster than ever communication method in the history. It is forming the new
face of the internet and the communication.
2.5. Summary
In this chapter, we discover the comparison between static and dynamic web
based system, we look in the web based system with three-tier model and its advantages
to apply in the web application. This model, using with rich client design, will be the
good choice to develop fully functional web application with highly interactive user
interface, as we use in our system below.
12
Chapter 3:
Web-based Geographic Information System
3.1. Geographic Information System overview
3.1.1. Definition
Geographic Information system (GIS) is any system integrates hardware,
software, and data for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of
geographically referenced information. [5]
GIS technology can be used for scientific investigations, resource management,
asset management, environmental impact assessment, urban planning, cartography,
criminology, history, sales, marketing, and logistics. For example, GIS may allow
people to see the environmental information on any specified location in the Earth, or
may allow tourism to advertise about local location to worldwide.
3.1.2. Data representation in GIS system
A GIS system is often associated with a map. There are different kinds of data
representation on a map: raster data type and vector data type.
- Raster data type: is any kind of digital image, in which a pixel is the smallest
unit, each digital image is a set of pixels. Raster data is stored in matrix consisted of
rows and columns, each cell of matrix is a pixel which has a discrete value, such as Red-
Green-Blue (RGB) value to represent a discrete color. Raster data can be saved in
various format, from file-standard based such as JPEG, PNG to binary large object
(BLOB) stored in relational database management system, such as Microsoft SQL

managers can maintain and update it easily.
- Quick delivery: web-based model make it portable to be delivered quickly and
easily.
Like other dynamic web-based system, web-based GIS system has three-tier
components as shown in diagram below:
15
Figure 3.3: Three-tier model in Web GIS system
There is a little different between web-GIS system and another web-based
system, which is the Map Server. Map Server may contain additional and major data
logic about geography, such as coordinate system, the geometric shapes of specified
land, etc. It also may contain server side script that performs detailed processing.
One of the most popular Map Server is called Web Map Service (WMS)[6].
WMS is introduced by Open Geospatial Consortium, produces maps of spatially
referenced data dynamically from geographic information. This is the middle layer
between client and map server or database server, which represents map data logic as
rendered images.
A standard WMS can do three operations:
- Returns service-level data logic.
- Returns a map with well-defined geographic and dimensional parameters.
- Returns information about particular features shown on a map.
With WMS and predefined map data logic, the most used method to access map
information is using web services to get rendered images and display them on screen. It
helps developers can develop web-based GIS application with low cost and time. There
are some popular web-based GIS systems: Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps, and Microsoft
Virtual Earth. All of them are free, easy to use, and fun to develop application.
16
3.3. Microsoft Virtual Earth
Microsoft Virtual Earth is free, easy to use product for anybody who has a
computer and internet connection could travel all around the world with high resolution
imagery. Virtual Earth has two editions: desktop edition and web edition. The web