Doc Rev 1/8/93
Atlas Data Product Documentation
Digital Chart of the World (DCW)
Strategic Mapping, Inc.
(File Release Jan 8, 1993)
Definition
---------The Digital Chart of the World (DCW) is a comprehensive 1:1,000,000-scale
vector base map of the world. The DCW is based on (1) 270 Operational
Navigational Charts (ONC) produced by the Defense Mapping Agency and the
mapping agencies of Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, and (2)
six
Jet Navigation Charts covering the Antarctic.
The DCW was designed for a wide range of military, scientific, and
educational applications. The DCW has been developed in consonance with
a
new GIS data format known as the Vector Product Format (VPF), which is a
US Department of Defense Military Standard.
Description
----------Strategic Mapping Inc. has converted the original DCW to Atlas format.
The Atlas DCW contains only the geographic files.
The original DCW has seventeen "thematic coverages",(also called thematic
layers in the original DCW) which have several sub-classes. For example,
Aeronautical, a thematic layer, has five types of "features": Active
civil,
Active civil & military, Active Military, Added from ONC when not in
DAFIF,
and other. These five types make five unique "features" of the original
DCW. As a result, the original DCW has around 273 different "features".
The Atlas DCW is composed of 183 layers. Elevation data is licensed and
packaged separately. Some of the "features" have been combined into one
layer of Atlas DCW and some "features" have been expanded into a few
layers. This is explained in the data dictionary, which defines the
different layers in the Atlas DCW and the corresponding "features" of the
original DCW.
The original DCW uses 5 x 5 degree tiles. These have been combined into
geographic files covering 15 x 15 degrees. A typical 15 x 15 degree tile
occupies about 15 megabytes. Due to the tile structure, continents are
defined as sets of tiles, rather than by conventional boundaries. The
DCW
is packaged on four CDs using approximately the same distribution of
tiles
and continents as in the orginal DCW. Where a tile covers part of more
than one continent, the tile is duplicated on two or more CDs.
To reduce cluttering on the screen, some layers of the Atlas DCW have
been turned off. You can turn on, off, or toggle any layer by changing
the layer settings. Execute the Display-Layer-Setting command to access
the screen for changing the layer settings.
Conventions
----------The primary name (_Name) for each feature contains the "feature code"
from
the original DCW.
The secondary name (_Name2) is blank in most layers. _Name2 is populated
in the Populated Places, Cultural Landmarks, Aeronautical, and a few
other layers.
The unique ID (_ID) for each feature is a 13-character code of the
following form which uniquely identifies the feature anywhere in the
world:
aaaabbcnnnnnn
aaaa
bb
c
nnnnn
=
=
=
=
tile
original DCW "thematic layer"
"feature" type
"feature" number
The first four characters aaaa defines the 5 x 5 degree tile of the
original
DCW to which this feature belongs.
The next two characters, bb, define the thematic coverage of the
original DCW for that "feature", for example: PP means Populated Places.
Following is the list of different thematic coverages used in the
original
DCW:
AE
CL
DQ
DN
DS
HY
HS
LC
OF
PH
PO
PP
RR
RD
TS
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
Aeronautical
Cultural Landmarks
Data Quality
Drainage
Drainage-Supplemental
Hypsography
Hypsography-Supplemental
Land Cover
Ocean Feature
Physiography
Political/Ocean
Populated Places
Rail Roads
Roads
Transportation Structure
UT = Utilities
VG = Vegetation
The seventh character, c, defines the type of "feature", for example:
A stands for area. Following are the different types available;
A
P
L
T
=
=
=
=
Area
Point
Line
Text
During the production of DCW, names were also digitized as and where they
appeared on the maps. This digitized text generated the "Text" layer.
This text, starting at a fixed lat lon, is different from a typical AGIS
label in a layer.
The last six characters, nnnnnn, are the "feature" numbers for the
feature.
File Names
---------Use the DOS DIR command to obtain a list of files on each disk.
There is one geographic file for each 15 x 15 degree tile.
Atlas DCW geographic files for each 15 x 15 tile are named as follows:
DCW_aa.AGF, AIF, AGX, ANX, and LYR (five files)
aa = two letter identifier for the 15 x 15 degree tile.
Refer to the printed map, provided with the disks, for the two-letter
tile identifier.
In addition the following two files come with each DCW order:
DCW.DOC
DMA_TECH.DOC
(this document)
Defense Mapping Agency technical
documentation for the original DCW
Note that the file DMA_TECH.DOC contains portions of the DMA's online
technical documentaion that accompanies the original DCW in VPF format.
We
recommend that you read this file and print a copy for reference.
Data Dictionary
--------------Following is the data dictionary of the Atlas DCW.
ATLAS
DCW
LAYER
-----
ORIGINAL
DCW
LAYER
DESCRIPTION
-------- -----------
B_BOUND_INTRNL
POL1_2
POL1_3
POL1_7
POL1_8
POL2_1
POL2_2
POL2_3
Dejure I B - approx B
Dejure I B - indefinite B
Dejure I B - river
Dejure I B - polygon closure line
Defacto International Boundary - definite
Defacto I B - approx B
Defacto I B - indefinite B
B_BOUND_MAJOR
POL5_1
POL5_7
POL5_8
Major Administrative Boundary - definite
Major A B - river
Major A B - polygon closure line
B_BOUND_PRIMARY
POL4_1
POL4_2
POL4_7
POL4_8
Primary
Primary
Primary
Primary
B_BOUND_TREATY
POL6_1
POL6_3
Treaty or occupancy line - definite
Treaty o c l - indefinite B
B_INT_DATE_LINE
POL13_9
International Date LIne
B_MARITIME_LMT
OFL3
Maritime area limits
B_OCEAN_DEMARK
POL8_8
Ocean demarcation line - polygon closure line
B_TILE_BOUNDARY
POLZ_9
DCW 5 by 5 degree tile boundary
G_ESCARPMENT
PHL3
Escarpments, bluffs, cliffs
G_ICE_CLIFF
PHL5
Ice cliffs
G_LEVEE_DIKE
PHL1
Levees, dikes, eskers
G_ROCK_OUTCROP
PHL2
PHL6
Rock strata outcrops
Crater (only 2 in data set)
H_CANAL
DNL4_9
DNL4_11
Canals, aqueducts, flumes, penstocks, kanat
Canals, a, f, p, k - above ground
H_CANAL_ABAND
DNL4_7
Canals, a, f, p, k - abandoned
H_CANAL_UC
DNL4_8
Canals, a, f, p, k - under construction
Administrative Boundary - definite
A B - approx B
A B - river
A B - polygon closure line
H_CANAL_UNDGD
DNL4_10
Canals, a, f, p, k - underground
ATLAS
DCW
LAYER
-----
ORIGINAL
DCW
LAYER
DESCRIPTION
-------- -----------
H_COASTAL_CLOS
POL7-4
POL7_9
Coastal closure line - manmade coastline
Coastal closure line
H_COASTLINE
POL10_1
POL10_2
POL10_3
POL10_4
POL10_5
POL10_6
Coastline
Coastline
Coastline
Coastline
Coastline
Coastline
H_DAM
DNP6
Dam
H_GLACIAL_LMT
DNL5_99
Glacial limits
H_GLACIER_SNOW
DNA4
Snowfields, glaciers, ice
H_ICE_FREE_LMT
DNL7_99
Ice free limits (land/ice line)
H_ICE_LINE
POL9_2
POL9_6
Ice line - fluctuating
Ice line - ice cliff
H_ICE_TO_OCEAN
DNL6_99
Snowfield, glacier, land ice to water ice
H_ICE_WATER_B
POL11_2
Ice/water line - approximate or fluctuating
H_INUNDATED_ARE
LCA14
Inundated areas
H_LAND
POA1
Land
H_LOCK/GATE
DNP5
DNP7
Lock
Sluice gate
H_OCEAN_ICE
POA3
POA4
POA5
Polar ice
Pack ice
Shelf ice
H_OCEAN_WATER
POA2
Open ocean
H_RAPID
DNP4
Rapids
_RESERVOIR
DNP2
-
definite
fluctuating
unsurveyed
manmade
undetermined
ice cliff
Reservoir
H_SEAWALL
POL12_4
Seawall - manmade coastline
H_SHORELINE
DNL2_3
Inland shoreline - definite
H_SHORELINE_IND
DNL2_4
Inland shoreline - indefinite
H_SMALL_ISLAND
DSP2
Small inland water islands
H_SMALL_IS_OCN
POP1
Small island
ATLAS
DCW
LAYER
-----
ORIGINAL
DCW
LAYER
DESCRIPTION
-------- -----------
H_SMALL_LK_GLC
DSP1
Small lakes, small glaciers
H_SPRING_WELL
DNP1
Spring, well, waterhole
H_STREAM
DNL1_1
DNL1_5
Streams, rivers, channelized rivers - perennial
Streams, r, cr - unsurveyed perennial
H_STREAM_INTMT
DNL1_2
DNL1_6
Streams, r, cr - non-perennial
Streams, r, cr - unsurveyed non-perennial
H_WATER
DNA1
Inland water - perennial
H_WATERFALL
DNP3
Falls
H_WATER_INTMT
DNA2
Inland water - non-perennial
H_WETLAND
LCA15
Undifferentiated wetlands
H_WET_SAND
DNA3
Wet sand
H_WET_SAND_LMT
DNL3_99
Wet sand limits
L_CULTIVATED_GD
LCA3
Cultivated areas, gardens
L_DISTORTED_SUR
LCA11
Distorted surface areas
L_FISH_POND_HAT
LCA6
Fish ponds, fish hatcheries
L_LAVA_FLOW
LCA10
Lava flows
L_MINE
LCP1
Mines
L_MISC_LAND_COV
LCP3
Unusual land features
L_NATURAL_LNDMK
LCA13
Landmark areas - natural
L_OIL_GAS_FIELD
LCA8
Oil fields, gas fields
L_PEAT_CUTTING
LCA4
Peat cuttings
L_QUARRY_MINE_D
areas
LCA7
Quarries, strip mines, mine dumps, blasting
L_QUARRY_MINE_D
areas
LCP2
Quarries, strip mines, mine dumps, blasting
L_RICE_FIELD
LCA1
Rice fields
L_SALT_PAN
LCA5
Salt pans
L_SAND
LCA12
Unconsolidated materials (Sand portion)
M_CULTURL_LNDMK
CLA
Cultural land mark areas
ATLAS
DCW
LAYER
-----
ORIGINAL
DCW
LAYER
DESCRIPTION
-------- -----------
M_CULTURL_LNDMK
CLL
Cultural landmark linear features
M_CULTURL_LNDMK
CLP
Cultural landmarks
O_MISC_OCEAN_FT
OFL1
Miscellaneous ocean features
O_REEF
OFL2
Reefs
O_ROCK
OFP1
Rock isolated or awash
O_WRECK_EXPOSED
OFP2
xposed wreck
P_CITY
PPA1
Built-up area
P_CITY_C
PPP2_C
Populated place associated with city polygon
(name in all caps)
P_CITY_S
PPP2_S
PP polygon (name in mixed letters)
P_CITY_U
PPP2_U
PP polygon (unnamed)
P_KAMPONG
PPA2
Kampong
P_POPULTD_PL_C
P_POPULTD_PL_S
P_POPULTD_PL_U
PPP1_C
PPP1_S
PPP1_U
Populated place (name in all caps)
PP (name in mixed letters)
PP (unnamed)
P_VILLAGE
PPP3
PPP4
Village, strategic or landmark place
Kampong
R_BRIDGE
TSL1_2
TSL1_3
Road - Bridge
Road - Causeway
R_BRIDGE
TSP1_2
TSP1_3
Road - Bridge
Road - Causeway
R_CONNECTOR
RDL8_4
RDL8_5
Connector - compiled
Connector - compiled from adjacent newer ONC
R_CONNECTOR_ARB
RDL8_9
Connector - arbitrary
R_DOUBTFUL
RDL2_3
RDL3_3
Primary o s r - existence doubtful
Track, t, f - existence doubtful
R_DUAL_LANE
RDL1_1
RDL1_2
RDL1_5
Dual lane highway - functional
Dual lane h - under construction
Dual lane h - compiled from adjacent newer ONC
R_FERRY
TSL1_5
Road - Ferry
R_FERRY
TSP1_5
Road - Ferry
ATLAS
DCW
LAYER
-----
ORIGINAL
DCW
LAYER
DESCRIPTION
-------- -----------
R_FORD
TSL1_6
Road - Ford
R_PRIM_SECND
RDL2_1
RDL2_2
RDL2_5
Primary or secondary road - functional
Primary o s r - under construction
Primary o s r - compiled from adjacent newer
R_TRAIL
RDL3_1
RDL3_2
Track, trail, footpath - functional
Track, t, f - under construction
R_TUNNEL
TSL1_4
Road - Tunnel
R_TUNNEL
TSP1_4
Road - Tunnel
T_BRIDGE
TSL2_2
TSL2_3
Railroad - Bridge
Railroad - Causeway
T_BRIDGE
TSP2_2
TSP2_3
Railroad - Bridge
Railroad - Causeway
T_CONNECTOR
RRL8_1
RRL8_4
RRL8_5
Connector - functional
Connector - compiled
Connector - compiled from adjacent newer ONC
T_CONNECTOR_ARB
RRL8_9
Connector - arbitrary
T_FERRY
TSL2_5
Railroad - Ferry
T_FERRY
TSP2_5
Railroad - Ferry
T_MULTI
RRL2_1
Multiple track RR - functional
T_NONOPERATING
RRL1_2
Single track RR - abandoned, destroyed, under
construction
Multiple track RR - abandoned, destroyed, under
construction
Connector - abandoned, destroyed, under
construction
ONC
RRL2_2
RRL8_2
T_SINGLE
RRL1_1
RRL3_1
Single track RR - functional
Light RR - functional
T_STATION
TSP2_8
Railroad - Station
T_TUNNEL
TSL2_4
Railroad - Tunnel
T_TUNNEL
TSP2_4
Railroad - Tunnel
T_YARD
TSP2_7
Railroad - Yard
U_ELECT_LINE
UTL1
Power transmission line
ATLAS
DCW
LAYER
-----
ORIGINAL
DCW
LAYER
DESCRIPTION
-------- -----------
U_PIPELINE_SURF
UTL3
Pipeline - above ground
U_PIPELINE_UNDG
UTL4
Pipeline - underground
U_TELE_LINE
UTL2
Telephone or telegraph line
VG_FOREST_DECID
VGA41
Deciduous forest
VG_FOREST_EVRGN
VGA42
Evergreen forest
VG_FOREST_MIXED
VGA43
Mixed forest
VG_RANGLND_HERB
VGA31
Herbaceous rangeland
VG_RANGLND_MIXD
VGA33
Mixed rangeland
VG_RANGLND_SHRB
VGA32
Shrub and brush rangeland
VG_TUNDRA_ALPIN
VGA83
Alpine tundra
V_CIVIL_AIR
AEP1
Active civil
V_CIVIL_MILIT_A
AEP2
Active civil & military
V_MILITARY_AIR
AEP3
Active military
V_ONC_SOURCE_A
AEP5
Added from ONC when not in DAFIF
V_OTHER_AIR
AEP4
Other
X_DQ_TEXT
DQT
Data Quality annotations
X_G_TEXT
PHT
Physiography annotations
X_H_TEXT
DNT
Drainage annotations
X_L_TEXT
LCT
Land cover annotations
X_M_TEXT
CLT
Cultural landmarks annotations
X_O_TEXT
OFT
Ocean features annotations
X_PO_TEXT
POT
Political/oceans annotations
X_P_TEXT
PPT
Populated places annotations
X_R_TEXT
RDT
Road annotations
X_TS_TEXT
TST
Transportation structures annotations
X_T_TEXT
RRT
Railroad annotations
ATLAS
DCW
LAYER
-----
ORIGINAL
DCW
LAYER
DESCRIPTION
-------- -----------
X_U_TEXT
UTT
Utilities annotations
Z_CONNECTOR
DNL8_99
POL88_9
connectors
Connector
Z_NULL
DNAZ
LCAZ
PPAZ
VGAZ
Z_ONC_MOD_BOUND
DNL1_88
DNL2_88
DNL4_88
DNL5_88
DNL6_88
DNL8_88
DNLZ_88
DNLZ_99
Streams, r, cr - ONC module boundary
Inland shoreline - ONC module boundary
Canals, a, f, p, k - ONC module boundary
Glacial limits - ONC module boundary
Snowfield, g, litwi or o - ONC module bound
connector - ONC module boundary
- ONC module boundary
- null
Z_UNCODED
DNA
DNP
DSP
LCA
LCP
OFP
POA
PPA
RDL
RRL
VGA
uncoded
uncoded
uncoded
uncoded
uncoded
uncoded
uncoded
uncoded
uncoded
uncoded
uncoded
Correction Policy
----------------If you discover an error in a file, please notify technical support. If
possible, a correction will be made to the file. Please note that the
original DCW data set contains many errors, inconsistencies, and
irregularities due to conditions and methodology of its production and
source ONC chart data. Any file may be returned within 30 days of
receipt
if an error other than in the original DCW data is discovered and cannot
be
corrected.