TrueNorth is built around an extensible core.

TrueNorth is designed from the ground up using the principles of inversion of control which gives us incredible power and flexibility on how to configure the product – so much so that the core framework that holds TrueNorth together can be distilled into a single file of code that manages the loading of the various plugins.

Almost all functionality in TrueNorth is contained in Plugins – units that implement and extend features in the product.

Layers

For instance, TrueNorth has the concept of a map, and of layers – but without plugins to implement those layers TrueNorth can’t display anything. A map is in fact a configuration of several layers that draw data onto the map, depending on what part of the world you have displayed on your monitors.

Data Import and Export

Plugins are also resposible for all data import and export, including the “native” TrueNorth map, feature, basemap and layer formats.

File formats such as GeoPDF and GPX are just plug-ins that read the data from the file and convert it into a format that TrueNorth can display. In the case of GPX and other vector formats, the plugin converts it to the TrueNorth Feature format and adds it to the map as a Feature layer. In the case of GeoPDF, TrueNorth re-projects the file to the popular visualization reference projection if required, and draws the georeferenced raster on screen.

Data visualization

TrueNorth showing data displays including the elevation profile.

The Features in TrueNorth have aspects – different ways to visualize the data in a feature. A good example of an aspect plug-in is the elevation profile that shows the changes in elevation of a track or route over its distance.

Built using the Microsoft NET Framework, TrueNorth can be ported to other operating systems such as Linux and MacOS – and we will be offering versions on those systems soon! .NET also gives us 64 bit architecture which allows for fast and efficient memory use, but it still runs on 32 bit platforms and we support Windows XP is you still have it!

New modules can add layers, file format support, map or terrain analysis such as viewshed calculation or relief Shading , or entirely new new geospatial tools. The possibilities are limitless.