Digimap Data Download: New datasets coming in January!

In January 2013 the OS MasterMap®, Boundary-Line™ and Code-Point® data products will be available from the Data Download service. We have tried to keep the changes necessary to accommodate these products to a minimum as the current interface has proved so successful (190,000 map tiles and files downloaded Nov 2012).

Here is a list of the changes and additions you will see in the interface; please note that they may still be subject to some change prior to launch.

Both Boundary-Line and MasterMap have layers so we have had to make changes to the basket:Digimap Data Download Basket

Instead of selecting Version and Format using drop-down menus there is a new pop-up for changing both these and the layers for each of the products in your basket. You can access this pop-up by clicking on the Change link in the Options column:

Digimap Data Download Basket Options

We have also improved the “My Account” section which is now called “My Previous Downloads”:

Opening "My Previous Downloads"Once in the interface you can access any of your past downloads and reopen them at the basket stage:

Digimap Data Download My Previous Downloads

It is now much easier to update your previous downloads to the latest version, get the same data in a different format or simply reorder data you have previously taken. In addition to these functions we have incorporated the ability to make Change-Only-Updates (COUs) to MasterMap Data:

Digimap Data Download Change Only Update

Both Boundary Download and MasterMap Download will be kept in service for a transition period but as there are so many benefits to using Data Download we hope everyone will make the switch quickly. We expect to have switched off these services by the end of April.

Digimap and ShareGeo Open Break Usage Records

November was a record month for the Digimap Service with over 2 million screen maps made by the four collections. Digimap Roam made over 1 million screen maps alone and also broke its record for the number of print maps generated, over 28,000.

Digimap Roam Screen Maps to November 2012

The number of files downloaded was also a record for Digimap with nearly 250,000 map tiles or files taken from the four collections. The Data Download facility for the Ordnance Survey Collection provided the bulk of these, over 190,000. Since the introduction of the new Data Download there has been a great deal more data supplied to staff and students but October and November have seen a huge spike.  This has also been achieved from a lower total number of orders showing how the changes made in the upgrade have greatly improved the efficiency of the process. It is now much easier to get all the data you need in a smaller number of orders.

Tiles Downloaded from Data Download, January 2000 to November 2012

On top of the downloads from the Digimap Collections, ShareGeo Open also had a record month. ShareGeo Open is a repository for open spatial data that promotes the sharing and re-use of spatial data in teaching and learning.

There were over 3400 downloads of datasets from the service, nearly double last November’s total. There are almost 200 different datasets available from the service, with the recent addition of wind farm locations for the UK proving popular. The most downloaded dataset for the past 6 months is the Postcode Areas file, made from the Code-Point Open data.