August 02, 2010 -- Rolta UK today announce the release of Version 2 of a free Loader for OS VectorMap Local. Version 2 of this software which is released today simply and quickly translates and loads OS VectorMap Local GML (Geography Markup Language) formatted data into both ESRI SHP and MapInfo TAB formats. In addition to data translation, Version 2 also provides for presentation of the data in common styles. This software and style guides are available to download from the Rolta Europe Website at www.rolta-europe.com

OS VectorMap™ Local is a national vector dataset supplied in GML from Ordnance Survey Great Britain (OSGB). It has been derived from OS Landplan data and has been generalised to view between scales of 1:3000 to 1:20,000. OS VectorMap Local is a flexible product that helps its users to visualise information on a map. It enables users to customise the look and feel of the map, incorporating their own information, in their own way. Users can create and share different style sheets, providing a certain view and understanding across their business or project. OS VectorMap Local encompasses the quality of Ordnance Survey data whilst its excellent value makes it accessible to all. The features are supplied as points, lines, polygons and text, and the data has around 130 different types of feature code. To find out more about OS VectorMap Local go to http://www.ordnancesurveyvectormap.com/

On the launch of Rolta UK’s Version 2 of the OS VectorMap™ Local Loader, Peter ter Haar, Director of Products at Ordnance Survey, said: “There has been a growing interest in OS VectorMap Local and what it can offer a customer over and above the traditional raster mapping products. The work that Rolta UK has done in developing this Version 2 of the free Loader further supports customers’ use and answers many of the questions around translation and styling that have been posed. Providing customers with a single tool to translate and style OS VectorMap Local will reduce the time and effort required to extract value from this data. We continue to welcome and value the work that Rolta UK has done to support the use of OS VectorMap Local. They enable users to translate GML data into formats that can be used by a variety of GIS software. We look forward to continuing working with Rolta as they further develop their solution for this product.”

Graham Stickler of Rolta UK added “We have been delighted at the response to Version 1 of our loader and appreciate the feedback the market has supplied. We have taken all comments onboard and are pleased to now supply a Version 2 of the product, again as freeware. Once again we have worked closely with OSGB and hope that this simple loader will help users quickly and easily begin to explore the benefits of the OS VectorMap Local data product. We believe users should be spending their time and money in making best possible use of the highest quality geospatial data available and integrating such data into core business processes and are happy to help in achieving this”