Offline Interactive Map from Hybrid App Development: A Case from Geologic Map App

This work represents a fundamental developing strategy for the self-creation of digital-format geologic maps in the form of mobile apps. The digital geologic maps are apparently more convenient to work with than traditional paper-format geologic maps as the maps are user-interactive, self-directed, and can be easily updated. The digital geologic map mobile apps have recently become significant interactive presentation tools for geology students, geoscientists, and even the public. However, lack of technical methods and software development of those apps have yet revealed. In this study, we provide brief guidelines for database and software development methods to build a geologic map mobile app. The software used in this work is open source. The database file including geological information, spatial relationship and distribution, and a base map of Thailand, was prepared through a geographic information system or GIS. The hybrid app development process, which includes two open-source frameworks, namely Ionic and Angular, is key to produce a mobile app representing geologic maps via mobile devices. Additionally, basic programming language skills such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript seem to be required for software coding. Following these steps, we produced a mobile app, named DooHin, for displaying a digital geologic map of Thailand with a scale of 1:50000 that is available via the app stores. This app is apparently practical and useful in fieldwork as it encourages a user-interactive experience, general geological information, and a user-positioning system.