Collecting Requirements for an International Geographic Names Processing System

Abstract : The Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) is responsible for collecting and maintaining a correct file of geographic placenames worldwide to support a variety of U.S government activities. All placenames must be documented with an array of data that includes feature type, position, and possibly some feature attributes; all names previously or currently associated with the feature; reference sources used to acquire the names data ; and information concerning the Board on Geographic Names' Foreign Names Committee ruling on the features's names. Currently, all such data is recorded on approximately 4.5 million paper index cards via pen, pencile, or typewriter. DMA plans to augment the card file with a digital geographic names data base. Working with placenames data in a digital environment, however, means that hardware and software must be available to enter, view, edit, and print the diacritics and special symbols used in foreign text. Lack of such hardware and software has been a major stumbling block in establishing an operational digital data base for DMA's toponymic use. This report describes the needs, uses, interfaces, and data characteristics of digital geographic names processing system (GNPS) for DMA. The GNPS will manage a names data base and provide software for foreign text processing.