Dilemma in Updating of Reality Presentation: Redraw Maps or Rebuild Database?

The updating of reality presentation (maps or digital databases) is evolving for a wide range of applications, including mapping purposes. Several methods are in use, but lately, the main approach involves automatic change detection and incremental updating and versioning. Two main ways are possible: (i) to redraw map whenever we have to reprint a sheet, or (ii) to rebuild database, and thus be able to serve a wide range of applications and users. Until today, maps were updated before printing, according to technical specifications and current working methods. These are usually scale-dependent and differ from those used during the original process. The outcome may present discrepancies and differences in an updated location, displayed in two distinct scales. This incoherence prevents the use of updated series of maps (in one scale) to update another. Therefore, the updating process of each series is time-consuming and demands a great deal of human and financial resources. The result of this extended process is an outdated printed map. The ideal mapping product is one that can be produced in real time, directly from an updated spatial database, from which the consumer can choose the map scale and technical specifications. Consequently, it is preferable to focus on the continuous updating of the spatial database, with well-defined specifications (defined for the largest scale decided upon).