Getting Started

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The following steps will get you started with GeographicLib:

• Download the source.
• Unpack the tar file somewhere convenient with, e.g.,
  • tar xfpvz Geographic.tgz
  This will create a GeographicLib directory.
• Change to the GeographicLib directory
  • cd GeographicLib
• Create the utility programs and (optionally) the documentation
  • make all doc
• GeographicLib.sln is MS Visual Studio 2005 solution file which compiles the library and the utility programs under Windows.
• Try out GeoConvert (for help, type ./GeoConvert -h)
  • echo 33.3 44.4 | ./GeoConvert -m -p -3
  • echo 38SMB4484 | ./GeoConvert -d
• Similarly, try out TransverseMercatorTest, Geod, and CartConvert.
• Read the section, Code organization, for an overview of the library.
• Browse the Class List for full documentation on the library.
• Read the section, Transverse Mercator Projection, for more information on this projection.

Here's a list of some of the abbreviations used here with links to the corresponding Wikipedia articles:

• WGS84, World Geodetic System 1984.
• UTM, Universal Transverse Mercator coordinate system.
• UPS, Universal Polar Stereographic coordinate system.
• MGRS, Military Grid Reference System.

Back to Introduction. Forward to Code organization. Up to Contents.