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Version: Release 1 - 1.1.3.X

Coordinate Reference Systems (CRS)

Overview

Maptaskr uses a standardized approach to coordinate reference systems to ensure consistency and compatibility across all mapping operations. This document explains how coordinate systems work within Maptaskr and what you need to know when working with spatial data.

Key Coordinate Systems

EPSG:4326 (WGS84)

  • Primary system: All data input and output uses WGS84
  • Format: Latitude/Longitude in decimal degrees
  • Range: Latitude: -90° to +90°, Longitude: -180° to +180°
  • Usage: Standard for GPS data, GeoJSON, and most web mapping applications

EPSG:3857 (Web Mercator)

  • Rendering system: Used internally by MapLibre for display
  • Also known as: "Google Mercator" or "Spherical Mercator"
  • Usage: Optimized for web map rendering and tile display

How Maptaskr Handles Coordinates

Data Input and Storage

All spatial data in Maptaskr follows these standards:

  1. Tile Server Requests: Data is requested in EPSG:4326 (WGS84)
  2. External Server Requests:
    • Without Client-Side Reprojection: Requests made in EPSG:4326
    • With Client-Side Reprojection: Requests made in the server's native format, then reprojected to EPSG:4326
  3. Geodata Creation: All drawn features are saved in EPSG:4326, following GeoJSON specification

Rendering Process

The coordinate transformation follows this workflow:

Input Data (EPSG:4326) → MapLibre Processing (EPSG:3857) → Screen Display (x,y pixels)
  1. Input: Data provided in WGS84 (EPSG:4326)
  2. Processing: MapLibre reprojects to Web Mercator (EPSG:3857) for rendering
  3. Display: Final projection to screen coordinates based on map view (globe or planar)

Client-Side Reprojection

What is Client-Side Reprojection?

Client-side reprojection allows Maptaskr to work with external map servers that use different coordinate systems by:

  • Requesting data in the server's native coordinate system
  • Automatically converting it to WGS84 for consistent internal handling
  • Providing better performance and accuracy for certain data sources

When to Enable

  • Enable when working with servers that have optimized native projections
  • Disable for standard WGS84 sources to reduce processing overhead

Best Practices

For Users

  • Always provide data in WGS84 (EPSG:4326) when possible
  • Use decimal degrees format (e.g., 40.7128, -74.0060 for New York City)
  • Ensure your GPS devices and data sources output WGS84 coordinates

For Developers

  • Assume all API inputs and outputs use EPSG:4326
  • When integrating external data sources, verify their coordinate system
  • Use the client-side reprojection feature for non-WGS84 sources

Additional Resources

Quick Reference

OperationInput CRSOutput CRSNotes
Data ImportEPSG:4326EPSG:4326No conversion needed
Map DisplayEPSG:4326EPSG:3857Automatic reprojection
Data ExportEPSG:4326EPSG:4326Consistent with input
API ResponsesEPSG:4326EPSG:4326Always WGS84
Summary

Keep it simple: Provide all data in WGS84 (EPSG:4326) format, and Maptaskr will handle all necessary coordinate transformations automatically.