Dear Colleagues,

Visual Programming in GIS is a big opportunity to automate the steps of processing spatial data for users. Spatial analysing consists of sequential steps and combines many vector and raster layers. A visual program is a way to store and reuse the order of all processing steps in GIS in the form of a visual workflow (diagram). Subsequently, the same analysis stored as a visual program can be easily repeated and applied over another area or new data from a different period. Visual programming is very suitable and valuable for non-programmers that are experts in another area like urban planning, ecology, territorial management, etc.  

This Special Issue will present the potential of visual programming languages (VPL) in GIS. The amount of implemented GIS functions, programming functions, interface, and the graphical vocabulary are important. Set of symbols and line connectors determine the aesthetic, cognitive, and perceptual quality of created visual programs.

This Special Issue is dedicated to exploring current trends with regards to using VPL in case studies, evaluation of functionality, and development of visual programming languages. Comparative studies of benefits and the cognition of visual vocabularies are also valuable. The comparison and combination of textual and visual programming languages bring new experiences and move the limits of visual programming languages. The educational aspect of VPL in GIS is also important in practicing logical thinking.

Contributions can address the following topics:

• case studies using VPL in GIS
• cognition of visual vocabulary of VPL in GIS
• development of visual languages in GIS
• programming environment
• comparisons of visual and textual programming in GIS
• education of visual programming language in GIS

Dr. Zdena Dobesova
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• visual programming language
• graphical notation
• programming environment
• graphical editor
• workflow
• automatic processing
• case study
• visual communication
• education of VPL