[R] Maps from PX-Map files

[Roger Bivand]

On Mon, 1 Mar 2004, F. Tusell wrote:

> I have been handed a CD ROM with statistical data readable with a 
> program named PC-Axis. There
> is the possibility of creating custom maps to display the data. 
> Aparently, this is handled by a program
> named PX-Map. Looking in the CD ROM I see files with extension .shp 
> which I guess contain
> information about boundaries or shapes.

As I read one googled PX-MAP source:

http://www.ginorden.org/konf/getpaper.php?ID=71

it looks as though: "Map data are held in the shape format used by ESRI 
ArcView", so either the shapefiles or the maptools packages should be able 
to read the polygon boundaries. Matching the polygons to the data may be 
more difficult. Fuller details at Statistics Norway:

http://www.ssb.no/english/municipalities/software/pxmap/

from which Windows binaries can be downloaded.

> 
> Does any one know if there is a way to use this information from within 
> R? I have been looking at
> the maps package and the GRASS interface to no avail. Any help appreciated.
> 
> 

-- 
Roger Bivand
Economic Geography Section, Department of Economics, Norwegian School of
Economics and Business Administration, Breiviksveien 40, N-5045 Bergen,
Norway. voice: +47 55 95 93 55; fax +47 55 95 93 93
e-mail: Roger.Bivand at nhh.no