I'm in need of a mapping software which, given a map, lets you calibrate it (choose which geographic coordinates project to which pixels on the map image) and then given a database of cities, you can navigate to the specified city on the map you just calibrated.
To reword the question, I need a mapping software that can calibrate my map image and accepts some kind of database format to display cities on that map.
Where to find such compatible map software and database? Preferably free and open source software and data.
If the question is too broad, I appreciate any points making me near to the answer.
Best Answer
Hossein, combining spatial maps with databases is the heart of GIS. Practically any GIS will allow you to do both of those things in a variety of ways - though a desktop interface, programatically, served remotely, etc. Here is an excellent list of free and open source desktop GIS packages. Quantum GIS, with a powerful collection of tool and an easy-to-use interface, is particularly popular on this site, and you will be able to find plenty of help for any questions you may have about it.
If you need something for web mapping, another post has a basic introduction, including a list of FOSS tools.
If you need to perform these tasks programmatically, look into GDAL and OGR, two libraries for manipulating geospatial data.
So, nearly any GIS can do those tasks easily. Now we'll just need to know the details. In particular, what format are your map and database? Geospatial data is typically either vector, with lines, points, and polygons, or raster, with a grid of cells. Any of the above GIS tools can handle both, but the process will be different for each type.