MapObjects

MapObjects Developers Kit

Windows Edition

MapObjects is an ActiveX control with nearly 50 programmable ActiveX automation objects that can be plugged in to many standard Windows development environments such as Visual Basic, Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), Visual C++, Visual Studio.NET (VB.NET and C#), Delphi, Borland C++ Builder, Visual FoxPro, and PowerBuilder.

MapObjects offers many sophisticated capabilities to help you put dynamic maps into your applications including:

• Support for a wide variety of data sources and image formats
  
• Advanced data handling for optimized performance
  
• On-the-fly projection
  
• Advanced geocoding capabilities
  
• Global positioning system (GPS) management
  
• Built-in compatibility with ESRI's ArcIMS Web connectivity middleware, so you can build Web-based mapping and GIS applications
  
• A run-time deployment utility to help you distribute your applications easily and efficiently
  
• A legend and scale bar control, including source code, designed to make it easier for you to develop your applications

Resources to Help You Get Started Quickly

MapObjects includes a large collection of sample applications and source code, so you can immediately begin building applications. MapObjects software's rich online help consists of many examples that you can cut and paste directly into your applications. MapObjects also includes excellent printed references such as Building Applications with MapObjects, Getting Started with MapObjects, and MapObjects Programmer's Reference. You can access the most up-to-date resources for technical topics, downloads, samples, and online discussions on the MapObjects Developer Connection page.

When you purchase MapObjects you also receive ESRI Data & Maps, a multivolume CD-ROM collection that contains more than 4 GB of ready-to-use data including streets, highways, census boundaries, ZIP Codes, counties, states, countries, and much more.

Features

MapObjects includes these powerful features:

On-the-Fly Projection

Users can combine data from any projection into a common projection for viewing and analysis. Also, any map layer can be exported into a new projection. To optimize your ability to create a wide variety of projections in a minimal amount of time, MapObjects is now integrated with ESRI's ArcInfo projection engine.

Unparalleled Data Support

MapObjects offers direct support for a wide variety of data sources such as:

• Standard GIS formats: ArcInfo coverages, ESRI shapefiles, and ESRI GRID
  
• Computer-aided design (CAD) formats (DGN, DXF, and DWG), CAD world files, and AutoCAD 2000 DWG files
  
• Access to external databases through ActiveX Data Objects (ADO), Data Access Objects (DAO), and Open Database Connectivity (ODBC)
  
• Image catalogs, plus a variety of image formats such as GeoTIFF, TIFF, JPEG, GIF, ERDAS, and MrSID
  
• ESRI's ArcView StreetMap for geocoding
  
• ArcSDE (ESRI's Spatial Database Engine) databases
  
• Common military formats such as Vector Product Format (VPF) and ASRP/USRP

Advanced Data Handling

MapObjects provides powerful spatial and attribute filters to optimize performance. As an option, developers can access the ArcSDE application program interface (API) directly from MapObjects applications. MapObjects also supports image transparency, display, and output, as well as the rotation of both vector and raster data layers.

State-of-the-Art Geocoding Capabilities

MapObjects lets you do quick and accurate address matching including international addresses and reject processing. With StreetMap support, you can read, display, and geocode a street address from the highly compressed StreetMap database. StreetMap files cover the entire United States and include features such as local landmarks, streets, parks, and water bodies.
(Note: In order to read the compressed StreetMap database, you need to have a StreetMap development license. You can purchase the StreetMap Developers Kit, which includes a StreetMap development license and 50 deployments, from the GIS Store.)

Support for Web-Based Mapping

MapObjects has built-in compatibility with ESRI's ArcIMS Web connectivity middleware. This means you can use MapObjects to put dynamic, customizable maps on the Internet using the ArcIMS technology.

Enhanced GPS Management

MapObjects supports dynamic tracking for points, lines, polygons, rectangles, and ellipses, making it easy to manage GPS activities.

Geometric Functions

MapObjects includes a robust spatial geometry library for unions, intersections, and buffers.

Run-time Deployment Utility

Once you have successfully built your application, deployment becomes the critical factor. The MapObjects run-time deployment utility helps you to distribute your applications easily and efficiently.

Versioning Capabilities

MapObjects supports versioning for ArcSDE layers; it can connect to any ArcSDE version and allow you to view it. In addition, you can identify and select versions based on version names.

Helpful Controls

MapObjects offers a legend and scale bar control, including source code, designed to make it easier for you to develop your applications. These are based on the same controls that are used in ArcExplorer software, ESRI's GIS data browser distributed free of charge. MapObjects contains a collection of common utilities used in ArcExplorer, as well as sample applications demonstrating these components, that provide a framework for further development.

Rich Set of Powerful Mapping and GIS Component Tools

These tools allow you to display, query, and analyze dynamic map data.

Feature Rendering Using Thematic Methods

You can easily add value maps, class breaks, graduated symbols, dot density maps, and pie and bar charts to your applications. MapObjects also now supports custom chart symbology.

Feature Attribute Selection and Query

Queries can be performed using standard SQL expressions.

Internationalization

MapObjects includes ISO Codepage conversion for shapefiles, coverages, and INFO files, as well as support for Hong Kong character sets.

Tech Specs

Development Environments
The MapObjects ActiveX control can be plugged into a wide variety of development frameworks including:

• Visual Basic
  
• Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)
  
• Visual C++
  
• Visual Studio.NET (VB.NET and C#)
  
• Delphi
  
• Borland C++ Builder
  
• Visual FoxPro
  
• PowerBuilder

System Requirements
MapObjects requires a 32-bit Intel-based Windows operating system such as Windows NT 4.0/2000/XP.

MapObjects Developers Kit

Java Standard Edition

MapObjects—Java Edition is a developer toolkit consisting of more than 900 Java developer components that you can use to build custom, cross-platform GIS applications, servlets or applets. It provides a robust, Java-based API that lets you design applications to perform a wide variety of geographic-based display, query, and data retrieval activities.

MapObjects—Java Edition also includes prebuilt Java Beans that are easily used in the integrated development environment of your choice, such as Sun ONE or Borland's JBuilder software.

Features

Key features of MapObjects—Java Edition include:

Easy Access to ArcIMS Services
You can connect your custom MapObjects—Java Edition client applications to ArcIMS servers and stream geographic features to your client from ArcIMS.

Ability to Combine Multiple Data Sources
Using applications created with MapObjects—Java Edition, end users can combine local data with Internet and Intranet data to create their own customized maps.

Compatibility With Many Data Sources
Clients built with MapObjects—Java Edition are able to read industry-standard shapefiles, ArcSDE layers, and a variety of image formats including BMP, TIFF, PNG, JPG, and GIF. You can also use MapObjects—Java Edition to create feature layers from your own custom data sources.

A Wide Range of GIS Capabilities
With applications built using MapObjects—Java Edition users can perform such activities as labeling map features, thematic mapping, panning and zooming through multiple map layers, querying spatial and attribute data, performing geometric operations, measuring distances, displaying real-time geographic data, and much more.

Helpful Tools for Building a User Interface
Using the Swing components included with MapObjects—Java Edition, you can quickly build applications that include functional toolbars, overview maps, and map legends that will make your custom applications easy to use.

Useful Resources for Getting Started
In the box you receive the Guide to Building Applications, Programmer's Reference, Javadoc (standard interface and class descriptions), more than 20 sample applications (including source code), quick-start tutorials, and a comprehensive object model diagram.

Tech Specs

System Requirements
Because MapObjects—Java Edition is pure Java, you can use it with Windows NT/2000/XP, Intel-compatible Red Hat Linux, and a variety of UNIX operating systems.

MapObjects—Java Edition has been developed using:

• J2SE platform, Java 2 SDK, Standard Edition, v 1.3.x and 1.4
  
• Java Advanced Imaging (JAI) 1.1 for image transparency and enhanced display performance
  
• Sun's Java API for XML Processing (JAXP)
  
• Java Secure Socket Extension (JSSE) 1.0.2
  
• JFC/Swing

MapObjects LT2

The lightweight, royalty-free version of ESRI's powerful GIS and mapping components.

With MapObjects LT2 it's surprisingly simple to add low-cost, royalty-free mapping capabilities to your applications. If you know your way around Visual Basic®, Delphi®, Visual C++, PowerBuilder®, Access, or other popular 32-bit programming environments, it's a snap to add dynamic, live maps.

MapObjects LT2 is a collection of mapping components for application developers, consisting of an ActiveX control (OCX) and other programmable ActiveX automation objects. MapObjects LT2 is based on the same industry-standard framework as MapObjects, so you can be assured you are getting robust state-of-the-art mapping components. MapObjects LT2 is specifically designed for developers who have more modest needs than those served by MapObjects.

MapObjects LT2 is now available!

With MapObjects LT2, you can:

• Access an unrivaled assortment of native data formats ranging from standard GIS formats (ArcInfo coverages and ESRI shapefiles) to CAD formats (DXF, DWG, and DGN), as well as a variety of image formats, including MrSID.
  
• Perform spatial queries.
  
• Display data using classifications, graduated symbols, and labeling.
  
• Pan and zoom through multiple map layers.
  
• Get information on map features

MapObjects LT2 also includes ESRI Data and Maps, a comprehensive collection of over 3 gigabytes of ready-to-use data so you can put "maps in your apps" immediately.