Programming MapPoint in .NET

Description

Interactive web maps generated by MapPoint-Microsoft's popular mapping technology are crucial for businesses in a number of fields, including real estate, package delivery, and commercial air travel. In a word, MapPoint provides businesses with "location." Specifically, it provides an integrated set of products, servers, and services to enable a business to track the precise location of remote assets, thereby reducing operational costs and improving productivity. Whether the asset is a truck, a taxi, or even a field rep, MapPoint can tell you exactly where it is at any time.

Programming MapPoint in .NET from O'Reilly shows you how to use MapPoint to build custom applications for the desktop, the web, and mobile devices. The book also explains how to analyze and share data generated from a wide range of maps, including those that show demographic trends, population density, and sales potential. Chandu Thota, one of Microsoft's main MapPoint developers and the book's author, has organized the material into four major sections, each dedicated to a different MapPoint technology:

• MapPoint 2004 - calculating routes, rendering data maps, integrating with Global Positioning System (GPS) for obtaining real-time location
  
• MapPoint Web Service - techniques for finding points of interest, creating applications using the Find APIs and Route APIs, rendering LineDrive maps and polygons
• MapPoint Location Server - deployment scenarios, getting real-time location using mobile phones, managing contacts and privacy settings
  
• MSN Virtual Earth - the basics of programming with new MSN Virtual Earth APIs

The book provides a jumpstart for working with these technologies, including in-depth discussions about the core concepts and sample code provided in C#. It's ideal for anyone who wants to develop locations-based applications with MapPoint technologies.

The next time you follow online directions to the airport, you can chalk up an assist to MapPoint's state-of-the-art interactive mapping abilities. Better yet, you'll know how to create that same type of map yourself.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Preface

1. Hello, MapPoint!

     Location-Based Application Categories

     Location Application Architectures

     Developing Location-Enabled Applications

     Developing Location-Aware Applications

     How It All Fits Together

     Where Are We?

Part I. MapPoint 2004

2. Programming with MapPoint 2004

     The MapPoint 2004 Object Model

     Programming with MapPoint 2004 API

     Programming the MapPoint ActiveX Control

     Cleaning Up After You're Done

     Dealing with Latitude and Longitude

     Routing in MapPoint 2004

     Where Are We?

3. Working with Data in MapPoint 2004

     Understanding the MapPoint 2004 Data API

     Understanding Data Maps

     Working with MapPoint Demographic Data

     Working with Your Business Data

     Querying a MapPoint DataSet

     Working with Shapes

     Working with Territories

     Where Are We?

4. Advanced MapPoint 2004 Programming

     Interfacing MapPoint 2004 with a GPS Device

     Integrating Your Applications with MapPoint 2004

     Performance Considerations

     Where Are We?

Part II. MapPoint Web Service

5. Programming MapPoint Web Service

     How Does MapPoint Web Service Work?

     Getting Started with MapPoint Web Service

     Preparing Your Development Environment

     Understanding MapPoint Web Service Object Model

     Where Are We?

6. MapPoint Web Service Find APIs

     Understanding Find APIs

     Understanding Entities and Entity Relationships

     Data Sources and Countries/Regions

     Working with Find Methods

     Asynchronous Programming with Find Service

     Optimizing Find Call Performance

     Globalizing Find

     Where Are We?

7. MapPoint Web Service Route APIs

     Understanding Route APIs

     Calculating a Route

     Displaying Details of a Route

     Where Are We?

8. MapPoint Web Service Render APIs

     Understanding Render APIs

     Rendering Maps

     Map Interaction

     Asynchronous Programming

     Where Are We?

Part III. MapPoint Location Server

9. Programming Microsoft Location Server

     Microsoft Location Server Terminology

     How Does Location Server Work?

     Microsoft Location Server Architecture

     Installing the Location Server

     Accessing the Location Service APIs

     Accessing the Location Server APIs

     Microsoft Location Server Supported Providers

     Where Are We?

10. Programming with Location Server APIs

     Programming with Location Server Web Service

     Programming with the Location Server Management API

     Comparing Location Server API to Location Web Service API

     Where Are We?

Part IV. MSN Virtual Earth

11. Programming with Virtual Earth

     Anatomy of Virtual Earth

     Programming with MapControl.js

     Where Are We?

A. Managing Your Data on MapPoint's Customer Services Site

B. Working with Polygons

C. Implementing Spatial Search Using SQL Server

Index

Foreword

Preface

1. Hello, MapPoint!

     Location-Based Application Categories

     Location Application Architectures

     Developing Location-Enabled Applications

     Developing Location-Aware Applications

     How It All Fits Together

     Where Are We?

Part I. MapPoint 2004

2. Programming with MapPoint 2004

     The MapPoint 2004 Object Model

     Programming with MapPoint 2004 API

     Programming the MapPoint ActiveX Control

     Cleaning Up After You're Done

     Dealing with Latitude and Longitude

     Routing in MapPoint 2004

     Where Are We?

3. Working with Data in MapPoint 2004

     Understanding the MapPoint 2004 Data API

     Understanding Data Maps

     Working with MapPoint Demographic Data

     Working with Your Business Data

     Querying a MapPoint DataSet

     Working with Shapes

     Working with Territories

     Where Are We?

4. Advanced MapPoint 2004 Programming

     Interfacing MapPoint 2004 with a GPS Device

     Integrating Your Applications with MapPoint 2004

     Performance Considerations

     Where Are We?

Part II. MapPoint Web Service

5. Programming MapPoint Web Service

     How Does MapPoint Web Service Work?

     Getting Started with MapPoint Web Service

     Preparing Your Development Environment

     Understanding MapPoint Web Service Object Model

     Where Are We?

6. MapPoint Web Service Find APIs

     Understanding Find APIs

     Understanding Entities and Entity Relationships

     Data Sources and Countries/Regions

     Working with Find Methods

     Asynchronous Programming with Find Service

     Optimizing Find Call Performance

     Globalizing Find

     Where Are We?

7. MapPoint Web Service Route APIs

     Understanding Route APIs

     Calculating a Route

     Displaying Details of a Route

     Where Are We?

8. MapPoint Web Service Render APIs

     Understanding Render APIs

     Rendering Maps

     Map Interaction

     Asynchronous Programming

     Where Are We?

Part III. MapPoint Location Server

9. Programming Microsoft Location Server

     Microsoft Location Server Terminology

     How Does Location Server Work?

     Microsoft Location Server Architecture

     Installing the Location Server

     Accessing the Location Service APIs

     Accessing the Location Server APIs

     Microsoft Location Server Supported Providers

     Where Are We?

10. Programming with Location Server APIs

     Programming with Location Server Web Service

     Programming with the Location Server Management API

     Comparing Location Server API to Location Web Service API

     Where Are We?

Part IV. MSN Virtual Earth

11. Programming with Virtual Earth

     Anatomy of Virtual Earth

     Programming with MapControl.js

     Where Are We?

A. Managing Your Data on MapPoint's Customer Services Site

B. Working with Polygons

C. Implementing Spatial Search Using SQL Server

Index