By Ricky Brundritt, EMEA Bing Maps Technology Solution Professional
In September of 2011 we started the Bing Maps v7 Module CodePlex Project. The purpose of this project was to create a centralized location where developers could find and share useful modules that expand the functionality of the Bing Maps V7 API. Since the start of the project, we’ve had 12 modules submitted and a handful of new modules currently in development. It’s safe to say that this project is absolutely worth looking into.
Today I would like to highlight the three newest modules added to the project:
Drag Handle Module
This module was created by Mike Garza, a regular Bing Maps community contributor.
This module makes editing shapes easy by adding handles to drag the vertices of the shapes in order to update their values. This is great if you want to give your users a predefined shape on the map and the ability for them to edit it as they see fit. I’ve seen this functionality used a lot for search-type applications as it gives the user the ability to select the area they want to search, even if that area is a complex-looking polygon.
Shape Toolbox Module
This module was also created by Mike.
The Shape Toolbox module makes it easy to draw shapes on the map with a mouse. In addition to being able to draw Pushpins, Polylines, and Polygons, Mike has also added in support for Circles and Rectangles. The module also includes a toolbar that you can turn on or off, exposing the drawing tools to users. It’s also worth noting that after drawing shapes on the map, you can click on a given shape and edit it. Again, this is great for search-type applications when you want to give your users the ability to draw a search area on the map. I can see this being used in a number of other types of applications as well. This is bound to be a popular module.
Persistence Module
This module was created by John O’Brien from SoulSolutions, a Bing Maps partner in Australia. John is also a Microsoft Bing Maps MVP.
This module allows you to provide your users with a URL they can share that will return the map to the exact location, and map style they currently see. Optionally, this can also be automatically saved so that the next time users visit, they can continue exactly where they were last. This makes it easy to bookmark and share your maps with others.
Having tested this module out myself, I have to say, that it’s one of those things you didn’t realize you needed it until you had it. This module makes a great addition to almost any type of Bing Maps application. I highly recommend checking it out.
Hope you get some good use out of these modules!