Introduction

Map Suite GIS software has many powerful features, from reprojection and spatial queries to ShapeFile editing and customized labelers. While these features allow a developer the ultimate in control, they can also deter developers with limited Map Suite experience from learning the basics about the Map Suite API.

As a support representative, I see many questions about creating renderers, loading layers, and creating thresholds. To assist with these questions, I sometimes reference Map Suite Explorer as a resource for this information.

What is Map Suite Explorer?

Map Suite Explorer is a free tool that is included with both the evaluation and full versions of each Map Suite Desktop, Web, and Engine .NET GIS component. It is not a .NET mapping control; rather, it transforms the Map Suite API into an easy-to-use, user-friendly format that allows for ShapeFile viewing and rendering experimentation without the hassle of writing code.

Note! You will still need to use the Desktop, Web or Engine controls to render a map your application. Map Suite Explorer itself is an application and uses the Map Suite control to render maps.

How is Map Suite Explorer Going to Help Me?

One example is that rather than writing out the code to load a layer, apply a threshold and a renderer, you can instead use Map Suite Explorer's GUI interface to complete this task in seconds.

To begin, you will need to either download an evaluation edition or purchase a full version of the Map Suite Desktop, Web, or Engine .NET GIS components. (You may need to register on our site to download an evaluation.)

After installing Map Suite, navigate to Start->Programs->ThinkGeo and chose the folder of your product. Next, click on Map Suite Explorer.

Let's start by loading a Layer (ShapeFile) and adding a Threshold and a SymbolRenderer.

First, we load the layer by clicking File->Add New Layer, or clicking the button named "Add New Layer" on the far left of the toolbar.

Here I have selected the STATES.SHP file from the C:\Program Files\ThinkGeo\Map Suite Desktop Edition 2.0\SampleData\USA folder.

Click Open and immediately you will see the STATES layer displayed on the map.

If you need to review several ShapeFiles quickly, you can easily add additional Layers using the same method, or by right-clicking on the Layers node in the tree view.

Right-clicking on the nodes will bring up menus where you can add many different elements to the map. Now that we have a Layer, let's render it in a different color. Map Suite Explorer will automatically assign a color to a Layer unless there is a Threshold set, which is why a SymbolRenderer did not need to be specified right away.

By right-clicking on the Thresholds node, you will have the option to Add a Threshold.

Note this relationship: You add a Threshold to the STATES Layer. In code this would be:

Layer.Thresholds.Add(name of threshold)

Now that we have a threshold, our map is blank. This is because we have only defined when we want a Layer to be displayed. We now need to define how we want the Layer displayed.

To do this, right-click on SymbolRenderers for NewThreshold1 and select Add a SymbolRenderer.

We now need to define what symbol we want to be displayed by the SymbolRenderer. Right-click on the Symbols node. For the STATES ShapeFile, we'll choose Add AreaSymbol since our ShapeFile contains area shapes.

Immediately you should see the outline of the states show up.

By changing the Pen and Brush settings, we can control how the layer is rendered.

Okay, Now We Can Change the Colors of the Map, But Other Than the Simple Relationships Demonstrated by the Tree, How Will This Help Me Code?

Map Suite has a feature to create either C#, VB.NET, or XML code that you can use to create your feasibility demos for management, or to see how the code is structured.

By right-clicking on the Map1 node, you get the option to:

• Generate VB Code
• Generate C# Code
• Generate XML

For this example, I chose Generate VB Code and here is the result:

With a couple of minor changes to this code, you can have a working map very quickly.

As you may notice, the code is quite verbose as it sets every single properly of the Map, Layer, Threshold, and SymbolRenderer. While I would not recommend using Map Suite Explorer to write your production code, it can be very helpful in understanding the structure of the Map Suite API.

Summary

Through this introduction to Map Suite Explorer, we have learned to load and render layers as well as create code that can be helpful in building demo applications. Additionally, Map Suite Explorer has shown it can display relationships between objects in the Map Suite .NET GIS components. Although this information is available in the documentation, Map Suite Explorer's visual representation of those relationships may prove to be more intuitive and helpful.

Please see the downloadable code below that demonstrates how you could use Map Suite Explorer-created code to jump start your experience with Map Suite!

Downloads

Map Suite Explorer Sample Code in VB.NET

Have Questions?

Do you have questions or comments about this article? Feel free post your questions on the Map Suite Discussion Forums.

Additional Resources

• Map Suite QuickStart Guides
• Map Suite API Documentation
• Map Suite FAQs

About the Author

Ryan Desemo is one of ThinkGeo's lead customer support representatives and a technological guru.