====== Map Suite Desktop Edition Quick Start Guide ====== {{section>upgrade_map_suite_to_10.0}}
worldLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel03.DefaultAreaStyle = AreaStyles.Country1;
worldLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel03.ApplyUntilZoomLevel = ApplyUntilZoomLevel.Level10;
===== Map Suite Desktop "Hello World" =====
In creating our "Hello World" sample application, our first step is to set references to the Map Suite Core and Map Suite DesktopEdition workspaces at the very top of our code, as we will use many classes within that. We do this so that we do not have to use the fully qualified name of the Map Suite classes throughout our code. Setting a reference to the Map Suite workspace can be done in the "code-behind" of the Form by selecting the Form and hitting the F7 function key. Set the reference like this:
using ThinkGeo.MapSuite.Core;
using ThinkGeo.MapSuite.DesktopEdition;
Now let's look at a code sample to bring this concept to fruition. We'll look at Shapefiles relating to the entire world. In our example, we have one such Shapefile:
* The borders of every country in the world ("Countries02.shp")
(**NOTE:** The data used in this sample can be found in the attached sample above at "\AppData" folder)
Our next step is to define and add our Layers. Here is the code to use for our example. All of the following code can be placed in the ''Form1_Load'' event of the form.
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
// Set the Map Unit. The reason for setting it to DecimalDegrees is that is what the shapefile’s unit of measure is inherently in.
winformsMap1.MapUnit = GeographyUnit.DecimalDegree;
// We create a new Layer and pass the path to a Shapefile into its constructor.
ShapeFileFeatureLayer worldLayer = new ShapeFileFeatureLayer(@"../../AppData/Countries02.shp");
// Set the worldLayer with a preset Style, as AreaStyles.Country1 has YellowGreen background and black border, our worldLayer will have the same render style.
worldLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.DefaultAreaStyle = AreaStyles.Country1;
// This setting will apply from ZoonLevel01 to ZoomLevel20, that means we can see the world the same style with ZoomLevel01 all the time no matter how far we zoom out/in.
worldLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.ApplyUntilZoomLevel = ApplyUntilZoomLevel.Level20;
// Create a new Layer Overlay to hold the layer we just created
LayerOverlay layerOverlay = new LayerOverlay();
// Add the shapefile layer to the layer overlay
layerOverlay.Layers.Add(worldLayer);
// We need to add the layer overlay to Map.
winformsMap1.Overlays.Add(layerOverlay);
// Set a proper extent for the Map.
winformsMap1.CurrentExtent = new RectangleShape(0, 78, 30, 26);
// We now need to call the Refresh() method of the Map control so that the Map can redraw based on the data that has been provided.
winformsMap1.Refresh();
}
If you compile and run what you have now, your map should look like the one below. (see Figure 4).
{{desktopedition:QSG DesktopEdition Img08.jpg}}
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//Figure 4. A Simple map of Europe.//
So what has occurred here? We have created a layer and added it to the Map, and the Map has rendered it according to its default style parameters. Also, we have used ZoomLevel to display the map the way we want.
NOTE: It is important that the ''MapUnit'' property of a Map object be set using the ''GeographyUnit'' Enumeration. This is because Shapefiles only store binary vector coordinates, which can be in DecimalDegree, feet, meters, etc., and our map has no idea about what the unit of measurement is until we set it. This information is normally found somewhere in the documentation or within the supplemental data file as discussed in the section on Shapefiles.
===== Navigating the Map =====
With the above code, not only can you display a map, but you can also navigate it. You can pan by dragging the map, zoom in by double-clicking, track zoom in by drawing a rectangle with your left mouse button mouse while holding the shift key, or zoom in and out by using the mouse wheel. Very powerful for just couple lines of code, isn't it?
That was an easy start! Now, let's add another Shapefile to the sample so that we will have a total of two layers:
-The borders of every country in the world ("Countries02.shp")
-The capitals of the world countries ("WorldCapitals.shp")
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
winformsMap1.MapUnit = GeographyUnit.DecimalDegree;
ShapeFileFeatureLayer worldLayer = new ShapeFileFeatureLayer(@"../../AppData/Countries02.shp");
worldLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.DefaultAreaStyle = AreaStyles.Country1;
worldLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.ApplyUntilZoomLevel = ApplyUntilZoomLevel.Level20;
ShapeFileFeatureLayer capitalLayer = new ShapeFileFeatureLayer(@"../../AppData/WorldCapitals.shp");
// Similarly, we use the presetPointStyle for cities.
capitalLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.DefaultPointStyle = PointStyles.Capital3;
// This setting also applies from ZoonLevel01 to ZoomLevel20, that means we can see city symbols the same style with ZoomLevel01 all the time.
capitalLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.ApplyUntilZoomLevel = ApplyUntilZoomLevel.Level20;
LayerOverlay layerOverlay = new LayerOverlay();
layerOverlay.Layers.Add(worldLayer);
// We need to add both of the new layers to the Layer OverLay.
layerOverlay.Layers.Add(capitalLayer);
winformsMap1.Overlays.Add(layerOverlay);
winformsMap1.CurrentExtent = new RectangleShape(0, 78, 30, 26);
winformsMap1.Refresh();
}
And the result is as following (Figure 5):
{{desktopedition:QSG DesktopEdition Img09.jpg}}
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//Figure 5. Europe map with 2 layers.//
===== How to Use GeoTextStyle =====
==== TextStyle ====
TextStyle are used to label items on map. As every Shapefile has a relative .dbf file, which includes descriptions for every record, the most common way to use TextStyles is for labeling. For example, WorldCapital Shapefile's corresponding .dbf file contains the field "CITY_NAME". We can use this field to label the cities on our map.
{{desktopedition:QSG DesktopEdition Img10.jpg}}
Map Suite has many TextStyles built in, which will help us quickly design attractive labels for the cities on our map. We can just pick the TextStyle we like and use it.
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
winformsMap1.MapUnit = GeographyUnit.DecimalDegree;
ShapeFileFeatureLayer worldLayer = new ShapeFileFeatureLayer(@"../../AppData/Countries02.shp");
worldLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.DefaultAreaStyle = AreaStyles.Country1;
worldLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.ApplyUntilZoomLevel = ApplyUntilZoomLevel.Level20;
ShapeFileFeatureLayer capitalLayer = new ShapeFileFeatureLayer(@"../../AppData/WorldCapitals.shp");
// Similarly, we use the presetPointStyle for cities.
capitalLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.DefaultPointStyle = PointStyles.Capital3;
// This setting also applies from ZoonLevel01 to ZoomLevel20, that means we can see city symbols the same style with ZoomLevel01 all the time.
capitalLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.ApplyUntilZoomLevel = ApplyUntilZoomLevel.Level20;
// We create a new Layer for labeling the capitals.
ShapeFileFeatureLayer capitalLabelLayer = new ShapeFileFeatureLayer(@"../../AppData/WorldCapitals.shp");
// We use the preset TextStyle. Here we passed in the “CITY_NAME”, which is the name of the field we want to label on map.
capitalLabelLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.DefaultTextStyle = TextStyles.Capital3("CITY_NAME");
capitalLabelLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.ApplyUntilZoomLevel = ApplyUntilZoomLevel.Level20;
// As the map is drawn by tiles, it needs to draw on the margin to make sure the text is complete after we joining the tiles together.
// Change the number to another one (for example 0) and you can see the difference expecially when panning.
capitalLabelLayer.DrawingMarginPercentage = 50;
LayerOverlay layerOverlay = new LayerOverlay();
layerOverlay.Layers.Add(worldLayer);
layerOverlay.Layers.Add(capitalLayer);
layerOverlay.Layers.Add(capitalLabelLayer);
winformsMap1.Overlays.Add(layerOverlay);
winformsMap1.CurrentExtent = new RectangleShape(0, 78, 30, 26);
winformsMap1.BackgroundOverlay.BackgroundBrush = new GeoSolidBrush(GeoColor.GeographicColors.ShallowOcean);
winformsMap1.Refresh();
}
The result is as following (Figure 6):
{{desktopedition:QSG DesktopEdition Img11.jpg}}
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//Figure 6. Europe map with TextStyle.//
Now that we know how to render text and render symbols, let's define two different ZoomLevels in one single layer, and create our own custom Style and TextStyle.
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
winformsMap1.MapUnit = GeographyUnit.DecimalDegree;
ShapeFileFeatureLayer worldLayer = new ShapeFileFeatureLayer(@"../../AppData/Countries02.shp");
worldLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.DefaultAreaStyle = AreaStyles.Country1;
worldLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.ApplyUntilZoomLevel = ApplyUntilZoomLevel.Level20;
ShapeFileFeatureLayer capitalLayer = new ShapeFileFeatureLayer(@"../../AppData/WorldCapitals.shp");
// We can customize our own Style. Here we passed in a color and a size.
capitalLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.DefaultPointStyle = PointStyles.CreateSimpleCircleStyle(GeoColor.StandardColors.White, 7, GeoColor.StandardColors.Brown);
// The Style we set here is available from ZoomLevel01 to ZoomLevel05. That means if we zoom in a bit more, the appearance we set here will not be visible anymore.
capitalLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.ApplyUntilZoomLevel = ApplyUntilZoomLevel.Level05;
capitalLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel06.DefaultPointStyle = PointStyles.Capital3;
// The Style we set here is available from ZoomLevel06 to ZoomLevel20. That means if we zoom out a bit more, the appearance we set here will not be visible any more.
capitalLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel06.ApplyUntilZoomLevel = ApplyUntilZoomLevel.Level20;
ShapeFileFeatureLayer capitalLabelLayer = new ShapeFileFeatureLayer(@"../../AppData/WorldCapitals.shp");
// We can customize our own TextStyle. Here we passed in the font, the size, the style and the color.
capitalLabelLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.DefaultTextStyle = TextStyles.CreateSimpleTextStyle("CITY_NAME", "Arial", 8, DrawingFontStyles.Italic, GeoColor.StandardColors.Black, 3, 3);
// The TextStyle we set here is available from ZoomLevel01 to ZoomLevel05.
capitalLabelLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel01.ApplyUntilZoomLevel = ApplyUntilZoomLevel.Level05;
capitalLabelLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel06.DefaultTextStyle = TextStyles.Capital3("CITY_NAME");
// The TextStyle we set here is available from ZoomLevel06 to ZoomLevel20.
capitalLabelLayer.ZoomLevelSet.ZoomLevel06.ApplyUntilZoomLevel = ApplyUntilZoomLevel.Level20;
capitalLabelLayer.DrawingMarginPercentage = 50;
LayerOverlay layerOverlay = new LayerOverlay();
layerOverlay.Layers.Add(worldLayer);
layerOverlay.Layers.Add(capitalLayer);
layerOverlay.Layers.Add(capitalLabelLayer);
winformsMap1.Overlays.Add(layerOverlay);
winformsMap1.CurrentExtent = new RectangleShape(0, 78, 30, 26);
winformsMap1.BackgroundOverlay.BackgroundBrush = new GeoSolidBrush(GeoColor.GeographicColors.ShallowOcean);
winformsMap1.Refresh();
}
Can you imagine what the map will look like now? Below is the result. At first it appears like figure 7, and the map changes to figure 8 as you zoom in.
{{desktopedition:QSG DesktopEdition Img12.jpg}}
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//Figure 7. Europe Map with two ZoomLevels, before Zoom In.//
{{desktopedition:QSG DesktopEdition Img13.jpg}}
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//Figure 8. Europe Map with two ZoomLevels, after Zoom In.//
==== Notes ====
Because Desktop Edition uses multi-threading internally for drawing, if you want to change an overlay after the map is initialized, you need to lock the overlay first to avoid threading conflicts. For more information, please have a look at our "How Do I?" sample applications that come with the product.
===== Summary =====
You now know the basics of using the Map Suite Map control and be able to get started adding functionality into your own applications. Let's recap what we have learned about the object relationships and how the pieces of Map Suite work together:
-It is of the utmost importance that the units (feet, meters, decimal degrees, etc.) be set properly for the Map control based on the data.
-Shapefiles provide the data used by a Map control to render a map.
-A Map is the basic control that contains all of the other objects that are used to tell how the map is to be rendered.
-A Map has one-to-many Layers. A Layer correlates one-to-one with a shape file (.shp).
-A Layer can have one-to-many ZoomLevels. ZoomLevels help to define ranges (upper and lower) of when a Layer should be shown or hidden.