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====== Map Suite MVC Edition FAQ General Questions ======

**What is the difference between [[http://gis.thinkgeo.com/Products/GISComponentsforNETDevelopers/MapSuiteMVCEdition/tabid/920/Default.aspx|Map Suite MVC Edition]] and [[http://gis.thinkgeo.com/Products/GISComponentsforNETDevelopers/MapSuiteWebEdition/tabid/642/Default.aspx|Map Suite Web Edition]]? If I want to create a web-based GIS application, which edition should I pick?**


Map Suite MVC Edition is based on the Model/View/Controller architecture, whereas Map Suite Web Edition uses traditional a Webforms model. Using Map Suite MVC Edition offers you the following advantages:

*Gives you full control over your page presentation via HTML and CSS
*Easier and quicker to target mobile and touch-based devices like the Apple iPad, iPhone or Android devices
*Allows you to easily integrate third-party JavaScript libraries such as jQuery
*Offers faster performance and simpler coding in numerous scenarios
*Enables much greater automated unit tests
*Better suited to multi-developer environments where several programmers can work on different parts of the same page
 
We typically recommend Map Suite MVC Edition over Map Suite Web Edition for most modern web applications. However, there are situations where Map Suite Web Edition's traditional Webforms model will be more advantageous to you — for instance, if you are porting a desktop-based Winforms application to a web environment, or if you don't need or want to worry about HTML and CSS and instead prefer to let the control handle presentation for you.

If you still have questions about which edition of Map Suite would best suit you, feel free to post in our [[http://gis.thinkgeo.com/Support/DiscussionForums/tabid/143/afv/topicsview/aff/45/Default.aspx|Map Suite MVC Edition discussion forum]] or [[http://gis.thinkgeo.com/Contact/tabid/147/Default.aspx|give us a call]].

====Do I have control over how the map looks and fits into my application?====
Yes, absolutely. In fact, with Map Suite MVC Edition, you'll have even more control over the presentation aspect of your map control than you would with a traditional Webforms map control, with full ability to customize the HTML and CSS generated. For the map itself, we expose a large amount of APIs that allow you to customize every aspect of the map and the user interface so that they fit in with the look and feel of your application.

====What other software is required to work with Map Suite MVC Edition?====
To work with Map Suite MVC Edition, you will need Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 SP1, Visual Studio 2010, or Visual Web Developer 2008/2010 Express Edition to build the code for your custom application. Map Suite MVC Edition also requires ASP.NET MVC version 2 or 3, and the .NET Framework version 3.5 SP1 or 4.0. For full system requirements, see the [[http://gis.thinkgeo.com/Products/GISComponentsforNETDevelopers/MapSuiteMVCEdition/Pricing/tabid/925/Default.aspx|Pricing and Specifications]] page.

====Does Map Suite MVC Edition require any third party controls to be downloaded and installed on the client browser?====
No. Map Suite MVC Edition utilizes JavaScript to handle all browser-side operations, so no third party ActiveX controls are needed.

====What type of map data does Map Suite MVC Edition Support?====
Map Suite MVC Edition lets you use virtually any map dataset of your choosing. If you have your own map data, you can utilize it. Alternatively, you can utilize our Map Suite World Map Kit extension, Google Maps, Virtual Earth or Yahoo Maps — just to name a few options.

====What formats can my data be in?====
Map Suite MVC Edition comes with native support for the most popular vector and raster file formats including Shapefile and TAB, and includes a free extension that enables support for more than a dozen more vector formats and more than 80 raster formats. If you have spatial data or imagery, chances are you can use it with Map Suite. Check our wiki for the [[http://wiki.thinkgeo.com/wiki/Map_Suite_Data_Format_Guide|master list of data formats]] that Map Suite currently supports.

====How big of a learning curve is there to using Map Suite MVC Edition?====
Map Suite MVC Edition was designed to be easy to understand and easy to use. While mapping and GIS controls typically have a larger learning curve than other simpler controls like grids or charts, we feel Map Suite has taken the complexity out of mapping and allows you to develop your application in days or weeks instead of months or years.

====Where do I go if I need help with Map Suite MVC Edition?====
We have a very active [[http://gis.thinkgeo.com/Support/DiscussionForums/tabid/143/afv/topicsview/aff/45/Default.aspx|Developer Community discussion forum]], a large number of [[http://websamples.thinkgeo.com/|"How Do I?" sample applications]] with complete source code, and we also offer professional services if you need to talk with a developer one-on-one.

====What is the difference between Map Suite MVC Edition and Map Suite Services Edition?====
Map Suite MVC Edition comes with built-in functionality to construct a robust user interface in a web environment, while the Services Edition is designed for back-end applications like web services, Windows services and console applications where no user interface elements are needed.

====Are there add-ons or extensions for Map Suite that add new features?====
Yes. We offer a number of Map Suite [[http://gis.thinkgeo.com/Products/ExtensionsAddOnsforMapSuite/tabid/128/Default.aspx|add-ons]] that extend the functionality and map coverage of your application, including the World Map Kit dataset plugin, and the Routing Extension that generates routes, turn-by-turn directions and more. Additionally, check out the [[http://code.thinkgeo.com/|Map Suite Code Community]] for an ever-expanding number of add-on projects that bring new features and ideas to your Map Suite projects - there's something new each week.

====I've purchased Map Suite MVC Edition and I'm seeing an "Unlicensed for Runtime" watermark on the map after I deploy my web application to IIS. How can I get rid of this watermark?====
You are seeing this message because the Production Web Server license is not installed on your server. There are two kinds of licenses for Map Suite MVC Edition:

1.The Development License is for a development environment. It allows you to develop your application within Visual Studio.

2.The Production Web Server License is for a production environment. It removes the "Unlicensed" watermark in runtime.
 
To install the Production Web Server License, you need to run the Map Suite MVC Edition Server Preparation Tool that can be found in the My Downloads section of the [[http://helpdesk.thinkgeo.com/|Customer Portal]]. Easy-to-follow installation instructions are included with the tool.
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