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====== ThinkGeo Product Center ======

{{section>upgrade_map_suite_from_9.0#Upgrade Map Suite to 10.0}}

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[[http://download.thinkgeo.com/ThinkGeoProductCenter.msi|{{:ThinkGeo Product Center.png}}]]
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The **ThinkGeo Product Center** is a Windows application that serves as a central point for customers to install, evaluate, purchase and activate Map Suite products.  The Product Center aggregates some of the ThinkGeo Wiki's most valuable content, including [[Map Suite Code Samples|code samples]], videos and product guides, to provide customers with an easy way to install, learn, and work with Map Suite.


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==== Access Product Center ====

From Map Suite 10.0, Map Suite Product Center is included in NuGet packages. You can find Product Center in following places:
  * For mobile applications, Product Center can be found in MapSuiteMobileForAndroid or MapSuiteMobileForIOS NuGet package.
  * For desktop and web applications, Product Center is an isolate NuGet package and it is referenced by the project. After you compiled your project successfully, Product Center will be copied to **bin** folder of your project.

To locate the Product Center in NuGet package. Right-Click on the solution that you are working on and select "Open Folder in Explorer". The file explorer will pop up. The Product Center is under **packages\ThinkGeo.MapSuite.ProductCenter.10.0.0\lib\net45**. 
==== System Requirements ====
  * Microsoft Windows 7 or newer
  * .NET Framework 4.5 or higher
  * 1.2 GHz Intel® Core™ processor or better recommended
  * 2 GB RAM or more recommended
  * Visual Studio 2010 or newer

==== Overview ====
The application presents ThinkGeo's entire array of [[Map Suite Products]] as a grid of tiles.  When you click on a product, a wealth of information about it will appear.  From there, you can:

  * Start a free 60-day evaluation
  * Download [[Map Suite Daily Builds Guide|daily builds]]
  * Purchase, activate and deactivate a license
  * Kick start a new project with project templates
  * Browse and download [[Map Suite Code Samples|code samples]]
  * Watch instructional and tutorial videos

==== Evaluating a Product ====
When you install the Product Center, you automatically install the core components needed for all of the Map Suite [[Map_Suite_Products#Controls|controls]] and [[Map_Suite_Products#Components|components]].  This way, there is nothing additional to be downloaded whenever you want to try any edition of Map Suite.

To start an evaluation, simply click on the "Start Evaluation" button at the top of the window.

You will be prompted to login to your ThinkGeo account.  If you don't have an account, you will be able to register for free.  In addition to Map Suite evaluations, your free account lets you post in our [[http://thinkgeo.com/forums/|discussion forums]], get one-on-one help at our [[http://helpdesk.thinkgeo.com|Customer Portal]] and more.

Your evaluation gives you 60 days of complimentary access to every feature of your chosen Map Suite product, during which an "Evaluation" watermark will be displayed on all of your maps.  If you are considering a purchase but need more time to evaluate, [[http://thinkgeo.com/contact-us.aspx|contact ThinkGeo]] to request an extension.  Extensions can be processed right from within the Product Center.  Your ThinkGeo sales representative will give you further instructions.

**Note:** Starting or extending an evaluation will require to you provide Windows administrator credentials to complete the process. Make sure you say "Yes" to the Windows User Account Control prompt.

=== Evaluating Without an Internet Connection ===
If you are using the ThinkGeo Product Center on a computer without an Internet connection, or if your computer is behind a proxy or firewall that is unable to reach thinkgeo.com, you must use the Map Suite Registration Builder Tool to start or extend an evaluation.  For complete instructions on this process, see the [[Map Suite Offline Activation Guide]].

==== Activating a Developer License ====
If you would like to purchase a developer license for a Map Suite product, simply click the "Purchase Online" button on the product's Overview tab.  You'll be taken directly to ThinkGeo's online store.  Each developer license allows one developer to work on a Map Suite project and enjoy full debugging capabilities in Microsoft Visual Studio.

Once you've purchased a developer license, it's easy to activate it right from within the Product Center.  Simply log in, and the Product Center will indicate which products you have licensed by displaying "Purchased" on the product's tile.  When you click on that tile, instead of a "Start Evaluation" button, you'll see an "Activate License" button.  Click it to activate your full developer license.

**Note:** Activation will require you to provide Windows administrator credentials to complete the process. Make sure you say "Yes" to the Windows User Account Control prompt.

Finally, the Product Center will offer to automatically download the full assemblies for the product you've activated, and we recommend that you do so.  Referencing these assemblies in your projects will remove the "Evaluation" watermark from your maps.

=== Activating Without an Internet Connection ===
If you are using the ThinkGeo Product Center on a computer without an Internet connection, or if your computer is behind a proxy or firewall that is unable to reach thinkgeo.com, you must use the Map Suite Registration Builder Tool to activate a product license.  This is true for both developer licenses and [[Map Suite Production Server Licensing|production server licenses]].  For complete instructions on this process, see the [[Map Suite Offline Activation Guide]].

=== Finding Your License Keys ===
In most cases, you will not need to input your serial key directory -- the Product Center application takes care of all developer license activations and deactivations.  However, you can still find your keys on the Activation History window of each product you have purchased.  Simply select a Map Suite product, then click the "Activation History" link near the top center of the Product Center window.  The Activation History window will appear.

In addition to showing you a list of all activations and deactivations for your serial key, the key itself will be displayed in a text box that you can copy from.

==== Deactivating a Developer License ====
You can deactivate a product license at any time, freeing up that license for later reactivation on the same computer or a different one.  As an example, you may have several developers working on a Map Suite project, each with their own developer license on their computer.  If one developer leaves the project and another joins, you may need to deactivate the first developer's license and reactivate it on the new developer's machine.  The Product Center application makes this easy.

Simply click "Deactivate License" to deactivate and free up your license.  Then, install and launch Product Center on another computer, log in, and click "Activate License".

===== Viewing Project Templates, Code Samples and Videos =====
Most Map Suite products offer a wealth of code samples, templates and videos that will help you quickly start developing with Map Suite and demonstrate how to implement lots of powerful and useful functionality.  You can view these resources by clicking on the tabs just beneath the product name in the middle of the Product Center window.

  * **Overview**: Displays information about the product, daily builds, resources, latest news and other actions you can take.
  * **Project Templates**: Kick-start templates you can use as a base to build new Map Suite applications. These templates demonstrate many different features of Map Suite in real-life applications.
  * **Code Samples**: Our complete [[Map Suite Code Samples|code samples library]] offers miniature self-contained projects, each of which demonstrates a particular Map Suite feature or piece of functionality that you may find useful.
  * **Videos**: Tutorial videos, demonstrations and webinars that provide in-depth information about Map Suite and some of its highlight features.
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