Accessing Maptitude from .NET

There are two ways to program Maptitude from a programming language in .NET:

• The GISDK Extension Engine API lets you extend the Maptitude desktop application itself by writing in-process extensions in C# or any other .NET language, without the need to learn a new programming language
• The GISDK CaliperForm API lets you connect your .NET stand-alone Windows desktop application to Maptitude out-of-process. The .NET classes included with the CaliperForm.dll assembly shipped with Maptitude allow you to access the GISDK environment from a Windows desktop application (Windows Forms) written in any .NET language.

The Connection class is used to connect to the GISDK environment, open maps and dataviews, execute GISDK functions and macros, create map images, and select geographic data. This class also includes methods for converting data types between the GISDK environment and the .NET environment.

The GisdkDataAdapter class is used for translating a GISDK dataview or a selection set into an instance of the .NET System.Data.DataTable class. It includes type-safe methods for filling a DataTable schema and rows with values coming from a GISDK selection set, methods for updating a GISDK dataview with values coming from the DataTable, and methods for aggregating and transposing DataTables.  This is based on ADO.NET, the data component of the .NET platform. It provides a common programming interface to a wide variety of proprietary data sources including SQL databases and OLEDB. In .NET, all tabular data is contained in a standard class, called System.Data.DataSet. A DataSet contains one or more related DataTables, and a collection of extended properties and relations that describe the content of the tables.

GisdkDataAdapter implements the .NET System.Data.IDataAdapter interface, and allows you to use Maptitude as a data source anywhere you would use an SQL data source or an OLEDB data source. For example, you can use the GisdkDataAdapter class to bind Maptitude data to any data-bound Windows.Forms control.

Either way, you can program Maptitude in .NET to build custom applications for the desktop, and analyze and share data generated from a wide range of maps, including those that show demographic trends, population density, and sales potential.

Aditionally, the GisdkDataAdapter class is used for translating a GISDK dataview or a selection set into an instance of the .NET System.Data.DataTable class.  

For more information, see:

- Getting Started with CaliperForm

- Using the CaliperForm.Connection Class

- Using the CaliperForm.GisdkDataAdapter Class

- Using the GISDK Extension Engine In-Process API

- Using the GISDK CaliperForm Out-of-Process API

See also these specific C# examples for:

- Opening a Map

- Opening a Table

- Geocoding Addresses

- Geocoding a Table

- Selecting Features By Circle

- Calculating a Route