Configuration and Project Files
The look and feel of MapWindow is stored in a configuration file
(*.mwcfg) and project specific information is stored in a project
file (*.mwprj). Both of these files are XML format, which means that
you can open and edit them directly in a text editor like Notepad.
Every project file uses a specific config file. The reason for this
is so that you can set up an "application" by customizing the config
file, and then any project file created by that application knows
to use the appropriate config file. It also allows you to distribute
data to third parties using a more customized looking MapWindow.
If you just open a project file (*.mwprj) in notepad, you will see
a line that looks something like this:
<mapwin name= "MapWindow" type="projectfile" version="1.1"
configurationpath="..\..\..\Program Files\MapWindow\default.mwcfg">
The first few elements give information about the
file type and the version of MapWindow that created it. Notice the
"ConfigurationPath". This is a relative path to a configuration file
that opens with this project file. Usually it points to the location
of your default MapWindow configuration file in the MapWindow installation
directory.
However, if you were to create your own configuration file and give
it a different name, you could point your project file at it and then
when you open this project it would use the new configuration file.
For example, make a copy of the "default.mwcfg" file, rename it "test.mwcfg"
and place it in the same directory as your project file. Then, in
your project file, change the above line to look like this:
<mapwin name= "MapWindow" type="projectfile" version="1.1"
configurationpath="test.mwcfg">
Now when you open that project file by double-clicking
it, it will open with the configuration file, "test.mwcfg". To make
sure it worked, open the project file in MapWindow, save it again,
close MapWindow, then open the project file in Notepad again and look
at the ConfigurationPath. It should still be pointed at "test.mwcfg".
If it changed back to "default.mwcfg" then it either couldn't find
the test.mwcfg file, or it was an invalid file.
There are several sections of the configuration file that can be edited.
However, the main section to edit is the <AppInfo> section.
In the file "default.mwcfg" the AppInfo section looks like this:
<AppInfo name= "MapWindow" version="1.1" builddate=""
developer="EMRC" Comments="" HelpFilePath="help\MapWindow30.chm"
UseSplashScreen="True" SplashTime="2" DefaultDir="Sample
Data\UnitedStates\Shapefiles">
<windowicon>
<image type="Icon">AAABAAEAICAAA . . . </image> </windowicon>
<splashpicture>
<image type=""> </image>
</splashpicture>
</appinfo>
You can directly edit all of the tags
in the AppInfo section except for the WindowIcon and the SplashPicture.
Changes to the AppInfo section tags show up in the "About" form
and also in the application title bar. The icon and the picture
tags are encoded images that must be created in code. There is information on this in the
discussion forum.
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