FAQ
From MapWindow GIS
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common answers to common questions. If you need more help you can always visit the TinyMCE Forum on the TinyMCE web site.
General Questions
I want to delineate watersheds. Will MapWindow help me do this?
Answer: MapWindow itself is a generic programmable GIS and does not include built in functionality for delieating watersheds. However, the TAUDEM plug-in by David Tarboton at Utah State University does delinieate watersheds using MapWindow.
Question: Does MapWindow include any models? What happened to the TMDL Toolkit?
Answer: MapWindow grew, in part, out of a project that was developing a "TMDL Toolkit" for watershed modeling and water quality analysis. It was in the development of the TMDL Toolkit that a need for a MapWindow-type product was encountered. MapWindow is not a replacement for the TMDL Toolkit, but is a platform that modeling can be built upon. The evolution of the TMDL Toolkit itself is now best seen in the WRIA-1 Watershed Decision Support System.
Does MapWindow include or require the licensing of any ESRI products?
Answer:No. MapWindow does not include any ESRI software or code, and does not require the end user to purchase or license any ESRI products for it to work.
I don't have any shapefiles or other data yet. Can I create them in MapWindow?
Answer:You can build/create/edit shapefiles code using the MapWinGIS ActiveX control, or through the plug-in developer interface. You can also use the shapefile editor plug-in that comes with the MapWindow application to build and edit shapefiles in MapWindow.
Where can I get data for use with MapWindow?
Answer:MapWindow can use most standard GIS data formats including shapefiles (.shp) and ASCII grid files (.asc). Data in these formats can be downloaded from many Internet sites including GIS Data Depot, USEPA, USGS and many others. MapWindow can also handle georeferenced GIF, and BMP image files.
Is there any technical support available for this product? Is there a customer support phone center?
Answer:The free MapWindow application does not come with any particular support other than what can be found in the on-line resources and help files. However, MapWinGIS ActiveX control developer licenses and plug-in developer licenses are available that include both e-mail and remote desktop-based support. Check our support page for more information.
Are there any training materials available to assist me with my use and development with MapWindow?
Answer:Please use the discussion forum, the mailing lists, and the sample code. If you have custom programing needs, please contact us.
Can I hire you to help develop a custom applications?
Answer:Absolutely! And if we can't help you we can help you identify other individuals and companies using MapWindow who can help you.
If I develop a custom application with MapWindow, what redistribution costs are associated with the license?
Answer:MapWindow can be freely redistributed with your data. If you want to develop custom plug-ins, or if you need to embed GIS functionality directly into your application, you can use the open source MapWinGIS ActiveX control. Please consider making a donation to support this effort. See the Donate page and Open Source License page for more information.
Questions about MapWindow ActiveX Control and API
How does MapWindow compare to ESRI MapObjects?
Answer:Our experience was with MapObjects LT 1.0 because it was the royalty-free tool. The MapWinGIS ActiveX control, is similar to MapObjects LT 1.0 in that it is an embeddable ActiveX control that provides mapping capabilities to a custom application. The key differences are: MapWindow includes a full programming API that gives you access to the underlying data structure of shapefiles (e.g. you can Get or Set the values of Shapefile.Shape(i).Point(j).X and ...Y). MapWindow allows you to modify the underlying shapefile data while it is loaded in the Map, a Map.Refresh call just updates the display with the new data.
Does the MapWindow ActiveX component work in my programming language?
Answer:The MapWindow ActiveX mapping component and API were built in Microsoft Visual C++ and compiled using the version 7 compiler. Because of this, the component works in programming languages that support ActiveX. We have used it in Visual C++, C#, Visual Basic 6, Visual Basic .NET and Delphi. Sample projects are available on the download page.
Can MapWindow perform calculations on shapes and/or grids?
Answer:The MapWindowGIS.ocx component comes with built-in utilities to perform some calculations, such as shape intersections. The API provides functions to make it simple to calculate additional formulas based on shape and grid data. Therefore, any calculation you need to perform on a shape or grid may be done through a MapWindow plug-in.
Questions about the MapWindow application and plug-in development
How does the MapWindow application compare to ArcView, GRASS, MapInfo, and other GIS systems?
Answer:The MapWindow application is not necessarily meant to be used by "GIS Analysts". Rather, it is a tool for engineers, programmers, and "GIS Tool Developers". Individuals who have the best success with MapWindow are those who want to build a custom plug-in and deliver it and some data to a third party--typically a third party who is not a GIS analyst. For example, you may have a project where you must deliver to the funding agency all of your spatial data. Instead of just giving them a CD of shapefiles, you could also give them a MapWindow application for viewing the shapefiles, including a custom plug-in that allows them to click on a shape and find out the number of toadstools in a given polygon, etc.
What languages can I use to build plug-ins to the MapWindow application?
Answer:The MapWindow Application was built using a combination of different tools from Microsoft Visual Studio .NET including C++ 7.0, Visual Basic .NET, and C#. This allowed us to incorporate a much more powerful and simple plug-in interface. However, this also limits the languages in which plug-ins can be built to only .NET compatible languages. We have built plug-ins using each of the Microsoft .NET languages, and will be posting the source code for reference, but we have not attempted to build a plug-in using the latest version of Delphi which appears to support the .NET framework. If anyone does this and would like to share their story and possibly their source code, please let us know.
How do I get started creating a plug-in to MapWindow?
Answer:1) Download and install the MapWindow developer version. 2) Create a new "Class Library" project in Microsoft Visual Studio .NET. 3) Add a reference to MapWinGIS.ocx and to MapWinInterfaces.dll. 4) Implement the MapWindow.Interfaces.IPlugin interface. Better yet, just open the sample plug-in project posted on the download page.
