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Home: MapGuide Developer's Guide
Custom Output

Custom Output

Rendering Service
Introduction
TipThe Custom Output sample,
in the Developer’s Guide samples, demonstrates concepts from this
chapter.
MapGuide includes services for saving map
representations for use in external programs.
To save
a map as a bit-mapped image (PNG or GIF), use the Rendering Service.
To save a map as a Design Web Format
(DWF), use the Mapping Service. DWF files can be saved in two variations.
An eMap DWF contains metadata that describes the current map view,
not the map data itself. This is a compact format, but it requires
access to the map agent to view the map. It is not suitable for
offline viewing, and it requires a current MapGuide session.
An ePlot DWF is designed for offline viewing
or printing. It can contain multiple sheets, where each sheet is
a complete map image that can be viewed offline using Autodesk Design
Review. Each sheet in an ePlot DWF is a static representation of
a single map view state.
Characteristics of bit-mapped images:
- Images
can be in PNG or GIF formats.
- An
image displays a portion of the the map view state at a particular
scale.
- The
image is static with a fixed resolution. Zooming in creates a pixelated image.
- Images
are cross-platform.
- Images
are suitable for use in HTML pages, word processor documents, or graphics
editing programs.
Characteristics of an ePlot DWF:
- A single
ePlot can contain multiple sheets.
- Each
sheet shows a single image, showing a portion of the map view at
a particular scale.
- The
ePlot area and scale are static, but geometric features are stored
as vector graphics, so zooming is smooth.
- Some
interactive features of the MapGuide DWF Viewer are available, such
as the ability to turn layers on and off.
- The
ePlot requires the Autodesk Design Review, either standalone or
as a plug-in for Internet Explorer.
- Images
can be copied to the Windows clipboard and used in other applications.
- Autodesk
Design Review is a free program that is only available on Windows.
Visit http://www.autodesk.com to
download.
Characteristics of an eMap DWF:
- An
eMap DWF is dynamic, with all the zooming and panning capabilities of
the MapGuide DWF Viewer.
- Because
the eMap Viewer uses the map agent, the entire map is available for
smooth zooming and panning. The layer stylization rules apply.
- The
eMap requires the Autodesk Design Review, either standalone or as
a plug-in for Internet Explorer.
- The
eMap requires an active MapGuide session. If the session times
out the map cannot be displayed.
- Individual
views from an eMap DWF can be saved as ePlot DWFs.
- Autodesk
Design Review is a free program that is only available on Windows.