The Virtual Earth Connector brings detailed, high resolution aerial images from Microsoft's Virtual Earth platform to Smallworld users. This includes access to street maps as well as two different aerial map styles, with data covering 72 countries around the world. Microsoft is regularly releasing terabytes of updates into the platform so the availability of data, resolution of images, and accuracy of this system is constantly improving. Once the Connector is implemented, users can easily toggle on Virtual Earth maps as a background for their daily work. The data is displayed in all Smallworld map views, and is also available for use in plotting and other hard copy outputs. The Virtual Earth Connector supports both the Mercator projection as well as custom application projections, allowing you to see data displayed in any projection available in your application.
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The short video above introduces you to working with the Virtual Earth Connector. The simple interface requires virtually no training for your users, and can be implemented with no programming.
The Virtual Earth Connector integrates with Smallworld as a new type of Spatial Object Manager and provides toolbars and actions to control the functionality from the user interface. This allows it to provide Virtual Earth Images and functionality in a way that will operate with all existing Smallworld-based applications. The Connector is built using the software as a service model, leveraging Microsoft's Virtual Earth data centers and web services APIs. This allows any Smallworld user with an Internet connection to use these data layers. It also eliminates the need to store and maintain huge volumes of data to support these services within the enterprise.
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The Connector provides access to geocoding and other services from Virtual Earth. This integration allows the user to enter a query directly in Smallworld and see the resulting locations plotted on the Smallworld map. The user can work with these locations alongside facility data, use them to create trail points, and include them in hardcopy output. Through the power of the Virtual Earth geocoding engine, users have access to advanced address interpretation engines, the best in class rooftop-geocoding database, and a platform that is constantly being enhanced. These are the same capabilities provided to millions of users at maps.live.com.
The geocoding interface returns multiple matches and allows the user to work with them in Smallworld editors and the explorer, so no special training is required. The Virtual Earth Connector also supports reverse geocoding, allowing the user to derive the address for any point.
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