Using XAML for rendering maps

I was just reading a few articles on XAML - Microsoft new UI language for rendering vector content and user interfaces - when it hit me that this probably can get you much further in web mapping interaction than SVG can. XAML is part of the "Windows Presentation Foundation" a part of .NET Framework 3.0

 

My first attempt to generate XAML was done by creating a new renderer for SharpMap, and below you can see my first results in XamlPad. The data here has been created based on a SharpMap map by my quick'n'dirty XamlRenderer for SharpMap.

 

 

 

All it takes with the new renderer is initializing the new renderer with your map, and request a new map:

SharpMap.Xaml.Renderer XamlRenderer = new SharpMap.Xaml.Renderer(map);

string xaml = XamlRenderer.GetMap();

 

If you zip the generated XAML file you even get a 20% reduction over a PNG image.

 

Next step is to add interaction like zooming, querying etc…

 

Download XAML for the above worldmap (261,36 KB)

Comments (1) -

  • I have found your page searching for XAML and map engines. Nice sample!

    I have created a simple map aplication too. It uses Windows Presentation Foundation for map rendering but the engine is very simple.

    Anyway, keep up the good job. The engine is very interesting!

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