MI Map Basic, VB, COM and more

[Stephen L. Thompson]

After seeing the messages over the last two days about VB et al.  I think it's time to weigh in on the discussion.   First, today you can use VB with MapInfo Professional.  You simply call an external program written in VB, C++, or generally anything you want to run. The problem is that there is not support for MapInfo native file formats.  We do this every day with MS SQL, Oracle, Access, D-Base IV, and more.  We call external analysis and reporting programs too.  The updating is then done to an externally attached data base and refreshed into MI.   Second, today you can use VB with MapX.  Yes, you lose many of the capabilities of MapInfo Professional, but if you want a more robust programming environment you will have to move that way.   Third, according to MapInfo, they are rewritting MIP to be a series of COM compliant objects.  That means that you will be able to utilize perhaps the entire MIP COM or individual components.  You will also be able to write your own COM compliant objects and build applications.  MI also says they will begin supporting Microsoft Transaction Server when they go COM.  MTS is a very convenient "plumbing system" for client server and distributed processing that can handle among other things, the brokering of COMs.   Finally, all these current options and future moves require a material leap in programming talent from Map Basic.  I am doubtful that everyone who currently uses the convenience and simplicty of Map Basic will be prepared to move to the sophistication of COM.  As a result Map Basic in some form will probably still exist.   My point?  Map Basic meets the needs of many users who don't do programming for a living.  If you do programming for a living, then get creative today by using VB and other external calls to solve problems, or write a full app in MapX and VB or C++.  Also if you do programming for a living start writing COMs now (if you don't already) and call them from MIP or use them in MapX apps -- because if you can't do that you had better thank your lucky stars for Map Basic.   We have been interfacing MapInfo Professional, MapX, Transaction Server, Active X and C++ COMs, out of process servers (exes), and GUI and Browser User Interfaces for over 3 years, and we still find many times Map Basic is the fastest and simplest solution to a minor client or production need.  The COMs are now coming on the market just like VB controls.  When MapInfo and ESRI release their COMs it will get a lot easier to create applications, but this is not a "simpler" environment.   Steve Thompson [EMAIL PROTECTED]