I think what you're talking about when using ASP is that you'll have to
dynamically build your image string, and yes ASP handles this just fine. The
call to the map server will return the image only, either by redirecting the
browser to a file on the server, or writing an image mime header to the
browser, and then writing the image directly. So your image tag would be:
<img
src="/cgi-bin/mqinterconnect.exe?city=<%=request("city")%>&state=<%=request(
"state")%>">
The asp page would set the values in the above string by requesting them
from the querystring collection like:
http://www.yoursite.com/mapping.asp?city=seattle&state=WA
This way the map can be returned directly within your page. I did something
like this with MapXtreme a while ago at
http://www.directionsmag.com/devel/mapredirect.asp by redirecting to the
image on the server. And more recently with MapObjects IMS at
http://www.directionsmag.com/devel/comap.asp by writing the image/gif mime
header and image directly to the browser.
Anyway, it's a lot of fun and a very neat environment to work with (ASP).
Rob Martinson
Directions Magazine
http://www.directionsmag.com
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of Jane Jones
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 1999 11:45 AM
To: 'Marjorie Roswell'; 'Mapinfo'
Subject: RE: MI More internet thoughts
Hi,
You can use MapQuest's custom mapping/routing CGIs that run on client
side servers. When I was working there, I had clients a few clients
using ASP and ColdFusion. Mostly NT clients were using those
applications--and increasingly each day.
The only problem with the MQ CGI is that it must call/display the map
through the path of the cgi (i.e.
http://your.site.com/cgi-bin/mqinterconnect.exe?city-seattle&state=WA)
because the maps are returned in an encrypted string that only the map
CGI can translate.
When you're using ASP or ColdFusion, I believe you have to call your web
pages through that specific CGI that is dynamically generating your
sequential html pages (i.e.
http://your.site.com/cgi-bin/myprogram.asp?blah or
http://your.site.com/cgi-bin/myprogram.cfs?blah).
So...one way to deal with that is to create a virtual browser session to
request the maps from and take the returned snip of html code containing
the map from that session to paste into your .asp of .cfs generated web
page. The downfall to that is that it creates yet another loop, so you
take a few more milliseconds waiting for your returned map request.
I've worked with Vicinity's mapping software too. (competitor of MQ)
Vicinity, I believe, uses ETAK data versus MQ uses mostly GDT (where
data is limited, they use other sources...USDB, TIGER, ...). I think
aesthetically, MQ's map look nicer. One thing I prefer about Vicinity
though is that it is written in Perl and thus, uncompiled. MQ is
written in C and compiled. Vicinity can run on Linux!! :-) A BIG PLUS!
MQ only supports NT, SunSolaris and IRIX platforms with an IIS, netscape
client(last I heard anyway).
Well, I'm just about to get my hands on some of this MapXtreme
Stuff...then I'll be able to compare and contrast the usability of MI's
products compared to MQ and Vicinity.
Oh, MQ's latest product is the MQ server. They actually package up and
sell the map generator server (quite expensive!) so that you don't have
to wait each time for your CGI to call their servers and for them to
return a map. With the MQ server, you serve yourself your own maps so
the draw time is much quicker not having to go through the network--this
also allows for you to host your own static geocoded points of
interest(database) when doing more than just on-the-fly geocoding.
www.yahoo.com is the first and only client I know of that uses this new
product. Excite.com still uses just the custom CGI that MQ sells to
everyone else. Smaller sites like www.innsandouts.com, www.chevron.com,
www.avis.com have typical implementations of the MQ custom CGI.
Other new features MQ's finally accommodating are proximity searching
based on non-geographic data. (i.e. show me the closest 10 restaurants
to ZIP that serve Chinese food and miniature golf).
Vicinity has been doing that for a while, but then, Vicinity does most
of the customization and hosts the mapping portion of the sites for
their clients. whereas MQ allows the client to run the CGI and mapping
templates all on their own server.
well, I have rambled on here and I could ramble for a while longer, but
I don't really have any direction here. Perhaps I've opened up some new
doors of interest and curiosity for some of you.
--Jane Jones
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