ArcGIS Lite API for Flex

The ArcGIS API for Flex is pretty amazing and very powerful, but it is very GIS centric. Flex Programmers have to know for example the difference between mercator and geographical coordinates systems and have to understand the concepts of map layers, etc….
Programmers just want to put dots on maps at a specific latitude and longitude. This is very easy to do say for example using the google map API and folks have been asking for something like that for a while. So, I am please to tell you about an open source project that we have launched on github that is exactly that. A simple mapping API that is based on the core API to enable Flex developers to build mapping applications. The idea to open source the project is to let you see how some high level functions are implemented using the low level API. Here is a quick sample:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<s:Application xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009"
               xmlns:s="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/spark"
               xmlns:mx="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/mx"
               xmlns:views="com.esri.views.*">
    <fx:Script>
        <![CDATA[
            import com.esri.ags.events.MapEvent;

            private function map_loadHandler(event:MapEvent):void
            {
                map.setCenter([ 40.736072, -73.992062 ])
            }
        ]]>
    </fx:Script>
    <views:ESRIMap id="map" load="map_loadHandler(event)"/>
</s:Application>

In addition, the API is mobile friendly. You can build Android and iOS mapping applications using the Flex API. Here is a mobile sample:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<s:Application xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009"
               xmlns:s="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/spark"
               xmlns:views="com.esri.views.*">
    <fx:Style source="stylesheet.css"/>
    <fx:Script>
        <![CDATA[
            import com.esri.ags.events.MapEvent;
            import com.esri.events.GeolocationUpdateEvent;

            private function map_geolocationUpdateHandler(event:GeolocationUpdateEvent):void
            {
                map.locationToAddress(event.mapPoint, 50.0);
            }

            private function map_loadHandler(event:MapEvent):void
            {
                map.whereAmI();
            }
        ]]>
    </fx:Script>
    <views:ESRIMobileMap id="map"
                         geolocationUpdate="map_geolocationUpdateHandler(event)"
                         load="map_loadHandler(event)"/>
</s:Application>

As mentioned earlier, the project is on github. So you can clone it, compile it with the core API swc and learn how geocoding or routing is implemented.

The project can use more documentation as, I do write self documenting code! LOL - Sorry, that was not funny since this is supposed to be a stepping stone to the core API that _is_ very well documented. So, I will have to spend more time on this and add more high level functions like “driveTimePolygon”.

Anyway, “git clone” the project and tell me what you think.

Want to give credit where credit is due - Andy Gup started this initiative with his great Starter Project Template.

Just to clarify an important point. This API is for very simple mapping purposes and is NOT maintained by the core team.