A.2 Free   client serversideTopA Current State AnalysisA.1 Free & client-side

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German

A.1 Free & client-side

Free Web Mapping Applications with 100% JavaScript

A.1.1 OpenLayers

As of: May 15, 2007

1. General

Name OpenLayers
URL
   Home http://www.openlayers.org
   Documentation http://trac.openlayers.org/wiki/Documentation
   Download http://www.openlayers.org/download
   Live Demo http://openlayers.org/gallery and http://www.openlayers.org/dev/examples
Current version 2.3 (stable)
Last update February 21, 2007
License BSD
Developed by MetaCarta, USA
Short Description OpenLayers is a Free (pure) JavaScript API used to integrate dynamic maps into any website.
2. System
Architecture client-side
Programming language JavaScript
Prerequisites -
Supported browser Mozilla 1.8; Firefox 1.0+; IE 6.0+; Safari 2.0+; Opera 9.0+; Netscape X.X
Where applicable, integration with other software uses prototype and components of Rico
3. Community
Revision Administration SVN (svn checkout http://svn.openlayers.org/trunk/openlayers/)
Mailing Lists (URL) http://openlayers.org/mailman/listinfo
Developer ML
   Mails per month185
   Total number of active developers272
User ML
   Mails per month1197
   Total number of active users2150
Commercial support MetaCarta, USA
4. Documentation
For installation/development/operation (suggestions, tutorials, URL) no installation necessary (API); API reference; Quick Tutorial (good basic info, http://www.openlayers.org/QuickTutorial)
5. Usability
All analysis is based on demo http://www.openlayers.org/dev/examples/controls.html
Usability - General Impression basically conforming to expectations; intuitive; plain GUI & clear; minimizable layer overview and overview map result in a very tidy user interface; remarkably quick reloading of tiles - easy navigation

Main map

all elements/tools are placed on map
Overview map can be minimized; dynamic zoom level; section can be moved with Drag&Drop or mouse click; missing centering of section after panning!; does not adjust to the style of the main map (displays only base layer)
Layer overview minimizeable layer display; divided into base layers and overlays; can be de/activated with radio buttons and check boxes
Legend -
Scale bar simple scale indication possible (not included in demo)
Toolbar not a conventional toolbar; very minimialistic; zoomBox and pan buttons only; missing zoomOut button irritating at first; active tool not discernible right away (bad color contrast); tool bar not really necessary
Zoom bar halbtransparent in der Karte integriert
Pan navigation panel above zoom bar
General zooming switch between pan and zoom mode not necessary; max/min zoom level only discernible on zoom bar; missing in demo: reset map to default zoom value (in other examples through 'Worldmap' in a smaller zoom bar)
Zooming with double-click yes
Zooming with mouse wheel yes
Zooming with zoom box yes (also by holding down Shift-key; colorful underlay of pulled-out area)
General panning unhindered smooth panning with Drag&Drop; background reloading results in map movement without any (!) time delay
Zooming/panning with keyboard yes
Tiling yes
6. Other Features
All analysis is based on demo http://www.openlayers.org/dev/examples/controls.html
Analysis function -
Search function -
Help function -
Print function -
7. Notes
object-oriented JavaScript library (API)
very easy integration into own website
lite version (bundles selected classes into a js file, therefore integration with other web mapping applications is possible)
TileCache significantly advanced by OL
Integration of special layers is possible (GoogleMaps, ka-map, Yahoo, Virtual Earth and many more); Map24 support for development
8. Screenshot
of analyzed demo

A.1.2 WMS Mapper

As of: May 15, 2007

1. General

Name WMS Mapper
URL
   Home http://wms-map.sourceforge.net
   Documentation See Home
   Download See Home
   Live Demo See Home
Current verion 0.03
Last update k. A.
License Academic Free License (AFL), Artistic License
Developed by k. A.
Short Description WMS Mapper is a lean JavaScript library for the integration of WMS services, with simple zoom and pan functionalities.
2. System
Architecture client-side
Programming language JavaScript
Prerequisites -
Supported browser k. A.
Where applicable, integration with other software Prototype
3. Community
Revision Administration -
Mailing Lists (URL) -
Developer ML -
   Mails per month1
   Total number of active developers2
User ML -
   Mails per month1
   Total number of active users2
commercial support k. A.
4. Documentation
For installation/development/application (suggestions, tutorials, URL) no installation required; no documentation - only brief introductory example on start page

5. Usability
All analysis is based on demo on start page
Usability - General Impression plain, only two zoom buttons, intuitive navigation, missing zoom depth orientation and other interaction possibilities

Main map

plain, well integrated into website
Overview map -
Layer overview -
Legend -
Scale bar -
Toolbar not like conventional toolbars; very minimalistic; only ZoomIn and ZoomOut button; click on button starts zoom process - therefore no extra button actions required
Zoom bar -
Pan navigation panel -
General zooming not required to switch between pan and zoom mode; maz/min zoom level not discernible; no ability to set map to default zoom value; zooming only with buttons; zooming to a specific location not possible
Zooming with double-click -
Zooming with mousewheel -
Zooming with zoom box -
General panning unhindered smooth panning with Drag&Drop; background loading of map causes almost simultaneous map movement; with large panning steps the pre-loaded tiles are not sufficient
Zooming/panning with keyboard -
Tiling yes
6. Other Features
All analysis is based on demo on start page
Analysis function -
Search function -
Help function -
Print function -
7. Notes
JavaScript API
easy to integrate into websites
GetFeatureInfo to follow shortly

8. Screenshot


© June 1, 2007 | Emanuel Schütze | some rights reserved.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons License Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Germany.


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