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Permalink Reply by Tad Reeves on July 4, 2009 at 12:16pm

K - I have more data based on the above issue.

I'm having some issues with using this KML overlay feature, as I'm trying to create a KML file from the collections feature on the public Bing Maps site, and then dynamically serve that KML file back up with some other internal database data.

My issue is more specifically here:

http://blog.reevestech.net/2009/07/using-bing-maps-with-a-kml-feed-...

It's just failing to parse with no error. Any ideas?

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Permalink Reply by Tad Reeves on September 16, 2009 at 12:40pm

Wow - this is a lively place. Quite a discussion I'm having with myself over the past few months! As a note, I was able to get Bing Maps to work with KML properly: http://www.webworldtech.com/casestudy-arlington-county-geospatial-s...

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Permalink Reply by Joseph Elfelt on September 19, 2009 at 12:26pm

Tad,

Yes, I've read your posts here and there about the Arlington project and dynamic kml files. Interesting indeed!
Am I correct in assuming that Arlington's parcel data is in ERSI shape files and those files were the source for the lat/lons that went into your dynamic kml files?

I'm in the process of porting a kml-driven Google maps mashup to Bing. On think I have noticed is that any type of Bing LoadMap() call displays a map of the USA. This map displays for a second or so before my 'real' map displays. By any chance did you stumble over a way to suppress that USA map?

Here are links that both use the same kml file:

Bing maps (in development)
Google maps

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Permalink Reply by Tad Reeves on September 19, 2009 at 9:33pm

Joseph --

Yes, there is indeed a solution to that, as I ran into the same thing.

On that Arlington KML site, when you do the map.loadMap(), instead of just passing in the defaults like it says in the examples, pass in a latlong object like this:

map.LoadMap(new VELatLong(38.865326, -77.074930), 12 ,'h');

That gives a default place where the map will go to when it loads.

Hope that helps.

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Permalink Reply by Joseph Elfelt on September 20, 2009 at 3:20pm

Tad,

Yes, I'm going to adopt the approach you recommend and give up on the alternative I was trying. Oops, I should have given you more info in my initial post. Sorry.

I was trying to use the command:
map.ImportShapeLayerData(shape, customize_polygon, 1);

The parm of "1" in the above command will automatically center & zoom the map based on the polygon data in the kml file. However, before I can issue this command the api requires me to first issue a LoadMap() command. That LoadMap() command displays some type of map for a second or so before map.ImportShapeLayerData() changes the map by automatically centering and zooming on my polygon. I was searching for a way to suppress the display of that initial temporary map.

However, the approach you describe is also fine for my app and I have decided to do it that way.

Gee, there sure doesn't seem to be much chatter anywhere from folks actually building Bing apps that read kml data....

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