Customizing MapInfo Pro Using the.net API

Transcription

1 Customizing MapInfo Pro Using the.net API Bob Fortin John Teague December 19, 2017

2 In this webinar, we will begin to look at how you can implement your own custom tools, or AddIns, for MapInfo Pro using the.net API. Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,

3 What is a.net AddIn for MapInfoPro? A.NET AddIn is a compiled MapBasic program (.mbx ) that uses.net code (C#, Vb.net) to do work and modify the Pro User Interface. You can also add your own functionality into Pro. Addins are sometimes called a tools, applications, or programs You can call compiled or interpreted MapBasic from your C# or Vb.net code Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,

4 Pro s.net API extends the MapInfo Pro development platform, allowing you to develop your own controls and applications, using the.net framework and languages. With the Pro.NET API you can Create a new ribbon tab and add custom buttons, dropdowns, galleries, etc. Attach custom commands to the ribbon controls to execute custom code. Execute MapBasic statements or Evaluate MapBasic Expressions Add your own docking windows. Customize the Backstage (Pro Tab) Customize Status Bar Customize Context Menus and Mini Toolbars And More Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,

5 What type of customization is supported? Anything you can see in the User Interface can be done using the DOTNET customization object model. MapInfo Raster is all done via an Addin Create a new ribbon tab -- add custom buttons, dropdowns, galleries, etc. Existing ribbon tabs can also be customized to hide existing ribbon controls or add new ones into galleries, etc. An extensive Event model informs an application when important actions happen in the User Interface. Custom commands can be attached to the ribbon controls to execute custom code in DOTNET assemblies. DOTNET user controls can be added to the MapInfo Pro docking manager with full customization of docking properties such as floating, tabbed, auto-hide etc. You can create tasks that run in the background freeing up the user to continue to work. Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,

6 Getting Started Creating an AddIn Use an existing sample as a starting point The easiest way to start creating an AddIn is to start from a copy of an existing AddIn HelloRibbon good choice A simple sample which adds a new tab to the MapInfo Pro ribbon interface MapInfo\MapBasic\Samples\RIBBONINTERFACE\DotNet\HelloRibbon Build and Run it Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,

7 A look at the MB source file An AddIn requires an MBX to be able to run in MapInfo Pro The.mb sets up some basic housekeeping for the AddIn The MB initiates the AddIn execution, enables the interface to MIPro, creates the.net AddIn instance, and handles the AddIn unload The.mb integrates the.net assembly with the instance of MIPro via the IMapInfoPro interface mapinfoapplication = SYSTEMINFO(SYS_INFO_IMAPINFOAPPLICATION) mbaddin = New_MyAddIn() call Initialize(mbAddIn, mapinfoapplication, ApplicationName$() ) The.mb file must implement an EndHandler for proper shutdown Also it is required so the Addin stays loaded after Main() ends Sub EndHandler If mapinfoapplication <> 0 and mbaddin <> 0 Then call Unload(mbAddIn) End If mapinfoapplication = NULL_PTR mbaddin = NULL_PTR End Sub Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,

8 Getting Started Make a Copy Of HelloRibbon Copy HelloRibbon folder to MyAddIn folder Rename files in MyAddIn HelloRibbon.csproj, HelloRibbon.mb, HelloRibbon.cs to MyAddIn.* Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,

9 Getting Started Creating an AddIn Edit MyAddIn.csproj Using Visual Studio or a text editor, edit the new.csproj file Modify the ProjectGuid Visual Studio Menu: Tools\Create GUID and replace the <ProjectGuid> element Update names of project files Verify HintPath for MapInfo.Types and MapInfo.Events <HintPath>C:\Program Files\MapInfo\Professional\MapInfo.Types.dll</HintPath> Modify.cs and.mb files, replacing or removing all references to the original project. Namespace, class names, variable names, strings, etc. Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,

10 Best Practice Note Building.mbx as part of the project Configure the AddIn project to build your.mbx As we noted, the.mb file is part of the.csproj. The.mbx is built as part of the project using the provided MapBasicBuildTasks.dll and defining a custom target, e.g., <UsingTask TaskName="MapBasicBuild.CompileMb" AssemblyFile="..\MapBasicBuildTask\MapBasicBuildTasks.dll" /> <CustomBuild Include="MyAddIn.mb" /> <Target Name="BuildMapBasic" AfterTargets="Build" Inputs="@(CustomBuild)" Outputs="@(CustomBuild->'$(OutDir)\%(Filename).mbx')"> <Message Text="Building with mapbasic: $(MapBasicExePath)" /> <MapBasicBuild.CompileMb SourceFiles="@(CustomBuild->'%(FullPath)')" MapBasicExe="$(MapBasicExePath)" OutputFolder="$(OutDir)" IntermediateFolder="$(IntDir)" /> </Target> If MapBasicExePath path not found or not set, the build task will find your mapbasic installation <MapBasicExePath>c:\Program Files\MapInfo\MapBasic\MapBasic.exe</MapBasicExePath> Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,

11 Building.NET code Live Demo of Building AddIn Show.mb Show.cs Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,

12 Key Components - Getting started with the Extensibility Interface The main extensibility interface is MapInfo.Types.IMapInfoPro The IMapInfoPro interface is the base interface providing access to MapInfo Pro UI components in your add-ins. Examples: var maptab = MapInfoApplication.Ribbon.Tabs["TabMap"]; MapInfoApplication.BackStage.Caption = File ; var item = MapInfoAplication.StatusBar.Controls.Add("CustomStatusBarItem", USER", ControlType.TextBlock); <<See the MapInfo Pro Extensibility Reference>> Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,

13 Create MyInfoTool Addin We are going to creating an Addin that implements a custom info tool We will Add a Map Tool Button onto the Map Tab When the tool is clicked we will show the title of the object in a notification window Then if the notification is clicked we will show all the attribute columns in a wpf dialog Switch to code to show how to add a tool button to map tab Show Debug Properties in Visual Studio Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,

14 Application Clean-up The.NET assembly must implement IMapInfoProAddIn.Unload As we saw earlier, the.mb EndHandler is implemented to call this method. Unload() will be implemented to Remove any UI customization (tabs, groups, etc) Remove any custom commands Unsubscribe from AddIn subscribed Events Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,

15 Key Components Subscribing to MapInfo events Use the MapInfoEvents class to integrate with the MapInfo Pro event model Events can be subscribed by constructing an instance of MapInfo.Events. MapInfoEvents using the static method IntializeEvents Example: MapInfoEvent = MapInfoEvents.InitializeEvents(mapInfoApplication); MapInfoEvent.WindowClosed += Events_WindowClosed; MapInfoEvent.WinFocusChanged += Events_WinFocusChanged; MapInfoEvent.SetFrontWindow += Events_SetFrontWindow; MapInfoEvent.WindowActivated += EventsOnWindowActivated; <<See the MapInfo Pro Extensibility Reference>> Use ProSpy Sample to see what events are fired when Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,

16 Add Event Handler Demo: Show how to add an event See addin code Show Wpf Dialog Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,

17 Where to Find Documentation and Help ExtensibilityReferenceHelp The Extensibility Reference Help document is the source for the MapInfo.NET API reference documentation. Installed with MapBasic as an executable E.g., C:\Program Files\MapInfo\MapBasic\ExtensibilityReferenceHelp.exe Samples Installed with MapBasic Samples\RIBBONINTERFACE\DotNet Some simple, some quite complex LI 360 MapInfo Pro Developers Group Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,

18 Other Ways to Customize Pro Create a custom layout frame (eg: North Arrow) Create or Arrange Docking or Floating Windows Communicate between multiple Addins Customize the Quick Access Toolbar Customize the Titlebar (17) Log Usage Tracking Events (17) Change Visual Styles of Pro (MapInfoProStyle.xml) Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,

19 Tips Use an existing add-in as a starting point Build the.mbx as part of the add-in project Always include an EndHandler in your MapBasic And implement IMapInfoProAddIn.Unload Remember to set the DrawMode for your ToolButton This was raised by a question on LI 360, where the user s custom control button wasn t enabling properly Good practice to refer a sample implementation such as ProSampleAddIn.cs:CustomizeMapMiniToolbar() for ToolButton attribute guidance Use ProSpy Sample to see what events are fired when Use ProSampleAddIn to get control names on Ribbon Support for nested context menu items This was raised by a user porting existing MBX to the current MIPro UX The object model supports creation of nested context menus by implementing IControlGroup on the IContextMenuMenuItem We will update a sample with an example of this Pitney Bowes PPT presentation template November 24,