Coming Down the Pipe: SharePoint Map-Overlay Library

Integrating floorplans in your web map application can be a real hassle.  We're trying to make what seems like an easy request and easy deliverable.

Visual Fusion 5.5 will include a SharePoint image library that provides a simple interface for visually defining the location of map overlay images.  Blueprints, layouts, schematics, supplemental aerials, whatever -can now be stretched over their geographic domain.  Coupled with SharePoint's table-view feature, multiple levels of a single structure can quickly be duplicated, then arranged in Composer to the configuration that meets your need.

Since much of the time this will be used for quickly and easily registering floorplans for facilities or campuses, the library lets you define if it is a standalone floorplan or one layer of a multiple-floor building for name-your-floor viewing.

Similarly to Visual Fusion's SharePoint drawing tools, a high resolution basemap provides the context to help drive precise alignment.  A place finder is available to fly to a known location, or you can navigate freely to your starting point.  When you are ready to begin aligning, pull the image into the map. 

The library's image is placed into the context of the map where manipulation handles let you drag, position the four edges, and rotate.  Anytime you are moving the image in any way it fades down in transparency to allow for more seethroughedness.

When your overlay is comfortably in position, save the edit session and you're ready to go.  You can always come back and edit the position of any overlay.