MapGuide 6.5 Functional Comparison
From MapGuide Best Practices Wiki
The following table lists the Autodesk MapGuide 6.5 components with the equivalent component of Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise.
| Autodesk MapGuide 6.5 Component | Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise Component/MapGuide Open Source |
| Server | Server/Web Server Extensions |
| Author | Autodesk MapGuide Studio/MapGuide Maestro |
| Dynamic Authoring Toolkit | Web Server Extensions API |
| SDF COM Toolkit | Web Server Extensions API/FDO API |
| MapGuide Raster Workshop | Autodesk MapGuide Studio/MapGuide Maestro |
| Autodesk MapGuide API | Web Server Extensions API, Client-Side Wrapper API |
| SDF Loader | Autodesk MapGuide Studio/MapGuide Maestro |
| LiteView | AJAX Viewer |
| Server Administrator | Web-Based Server Site Administrator |
MapGuide Component Comparison
Autodesk MapGuide 6.5, the MapGuide Server provided functionality to create data sources to geospatial and database sources; create groups and users to access data sources; start and stop the MapGuide agent; and display usage and error logs. These functions are now available through the web-based Site Administrator and using Autodesk MapGuide Studio.
In Autodesk MapGuide 6.5, MapGuide Author enabled users to create Map Window Files (MWF), which are embedded into applications. With Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise, these MWF files are replaced with resources that consist of data sources, layers definitions, and map definitions, all of which reside on the server.
The Autodesk MapGuide 6.5 Dynamic Authoring Toolkit (DAT) enables users to manipulate MWF files by converting them to XML format, modifying the XML data, and then converting the XML back to an MWF file, which is then delivered to the browser. The DAT has been replaced with an even more robust Web Tier API that gives users access to all elements of a map. Users can add, edit, or delete any portion of a map on the fly.
The Autodesk MapGuide 6.5 SDF COM Toolkit is a server-side COM object that enables users to query and manipulate SDF data sources in Autodesk MapGuide 6.5. The feature service API in the Web Extensions builds on the FDO read-write provider capabilities and enables users to query and manipulate geospatial data, including SDF and other supported formats. It is now possible through the feature service API in the Web Extensions to dynamically create data stores and manipulate them as necessary.
The Autodesk MapGuide 6.5 Raster Workshop enables users to set up raster image catalogs and manipulate raster files to create a subsampled version that can then be used to create scale-dependent layering of raster images. Autodesk MapGuide Studio has built-in functionality that enables users to perform the same tasks.
The Autodesk MapGuide 6.5 API is a client-side API that allows the manipulation of MWF files. The API is browser dependent, making it difficult to create Autodesk MapGuide 6.5 applications that are compatible across browsers. The API is also limited in its functionality and requires sophisticated programming to create special functionality.
The Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise Web Tier API has been re-engineered as a server-side API. As a result, users can develop much more robust and complex applications. Because the API is server side, it is not browser dependent. Users can therefore write cross-browser compatible applications with any of the three supported development environments (.NET, Java, PHP). Users can easily port between languages with the assurance that all functions are available regardless of language. Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise continues to have a client-side API for manipulating user interaction between the frames, but most mapping operations are executed in the business logic tier on the web server.
The Autodesk MapGuide 6.5 SDF Loader is a command-line utility that enables users to create and convert geospatial data into SDF format. It also enables users to create batch files to perform bulk conversion of data on regular basis. Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise Studio replaces the SDF Loader and enables users to create load procedures that can be scheduled.
Autodesk MapGuide 6.5 LiteView software is a servlet-based software that enables users to build image-based applications that don’t require a plug-in. In Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise, LiteView has been replaced with the AJAX viewer. Developers can now build one application that can be viewed using either the DWF plug-in or the AJAX viewer. Developers no longer need to write separate code to publish non-plug-in based applications.
The Autodesk MapGuide 6.5 Server Administrator tool enables users to create data sources to geospatial and database sources; create groups and users to access data sources; start and stop the MapGuide server; and display usage and error logs. These functions are now available in the Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise Site Administrator and Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise Studio.
