Overcoming Challenges Deploying Esri-based Mobile & WebGIS Applications May 8th, 2012

Presenter: James van Dyk, Latitude Geographics

© 2012 Latitude Geographics Group Ltd. All rights reserved.

• About Latitude Geographics • What are some Challenges Building ArcGIS Server Applications? • What About HTML5? • A Spatial Application Infrastructure (SAI) • Live Demo • Summary/Q&A 2

• GIS software company founded in 1999 • ~65 employees in three offices (Victoria & Toronto, Canada, and Rotterdam) • Developers of Geocortex software • We make customizable COTS software to help people get more done with Esri server technology • Razor sharp focus on Esri ArcGIS Server webGIS technology • 600+ clients worldwide

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ArcGIS Server application development is more complex than in the ArcIMS days . . . • Many ways to build web mapping applications: – Esri offers Javascript/Flex/Silverlight/ WebADF/ArcGIS Online • A proliferation of devices and platforms – Desktop/iOS/Android/Windows Phone/Blackberry – Which platform is best? And how best to deploy to each? 4

• Rapid technology changes make it hard to keep up – Sept./2011: Microsoft announces Windows 8 ‘Metro’ browsers will not support plug-ins – Nov./2011: Adobe announces plans to discontinue Flash Player support for browsers in mobile devices

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• Flash and Silverlight aren’t supported on all platforms • Some users will have to download the plug-in first

Flex

Silverlight

JS/HTML

iOS Android Win. Phone 6

• There is huge interest in the potential of HTML5 to overcome some of these webGIS challenges . . . .

Why? • Unlike proprietary plug-ins, HTML5 is an open standard . . . and everyone is free to implement this standard – Potential to remove cross-platform compatibility issues • Most people speculate HTML5 will speed up the death of Flex & Silverlight • There are useful HTML5 features for web mapping – Offline data storage (map data) – Geolocation features – . . .and more

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What are the drawbacks today? • HTML5 is officially not scheduled to be complete until 2022! . . . but no one expects that to be the case. • Development tools are immature compared to Flex & Silverlight • Esri doesn’t offer an HTML5 API • Browser support for HTML5 varies dramatically – Test your browser at: http://html5test.com

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Browser Usage on Latitudegeo.com

3% 1%

%

7% 39%

22%

Browser Support for HTML5 Features

100 80 60 40 20 0

28% Internet Explorer Firefox Chrome Safari iPhone / iPad (Safari) Android Browser

+

Browser Popularity

-

http://caniuse.com Accessed 30.12.2011

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• HTML5 should be viewed as a ‘living standard’ • Not if, but when. – Not too early, and not too late … not all at once • There will be significant trade-offs with an HTML5-only strategy today • Think Silverlight/Flex and HTML5 – Expect a mixed world for some time . . . .

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1. Write/maintain platform specific apps: a) Javascript/Flex/Silverlight for a Windows platform b) iOS (Objective C) c) Android (Java) d) Windows Phone 7 (Microsoft .NET) OR 2. Use a Spatial Application Infrastructure (SAI) and write web apps deployed through a browser

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A Spatial Application Infrastructure (SAI) uses an enterprise design to build multiple, standardized mapping applications. It reduces the tension of building targeted apps to each group of GIS users, and the resources required to maintain those applications.

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Map Services Database Connections Custom Tools Viewer Application

Security

Custom Code

Integration Reports Search Workflows ArcGIS Server

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SAI represents a webGIS platform, not just ‘one-off’ viewers!

Traditional Approach

SAI

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Intranet Planning Application (Silverlight)

SAI Software Platform

ArcGIS Server

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Silverlight Web App

Public Permit Request Application (Flex)

SAI Software Platform

ArcGIS Server

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Silverlight Web App

Flex Web App

Road Closure Management Application (HTML5)

SAI Software Platform

ArcGIS Server

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Silverlight Web App

Flex Web App

HTML Mobile App

Mobile Incident Reporting Application (iPad)

SAI Software Platform

ArcGIS Server

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Silverlight Web App

Flex Web App

HTML Mobile App

iPad Mobile App

Map Services

Integration

Database Connections

Reports

Custom Tools

Search

Security

Workflows

Custom Code

Platform Shared Code

SAI Software Platform

ArcGIS Server

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• Applications are technology agnostic/neutral (as much as possible) • Centralized management of applications • Minimize custom code • Instead of putting business logic into each individual application, centralize the business logic so it can be shared and reused by other applications • Build targeted (or "task-driven” applications), instead of an overwhelming selection of features and tools

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There are more challenges today building webGIS applications than just a few years ago . . HTML5 is a buzz word with plenty of hype . . .and a solution that promises to eliminate some development challenges – Not a matter of if, but when. Think Silverlight/Flex and HTML5 – Plan a strategy for managing multiple technologies Use an SAI approach to build standardized applications through a common platform – Endeavour to minimize the amount of custom code for a particular client technology Don’t wait . . . starting building today! 23

Learn more about HTML5 at: www.geocortex.com/HTML5

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Thank You

Contact Information James van Dyk [email protected]

www.geocortex.com | 888.578.5545 25 © 2012 Latitude Geographics Group Ltd. All rights reserved.