TimeMap TMJava was the first web mapping applet to provide fully generalised support for time-enabled maps, including time-filtering and on-screen animation. No other system matches its feature set. TMJava's legend and layer management are second to none, easily handling complex maps and huge datasets, and delivering increasing levels of detail as one zooms in. The user interface can be easily customised to match the look of the web pages in which it is embedded. Advanced users can modify component behaviours to get the exact functionality they require. This page lists the major capabilities of TMJava. A more detailed discussion and examples of the use of these capabilities can be found under Examples in the menu on the left.

Time-enabled maps

• Vector map layers are filtered to display objects which exist only within the current time range

• Objects can be date-stamped with a single date or a date range, in numeric, date or ISO format

• Map layers can be disabled or hidden when out of current time range

• Time bar control sets current time range from millions of years down to seconds, supports extended ISO8601 dates

Animated maps

• Maps can be played or stepped through a time sequence - select the time range and step size, turn layers on and off and interrogate the map during the animation

• Generate Flash (swf) files from the animation for use on the web

• Separate files can be generated for each layer and map component for loading into Flash for further customization

Map distributed data

• Maps can include any web accessible data, from multiple distributed sources to local files

• Map layers can be based on dynamic selections or live feeds

• Huge, detailed datasets such as satellite images or street networks can be filtered server-side so that only the data required for the current view is transferred. Additional data is transferred as required when the view is panned or zoomed

Hotlink from maps

• Map objects can be hot-linked to any web resource

• Hotlinks are defined through metadata. URL mask allows substitution of data values from the object selected - ideal for links to database-driven web sites

• Multiple hotlinks from a single object. Mix hard-coded URLs with URLs generated from a mask and attribute data

• Query tool can link direct to URL or pop up attribute window for multiple selections in multiple layers

• Hotlink in pop-up window on mouse-over

• Fully customisable attribute window defined through XML can position buttons, images, text, URLs and set background and foreground colours. Window can be Java based or html (with or without JavaScript)

Digitise from maps

• Digitise data on the map and insert the results into a database and/or instantly update the map

• The digitiser function supports point, circle, rectangle and polygons.

• Specific point and direction digitiser tool for the geographic location of pictures. Uses incremental dataset loading to zoom from world to street scale to allow for exact location of pictures

Control layout

• Position any part of the applet - buttons, images, labels, controls, map, legend, time bar, scale etc. - through an XML layout file

• Position elements with alignment controls to allow scaling to screen.

• Set background and foreground colours globally or individually

• User-defined images for buttons etc

• User-defined custom cursor tools

• Omit unneeded layout elements

Control symbology

• Layer transparency

• Interactive blending of image layers through transparency slider

• User-defined textures (repeating images)

• User-defined GIF image symbols (including transparency)

• Animated GIF support

• Gradient fills

• Rotated labels

• Overlapping and non-overlapping labels

• Mouse-over pop-up labels from attributes

• Multi-part polygons

• WMS compatibility for ALL datasets registered in the ECAI clearinghouse

Control Legends

• Define on-demand data layers

• Switch transparently between datasets at different resolutions or change symbology as the map is zoomed in or out

• Network activity marker on layers which are requesting new data

• Define multiple legends with different sets of layers for a single map -use, for example, to separate live database layers from static raster base map layers

• Create simple maps without a legend or omit map layers from the legend to simplify its appearance

• Multiple views of a single map (different sets of layers/renderers e.g. to show political, topographic or cultural layers) selected by pull down or JS buttons

• Define scale range for each layer, determine behaviour when out of scale range or out of current view (disappear from legend, disable in legend). Flags in the legend show WHY the layer is disabled

• Define time range for each layer and out-of-range behaviour

• User-defined legend symbols

• Legend entries can be hidden, hidden when disabled, disabled with marker

• Legend entries can be allowed to expand or not as required

• Visibility checkbox can be disabled

• Layers can have multiple renderers - symbols, unique and graduated values, bar and pie, labelling. Individual headings in legend for each renderer

JavaScript

• Control most applet functions from embedding web page using JavaScript

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