Creating a custom DockWindow

Click here to get the sample associated with this walkthrough.

In this topic

• Creating a project in Visual Studio
• Setting additional DockWindow properties
• Designing the Track Point form
• Adding the Track Point functionality
• Compiling the project
• Using the add-in in ArcGIS Explorer
• Debugging the add-in

Creating a project in Visual Studio

6. Click OK on the New Project dialog box to create the project. The New ArcGIS Explorer DockWindow Project dialog box appears where you can set additional properties for your dockable window.

Setting additional DockWindow properties

1. On the New ArcGIS Explorer DockWindow Project (Enter Project Settings) dialog box, the Name property is automatically added. In the Description, Group Caption, (displays on the Add-Ins tab), and Publisher text boxes, type an appropriate name. See the following screen shot:
   
   
   
2. Click Next on the preceding dialog box. The second page (Enter DockWindow Settings) of the New ArcGIS Explorer DockWindow Project dialog box appears. See the following screen shot:
   
   
   
3. Type a caption, for example, Track Point in the Caption text box. Type a ToolTip in the ToolTip text box, for example, Click the map to create a point graphic and retrieve its location.
4. Click Finish. At this point, you do not have to select any conditions from the Availability drop-down list or alternate images for the add-in.

Designing the Track Point form

1. Double-click the DockWindow.cs class in the Solution Explorer to view the design form. Add a button and tree view to the form.
2. Set the button's name to btnPoint and set the button's text property to Track Point.
3. Set the tree view's name to tvTrackedGeometries. See the following screen shot:
   
   

Adding the Track Point functionality

1. Double-click the Track Point button to access the code for the DockWindow. The following code example is automatically generated:
   

public partial class DockWindow: ESRI.ArcGISExplorer.Application.DockWindow
{

    public DockWindow()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
    }

Public Partial Class DockWindow
Inherits ESRI.ArcGISExplorer.Application.DockWindow

Public Sub New()
    InitializeComponent()
End Sub

private void btnPoint_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{

    MapDisplay md =
        ESRI.ArcGISExplorer.Application.Application.ActiveMapDisplay;
    //Track Point.
    ESRI.ArcGISExplorer.Geometry.Point trackedPoint = md.TrackPoint();
    //Turn Point to Graphic.
    Graphic trackedGraphic = new Graphic(trackedPoint,
        Symbol.Marker.Pushpin.Red);
    //Add the Graphic to the Map Display.
    md.Graphics.Add(trackedGraphic);
    //Create a string to hold the coordinates of the Point.
    string title = trackedPoint.GeometryType.ToString() + " with center at " +
        trackedPoint.X + ", " + trackedPoint.Y;
    //Add the Point coordinates to the TreeView.
    GraphicToTreeView(trackedGraphic, title);
}

Private Sub btnPoint_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
    
    Dim md As MapDisplay = ESRI.ArcGISExplorer.Application.Application.ActiveMapDisplay
    'Track Point.
    Dim trackedPoint As ESRI.ArcGISExplorer.Geometry.Point = md.TrackPoint()
    'Turn Point to Graphic.
    Dim trackedGraphic As Graphic = New Graphic(trackedPoint, Symbol.Marker.Pushpin.Red)
    'Add the Graphic to the Map Display.
    md.Graphics.Add(trackedGraphic)
    'Create a string to hold the coordinates of the Point.
    Dim title As String = trackedPoint.GeometryType.ToString() & " with center at " & trackedPoint.X & ", " & trackedPoint.Y
    'Add the Point coordinates to the TreeView.
    GraphicToTreeView(trackedGraphic, title)
End Sub

private void GraphicToTreeView(Graphic trackedGraphic, string title)
{
    tvTrackedGeometries.BeginUpdate();
    //Create a tree node with the Point's coordinates as the title.
    TreeNode tn = new TreeNode(title);
    //Add the new tree node to the tree view.
    tvTrackedGeometries.Nodes.Insert(tvTrackedGeometries.Nodes.Count, tn);
    tvTrackedGeometries.EndUpdate();
    tvTrackedGeometries.Refresh();
}

Private Sub GraphicToTreeView(ByVal trackedGraphic As Graphic, ByVal title As String)
    tvTrackedGeometries.BeginUpdate()
    'Create a tree node with the Point's coordinates as the title.
    Dim tn As TreeNode = New TreeNode(title)
    'Add the new tree node to the tree view.
    tvTrackedGeometries.Nodes.Insert(tvTrackedGeometries.Nodes.Count, tn)
    tvTrackedGeometries.EndUpdate()
    tvTrackedGeometries.Refresh()
End Sub

Compiling the project

• For Windows Vista and Windows 7—C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\ESRI\ArcGIS Explorer\Addins.
• For Windows XP—C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\ESRI\ArcGIS Explorer\AddIns.

Using the add-in in ArcGIS Explorer

1. Start ArcGIS Explorer and zoom to a location, such as a city or neighborhood.
2. Click the Add-Ins tab to view your dockable window.
3. Click the dockable window, click the Track Point button, then click a location on the map.

Debugging the add-in

See Also: