Time slider widget
http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/flex-viewer/concepts/
This widget is designed to work with time enabled data that is published from ArcGIS Server as either a feature or dynamic service - which requires ArcGIS 10. It provides a time slider control in the Viewer UI, which allows an end user to "play through" and view temporal data.
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It can be used to show animations in the Viewer which can be used to analyze data through time or to view information in different layers. Examples include showing the progression of a hurricane as it travels or earthquake occurances over a period of time. The graphic below depicts the latter example: from left to right - earthquakes in June 1975 to earthquakes in September 1981 to earthquakes in October 2001.
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At a conceptual level, the Time Slider widget defines time related properties and applies them to the map in the Viewer. All layers referenced in the Viewer application configuration file that have temporal data, will then follow the time properties defined by the Time Slider widget, enabling them to be displayed in the Viewer application.
Below is some sample code for the Time Slider widget XML configuration file:
<configuration>
<dateformat>MMMM, YYYY</dateformat> <!-- month, year -->
<loop>false</loop> <!-- play animation once, do not loop -->
<singlethumbastimeinstant>false</singlethumbastimeinstant>
<thumbcount>1</thumbcount>
<thumbmovingrate>1000</thumbmovingrate> <!-- 1000 milliseconds between time stops -->
<timeextent>
<starttime>1970/01/01 19:00:00 UTC<starttime>
<endtime>2010/06/01 19:00:00 UTC<endtime>
</timeextent>
<timestopsinterval>1</timestopsinterval>
<timestopsunits>months</timestopsunits>
</configuration>
Read the desktop help on serving time-aware layers for more information about preparing and serving time aware layers that can work with the Time Slider widget.
Conceptual Workflow
Requires: data layers that contain time information
- Reads Viewer application configuration file and finds all layers that have time parameters.
- All time aware layers will honor the time extent set on the map defined by the widget.
Test drive the Time Slider widget or see its tag reference.