ArcGIS Server 9.3 Flex API Improves The Look And Feel Of Web Mapping Applications

Earlier this month ESRI released the new ArcGIS Server 9.3 Flex API. Full information about this release can be found here: http://mandown.co.nz/esri/… 

ESRI has now released a press release about the new ArcGIS Server 9.3 Flex API.

Redlands, California—ESRI announced the new ArcGIS API for Flex Beta at the ESRI International User Conference in San Diego, California, which was held August 4–8, 2008.

The new ArcGIS Server 9.3 Flex API offers a bundle of advantages to web mapping users. The ArcGIS Server 9.3 Flex API is being offered as a free download.

ArcGIS API for Flex is integrated with Adobe Flex Builder 3 and can be downloaded for free from ESRI. Flex is a client-side technology that is rendered by Flash Player 9 or Adobe AIR. This means that application developers now have the capability to combine geographic information system (GIS)-based Web services from ArcGIS Server with other Web content and display it in fast, visually rich, and expressive mapping applications that can be deployed over the Web or to the desktop.

ArcGIS API for Flex takes full advantage of the powerful mapping, geocoding, and geoprocessing capabilities of ArcGIS services. Application end users can display their local data in an interactive map, search for and display GIS data features and attributes, locate addresses, identify features, and perform complex spatial analytics by simply clicking a button or on the map.

Apart from the numerous samples that can be found on the ESRI Resource Centre, we have only seen one live application making use of the ArcGIS Server 9.3 Flex API. The ESRI International User Conference 2008 Route Finder was a great little tool built using the new API. Since then the City Of Boston has been an early adopter of the technology.

The City Of Boston developed the Solar Boston application using the ArcGIS 9.3 Flex API.

An early adopter of ArcGIS API for Flex and ArcGIS Server is the City of Boston, Massachusetts, which recently deployed the Solar Boston application, a public-facing Web mapping application designed to showcase active renewable energy installations. The application allows users to calculate potential rooftop photovoltaic capacity by taking roof size and shading from surrounding structures into account.

“We chose ArcGIS API for Flex because it allowed us to leverage the power of ArcGIS Server while delivering a rich, interactive experience to our users,” explains Greg Knight, senior GIS applications developer, Boston Redevelopment Authority. “Development was both fast and enjoyable, and we are pleased with the functionality and performance of the application.” The project is a collaboration between the Boston Redevelopment Authority, the city’s Management Information Systems Department, and the city’s Solar Boston Program and was completed as part of Boston’s Solar America Cities partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar America Initiative.

The full press release can be found here: http://www.esri.com/news/…