ILOG JViews Maps and Maps for Defense are shipped with Designer, a point-and-click editor designed to help specify the layers for placement on top of the map data. Designer (formally known as "Designer for Diagrammer") is also shipped with ILOG JViews Diagrammer, and it is perfectly suited for placing graphic symbols in their correct, geo-referenced positions.

Designer, used with ILOG JViews Maps. Enlarge image (opens a new window).

Use
Designer creates a display by binding symbols with data sources. The process works as follows:

• Symbols are defined with the Symbol Editor. They are then imported into Designer.
• Map backgrounds, previously defined with Map Builder, are imported.
• A data source is specified (using JDBC, XML, CSV, or others languages), populating the data model.
• Developers bind parameters from the symbols to fields in the data model using simple point-and-click actions.
• Developers specify the appearance of graphics under different data conditions (for example, a symbol can change color or shape when a particular data value is reached).

Other aspects of the display, such as the appearance of links (if any), can also be finely tuned. Developers can also test the interaction of the resulting diagram using the editor’s test mode.

The end result is a project that is loaded into the application at runtime. The project’s individual elements can be accessed through the Diagrammer and Maps software development kits (SDK) , allowing the look or behavior of the display to be customized further.

Features include:

• A data connection wizard
• Definitions of symbols to use, based on the data model
• Configuration of style rules for adding custom logic to symbols and links
• Configuration of the zoom policy
• Configuration dynamic legends
• Preview mode