Code Conundrum

I have been working on an ArcGIS Server web app. I first attempted to use .Net, but it was a pain to easily add controls. After that I checked out Silverlight, which I like, but I wanted to used xml files for my xaml instead of xaml files and did not like the idea of creating what appeared to be two projects; desktop and web. Next step, I checked out Adobe Flex; but they had their own proprietary pages like Microsoft XAML. So, last stop sent me to a free language; JavaScript. I have used ESRI’s JavaScript API's, but have found documentation to be inconsistent or incomplete for the purpose of learning. What I mean by inconsistent is that variable change; no big deal you say? When you try to integrate several samples and your not sure about the purpose for each item, and have to logically relate the examples to a new definition, it can be difficult and error prone. That didn’t stop me. I started working on JavaScript driven web page and everything went smooth at first. I had a panel that contained navigation, table of contents, overview map, and the map itself all using AJAX and it was an .aspx page; not a JavaScript sample your likely to find on ESRI’s samples at the time of this writing. You could collapse sections of the panel and drag the panel across the screen. It was well formed using XHTML and even used CSS. But then I attempted to add the identify task and here ends my story of creating and begins the story of creativity and problem solving.

This is a short story as it’s in the works. I am re-creating the samples with external CSS for style, external JS for map interaction, XHTML to ensure writing a well-formed web page and writing it in .aspx. But that’s the easy part, I am documenting nearly line of code, tag, or style I create. This is the least enjoyable part of programming, and the greatest necessity. I want to be able to find out what is happening when, why and how, so I am making notes to myself for every piece. Once completed or if I hit another virtual brick wall, I plan on sharing it. So far, this endeavor has gone bumpily smooth; errors along the way, but none at the moment waiting for me at my desk, once I return from lunch.

Talk to you soon.

Chris