MapCenter is a multiaccessible map server working in client-server architecture in compatibility with WebServices technology. Client applications communicate with the server by way of WebServices application programming interface using SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) and HTTP protocols. Specification of MapCenter's interface in WSDL (Web Services Description Language) format is available via [MapCenterURL:Port]/wsdl/IMapCenterService (Port is 6090 by default). For backward compatibility with older versions communication using XML files over HTTP protocol is supported at [MapCenterURL:Port]/xml?version=1.0 or simplier at [MapCenterURL:Port]. Functions supported by WebServices interface are also available in form of XML files at [MapCenterURL:Port]/xml?version=2.0 . All binary parameters (blobs) in functions supported by XML interface should be Base64 encoded and placed in CDATA section. The binary results of them are just like that encoded.

Communication with MapCenter can be optionally authorized (it is not by default and may be enabled using configaration tool). Standard HTTP authorization is used for it. MapCenter has its own user database. Users are grouped into user groups. One user belongs to one or more groups. At the installation MapCenter contains three users: admin (belonging to following groups: admins, dbadmins, dbeditors, mapviewers), user (dbeditors, mapviewers) and viewer (mapviewers). Each of the three default users has a the same password as his name. Lists of available users and groups can be obtained by AuthGetUsersList and AuthGetGroupsList functions. User database can be managed usig following functions: AuthCreateUser, AuthGetUserParams, AuthGetUserParamEx, AuthSetUserParamEx, AuthModifyUser, AuthModifyUserPassword, AuthDeleteUser, AuthCreateGroup, AuthGetGroup, AuthModifyGroup, AuthDeleteGroup. All the functions require MapCenter authorization enabled and can be invoked only by users belonging to admins group.

MapCenter server generates geographic informations based on vector maps in WGS84 coordinates system. Server offers map images and many additional informations concerned with them. MapCenter functionality is divided into modules. A list of modules available in the instance of server used can be obtained by GetMapModules function.

Each client application may set its own map settings and add its own informations onto maps by way of server sessions. At the beginning of communiction with MapCenter, an application should create such session using CreateSessionID function. Each user (if authorization is enabled) can create one or more sessions. Most of server API functions require the session identifier to be given. Sessions are kept alive by server for some time since last request - this time may be obtained using GetSessionLifetimeSeconds function. To lenghten session's live KeepSession function may be helpful. Early created session can be removed immediatelly by DropSession function. Maximum number of concurrently working sessions may be constrained by the MapCenter lincence - function GetMaxSessionsCount returns the limit. Other functions (GetCurrentSessionCount and GetActiveSessions) return data concerning active sessions - user from admins group can view all sessions, but other users see only their sessions. Admins can destroy any session using AdminDropSession function.

Base module of MapCenter server offers also functionality of loading and activating map files delivered (GetAvailableMapFiles, GetLoadedMapsRegion, ReloadMapFiles, ActivateMapFile, DeactivateMapFile). If MapCenter authorization is enabled, only users belonging to admins group can use these functions. Many maps can be processed simultaneously.

Map module of MapCenter server offers functions for rendering maps as images (bitmaps or semi-vector files). Supported image formats are returned by GetAvailableImageFormats function, and available geographic projections by GetProjections function.

Single map images are generated by RenderMapOnImageByPoint or RenderMapOnImageByRect function. Map can be split into a matrix of images using RenderSplitMapOnImageByPoint or RenderSplitMapOnImageByRect function. For apllications installed on the same machine as MapCenter server more efficient are functions rendering maps on control canvas (HDC) directly - RenderMapOnHWNDByPoint or RenderMapOnHWNDByRect. RenderTiledMap function is optimized for web applications. It serves normalized maps with fixed zooms allowing efficient caching. All the functions are their twin functions which additionally return copyright clauses of supported map providers. There are functions with ...WithCopyright suffix.

Map module of MapCenter server offers also functionality of converting bitmap to geographic coordinates (ConvertScreenToMap) and vice versa (ConvertMapToScreen), calculating distances between points (GetMapPointLength, GetScreenPointLength, InverseCalc, ForwardCalc) and obtaining geographic informations concerning map points (Degeocode, DegeocodeEx, DegeocodeAtPoint).

Search module of MapCenter server offers functions for searching the maps and address geocoding. Currently searched data is kept into a server session within session search context. The context must be initialized by calling SearchInitialize function.

Map objects beeing searched are grouped into hierarchy - countries contain cities or final map items (roads, airports, rivers, etc.), cities contain final map items. Cities can be found using SearchSelectCities function returning the number of cities found. Required subset of values, stored in the session search context, is accessible by SearchGetCityList or SearchGetCityListEx function. Final map items can be found using SearchSelectItems (searching in cities) or SearchSelectItemsEx (searching in countries) function returning the number of items found. Required subset of values, stored in the session search context, is accessible by SearchGetItemsList function. Each map object may be marked out while map rendering. To add it to the session server context selection one should call one of following functions: SearchAddCityToSelection, SearchAddObjectToSelection, SearchAddStreetWithNumToSelection, SearchAddStreetCrossingToSelection.

Address geocoding is served by Geocode function which returns only one best result for each given address, and GeocodeEx or MultiGeocodeEx functions which return multiple proposals for one given address.

Localize module of MapCenter server offers functions for putting application objects equipped with geographic coordinates onto maps. Each localized object can contain many map positions (points) forming a path (track) or a set of single points. Each point (object position) can be marked out on rendered maps with icon or a circle. Currently localized data is kept into a server session.

All global configuration settings of localization are stored in three collections. List of required additional features of localized objects is divided into numeric fields collection and string fields collection; icons are stored in the third collection. The numeric fields collection is maintained with following functions: LocalizeNumFieldsAdd, LocalizeNumFieldsSet, LocalizeNumFieldsGet, LocalizeNumFieldsRemove, LocalizeNumFieldsClear, LocalizeNumFieldsGetCount. The string fields collection is maintained with following functions: LocalizeStrFieldsAdd, LocalizeStrFieldsSet, LocalizeStrFieldsGet, LocalizeStrFieldsRemove, LocalizeStrFieldsClear, LocalizeStrFieldsGetCount. The icons collection is maintained with following functions: LocalizeIconAdd, LocalizeIconSet, LocalizeIconGet, LocalizeIconRemove, LocalizeIconClear, LocalizeIconGetCount.

Collection of localized objects is maintained with functions: LocalizeObjectAdd, LocalizeObjectSet, LocalizeObjectGet, LocalizeObjectRemove, LocalizeObjectClear, LocalizeObjectGetCount. Adding at least one position for an object is necessary for showing the object on maps. Objects positions are maintained with following functions: LocalizeAddObjectPositions, LocalizeObjectPositionAdd, LocalizeObjectPositionSet, LocalizeObjectPositionGet, LocalizeObjectPositionRemove, LocalizeObjectPositionClear, LocalizeObjectPositionGetCount. It is possible to add to the server session an object together with its positions using one function (LocalizeObjectAddWithPositions). Putting a localized object onto maps while map image rendering can be enabled or disabled by LocalizeSetObjectVisibility function. Current visibility settings are accessible by LocalizeGetObjectVisibility function. Objects localized on maps are recognized by DegeocodeAtPoint function and some features of these objects are returned by the function.

Objects module of MapCenter server (MapBase) offers functions for connecting to a database and putting icons of records from the database (called objects) equipped with geographic coordinates onto maps, searching them using spatial queries and getting properties of them (object fields). Currently MapCenter suports only databases in its internal format (RSDB) - object sets accessible for MapCenter clients are stored as files in subfolder Rsdb and are of two types: Objects (*.emd files) and Logistics (*.eld files). Working with the functions of the module is possible only by authorized access which should be enabled using the configuration tool (disabled by default). Users from dbadmins group can create, restructure, edit and view databases, dbeditors edit and view data, and mapviewers can only view.

Accessible databases and their tables may be obtained using GetDatabaseList and GetDatabaseTableList functions. Server session can be connected to only one database of each type at the same time. Connection is realized by MapBaseConnect function. For closing the connection MapBaseDisconnect function should be used. Alternativelly there is possibility to load an ad hoc database directly from client application using MapBaseLoadFromBlob function and then to save changes as a file by MapBaseStoreToBlob function. New database can be created on server by CreateObjectSet function.

Record count in the object set is returned by GetObjectCount function. Objects are grouped into object groups, determining visual settings of contained objects. Each object can be placed on maps as a point and additionally can have got one or more spatial shapes assigned to it (polygons, polylines, rectangles, ellipese and circles). Any arbitrary binary data can be also assigned to an object. To obtain object set structure (field list, field feateures, object group list, object group icons) GetObjectFields function should be called. The structure of a database may be changed by function SetObjectFields call. Functions GetGroupSettings, GetGroupShapeSettings, GetGroupIcon and GetGroupIcons offer information on an object group visual settings. The modification of group settings is possible using following functions: EditGroup, PostGroup, AppendGroup, DeleteGroup, CancelEditGroup, AddGroupIcon, DeleteGroupIcon. Directly after object set openinig, all object groups are enabled (their objects are drawn on maps, unless object group settings limit icon visibility to some altitude range). The server session disables (or enables again) some object groups using GetVisibleGroups and SetVisibleGroups functions.

Data of objects can be downloaded from server in form of packages containing required number of objects (records) or in form of single object. The data can be get using following functions: GetNextResult_IDSet, GetNextResult_FieldSet, GetNextResult_PositionSet, GetNextResult_Set, GetObject, GetObjectPolygons, GetObjectPolylines, GetObjectRectangles, GetObjectEllipses, GetObjectCircles, GetObjectBinaryData. The modification of objects is possible using following functions: EditObject, PostObject, PostObjects, AppendObject, AppendObjects, DeleteObject, DeleteObjects, CancelEditObject, AppendObjectPolygon, AppendObjectPolyline, AppendObjectRectangle, AppendObjectEllipse, AppendObjectCircle, DeleteObjectShape, SetObjectBinaryData.

Statistic information about data changed by other parallel users can be received by functions: CheckUpdate, GetModifiedFields, GetRemovedFields, GetNextResult_UpdatedSet, GetNextResult_RemovedSet.

Some numerical and spatial aggregations for objects can be obtained using functions GetObjectAggregates, GetAggregatedObjects, GetAggregatedObjectShapes. Objects may be filtered by following functions: FilterByText, FilterByPoint, FilterByRadius, FilterByObjectShape, FilterByShape, SetObjectIDs. Each filter function works on data currently available in the object set - beeing the result of other previous filters. Filters can be disabled by ClearSetFilter function. Filters of currently opened object set are kept into a server session.

RoutePlanner module of MapCenter server offers functions for route calculating. Each server session stores a set of parameters taking into account while route calculating: vehicle parameters, driver parameters and road parameters. The parameters can be maintained by following functions: RoutePlannerVehicleParamsGet, RoutePlannerVehicleParamsSet, RoutePlannerVehicleParamsGet2, RoutePlannerVehicleParamsSet2, RoutePlannerDriverParamsGet, RoutePlannerDriverParamsSet, RoutePlannerRoadParamsGet, RoutePlannerRoadParamsSet, RoutePlannerRoadViaTollParamsGet, RoutePlannerRoadViaTollParamsSet. If not explicitly set, the parameters have some default values.

There is also possibility to store in the session more than one vehicle with its own independent parameters. The vehicle repository can be maintained by following functions: VehicleRepositoryAddVehicle, VehicleRepositoryRemoveVehicle, VehicleRepositoryVehicleGet, VehicleRepositoryVehicleSet, VehicleRepositoryVehiclesGet, VehicleRepositoryVehiclesSet, VehicleRepositoryVehiclesClear, VehicleRepositoryRoadParamsGet, VehicleRepositoryRoadParamsSet, VehicleRepositoryVehicleViaTollGet, VehicleRepositoryVehicleViaTollSet. Each vehicle can be fetched from the repository and set as a current session vehicle by VehicleRepositoryVehicleFetch function and replaced using session parameters by VehicleRepositoryVehicleReplace function.

Functions RoutePlannerCalculateRoute or RoutePlannerCalculateRouteWithBinaryResult calculate a route between at least two waypoints (route entries) stored in the sesssion. Calculated route can be removed from the session by RoutePlannerRouteClear function. A list of waypoints is maintained by following functions: RoutePlannerEntriesGet, RoutePlannerEntriesSet, RoutePlannerEntriesSetWithDescription, RoutePlannerEntryAdd, RoutePlannerEntryAddWithDescription, RoutePlannerEntryInsert, RoutePlannerEntryInsertWithDescription, RoutePlannerEntryMove, RoutePlannerEntryComplexMove, RoutePlannerEntryRemove, RoutePlannerEntrySet, RoutePlannerEntrySetWithDescription, RoutePlannerEntriesSetAsDriveThrough, RoutePlannerEntryReverse, RoutePlannerEntriesClear. After calculating the route can be stored in the session. Functions RoutePlannerGetRouteItinerary, RoutePlannerGetRouteRepresentation, RoutePlannerGetRouteRepresentationWithBinaryResult, RoutePlannerGetRouteSummary, RoutePlannerGetRouteViaTollSummary and RoutePlannerGetRouteLogisticTOLLSummary return features of currently stored in the session route.

Function RoutePlannerSimpleCalculateRoute calculates a route using its own parameters and waypoint list which optionally can replace session settings (alternatives are: RoutePlannerSimpleCalculateRouteWithBinaryResult, RoutePlannerSimpleCalculate2, RoutePlannerSimpleCalculateRoute2WithBinaryResult, RoutePlannerSimpleCalculate3, RoutePlannerSimpleCalculateRoute3WithBinaryResult). Function RoutePlannerCalculateRouteDistanceMatrix calculates a set of many routes between many waypoints as start and end points. Function RoutePlannerCalculateRouteFromGPSTrack calculates a route for a given list of waypoints given as a GPS track - it tries to recognize the real route based on the GPS track.

A list of waypoints and a route stored in the session are drawn on maps requested for the session. Visual parameters of routing data and routing options are maintained by functions RoutePlannerGetParamValue, RoutePlannerGetParamValues and RoutePlannerSetParamValue.

Functions RoutePlannerCalculatePointDistanceFromRoute and RoutePlannerCalculatePointWithinRouteBuffer operate on a route calculated and stored in the server session and calculate placement and distances for some given points near by the route.

Functions RoutePlannerCalculateRoutesWithSingleDepot and RoutePlannerCalculateRoutesWithMultipleDepots can calculate many routes at one time. The first function calculates a set of routes beginning with common start point (depot). Each destination point is taken as an end point for subsequent route. The second calculates a set of routes beginning with given start points (depots). Each destination point is taken as an end point for subsequent route beginning with the nearest start point.

RoutePlannerRouteStoreToBlob function generates binary dump of a route (together with route calculating parameters) stored in the server session which can be loaded later by RoutePlannerRouteLoadFromBlob function.

RouteRepository module of MapCenter server offers functions for storing and presenting more than one route in the server session. The module augments functionality of RoutePlanner module. After route calculating, using one of RoutePlanner functions, one can add the route to the repository by RouteRepositoryAddRoute or RouteRepositoryAddRouteWithIdent function. Each route stored in the repository has some properties, i.e. identifier, color, visibility. Identifier is optional, color is set to green, and visibility to true, by default. Current paramaters of routes stored in the repository are available by RouteRepositoryGetRoutes function. The repository can be managed using following functions: RouteRepositoryReplaceRoute, RouteRepositoryReplaceRouteWithIdent, RouteRepositoryRemove, RouteRepositoryRemoveWithIdent, RouteRepositorySetRouteColor, RouteRepositorySetRouteColorByIdent, RouteRepositorySetRouteVisibility, RouteRepositorySetRouteVisibilityByIdent, RouteRepositorySetRouteDescription, RouteRepositorySetRouteDescriptionByIdent, RouteRepositoryClear. Each route can be fetched from repository and set as a current session route by RouteRepositoryFetchRoute or RouteRepositoryFetchRouteWithIdent function. Calculated results of each route are obtained by following functions: RouteRepositoryGetRouteItinerary, RouteRepositoryGetRouteItineraryByIdent, RouteRepositoryGetRouteRepresentation, RouteRepositoryGetRouteRepresentationByIdent, RouteRepositoryGetRouteSummary, RouteRepositoryGetRouteSummaryByIdent.

Functions RoutePlannerCalculateRoutesWithSingleDepotAndStore and RoutePlannerCalculateRoutesWithMultipleDepotsAndStore do the same as corresponding RoutePlannerCalculateRoutesWithSingleDepot and RoutePlannerCalculateRoutesWithMultipleDepots functions. In addition they can store calculated routes in the route repository. Function RouteRepositoryCalculatePointDistanceFromRoute calculates distances for some given points from all routes stored in the server session. Functions RoutePlannerSimpleCalculateAlternativeRoutesAndStore and RoutePlannerCalculateAlternativeRoutesAndStore calculate the optimal route and optionally at most two additional alternative routes. They also can store the resultant routes in the route repository.

RouteRepositoryStoreToBlob function generates binary dump of the whole repository which can be loaded later by RouteRepositoryLoadFromBlob function.

RouteAttributes module of MapCenter server offers functions for managing of routing difficulties in the server session beeing taken into account while route calculating. The module augments functionality of RoutePlanner module. Each routing difficulty has its geographic form dependent on its geometry kind (point, polyline, road-along placed polyline or polygon) and other properties, such as unique identifier (for management purposes) maximum speed, maximum vehicle height, additional passing through cost, etc. Difficulties can be add to the server session by RouteAttributesAddPointAttribute, RouteAttributesAddLineAttribute, RouteAttributesAddPolygonAttribute or RouteAttributesAddAlongRouteAttribute function. Current paramaters of routing difficulties stored in the session are available by RouteAttributesGetRouteAttributes, RouteAttributesGetRouteAttribute or RouteAttributesGetRouteAttributeWithGeometry function. Routing difficulties can be managed using following functions: RouteAttributesModifyPointAttribute, RouteAttributesModifyLineAttribute, RouteAttributesModifyPolygonAttribute, RouteAttributesModifyAlongRouteAttribute, RouteAttributesSetRouteAttribute, RouteAttributesDeleteRouteAttribute, RouteAttributesClearRouteAttribute.

In addition route planner can take into account difficulties received from other external sources (providers). Functions RouteAttributesSubscribeToDataProvider and RouteAttributesUnsubscribeFromDataProvider allow managing of the sources supported (available list can be get using RouteAttributesGetAttributesProviderList function).

RouteAttributesStoreToBlob function generates binary dump of all session routing difficulties which can be loaded later by RouteAttributesLoadFromBlob function.

For analyze purposes RouteAttributesGetPassedAttributesList function may be useful.

RouteOptimizer module of MapCenter server offers functions of two kinds - basic and extended. Basic set of functions offers only route waypoint sequence optimization but extended functions are capable of solving optimal shipment delivery plans for a set of defined vehicle kinds. There are two modes of the optimization - the first takes into account only straight distances between waypoints, but the second default method (switching parameter routeoptimizerparams.calcinterpointlengths by use of function RoutePlannerSetParamValue) calculates all distances on roads. The second method is much slower and is performed with a set of parameters taking into account while route calculating: vehicle parameters, driver parameters and road parameters. The parameters can be maintained by following RoutePlanner module functions: RoutePlannerVehicleParamsGet2, RoutePlannerVehicleParamsSet2, RoutePlannerDriverParamsGet, RoutePlannerDriverParamsSet, RoutePlannerRoadParamsGet, RoutePlannerRoadParamsSet. If not explicitly set, the parameters have some default values.

Basic functions are RouteOptimizerOptimizeRoute and RouteOptimizerSimpleOptimizeRoute. Function RouteOptimizerOptimizeRoute works on at least two waypoints (route entries) stored in the sesssion. A list of waypoints is maintained by following functions: RoutePlannerEntriesGet, RoutePlannerEntriesSet, RoutePlannerEntriesSetWithDescription, RoutePlannerEntryAdd, RoutePlannerEntryAddWithDescription, RoutePlannerEntryInsert, RoutePlannerEntryInsertWithDescription, RoutePlannerEntryMove, RoutePlannerEntryComplexMove, RoutePlannerEntryRemove, RoutePlannerEntrySet, RoutePlannerEntrySetWithDescription, RoutePlannerEntryReverse, RoutePlannerEntriesClear. After calculating the route can be stored in the session. Function RouteOptimizerSimpleOptimizeRoute optimizes a route using its own parameters and waypoint list which optionally can replace session settings.

Extended version of the module has one main function RouteOptimizerSolveProblem. It takes into account the list of waypoints stored in the server session as described above, but waypoints can be augmented with additional properties by marking one of them as a depot point (functions RouteOptimizerSetDepotEntry and RouteOptimizerGetDepotEntry) and assigning to them delivery time windows and delivery shipment data and times (functions RouteOptimizerGetEntryTimeWindows, RouteOptimizerClearEntryTimeWindows, RouteOptimizerAddEntryTimeWindow, RouteOptimizerAddEntryTimeWindows, RouteOptimizerSetEntryTimeWindows, RouteOptimizerGetEntryDeliveryShipments, RouteOptimizerAddEntryDeliveryShipment, RouteOptimizerAddEntryDeliveryShipments, RouteOptimizerClearEntryDeliveryShipments, RouteOptimizerSetEntryDeliveryShipments, RouteOptimizerGetEntryShipmentDeliveryPickupTimes, RouteOptimizerSetEntryShipmentDeliveryPickupTimes). The function generates a set of routes dividing optimally the set of waypoints and assigning them to vehicles defined using following functions: VehicleRepositoryAddVehicle, VehicleRepositoryRemoveVehicle, VehicleRepositoryVehicleGet, VehicleRepositoryVehicleSet, VehicleRepositoryVehiclesGet, VehicleRepositoryVehiclesSet, VehicleRepositoryVehiclesClear, VehicleRepositoryRoadParamsGet, VehicleRepositoryRoadParamsSet, VehicleRepositoryDriverParamsGet, VehicleRepositoryDriverParamsSet, VehicleRepositoryVehicleViaTollGet, VehicleRepositoryVehicleViaTollSet. There is also posibility to set some incompatibilities between shipments and vehicles (functions RouteOptimizerVehicleCategoryToShipmentTypeIncompatibilityClear, RouteOptimizerVehicleCategoryToShipmentTypeIncompatibilityAdd, RouteOptimizerVehicleCategoryToShipmentTypeIncompatibilityGet, RouteOptimizerVehicleCategoryToShipmentTypeIncompatibilitySet, RouteOptimizerShipmentTypeToShipmentTypeIncompatibilityClear, RouteOptimizerShipmentTypeToShipmentTypeIncompatibilityAdd, RouteOptimizerShipmentTypeToShipmentTypeIncompatibilityGet, RouteOptimizerShipmentTypeToShipmentTypeIncompatibilitySet).