Overview:

The Common Mapping Client (CMC) is a framework for web-based mapping applications that combines and abstracts commonly used mapping functionalities. It aims to save developers time by providing a solid base framework with robust mapping libraries and a well-thought-out structure. CMC allows developers to start building their mapping applications quickly and efficiently.

Features:

• 2D/3D Map library abstraction
• Map layer controls
• Map layer ingestion and merging functionality
• Highly customizable user analytics
• Configurable map projection
• Basic vector layer support
• Map extent synchronization across all maps (2D and 3D)
• Geodesic map geometry synchronization across all maps (2D and 3D)
• Global time widget and interactive timeslider
• Adjustable map layer cache
• Shareable/loadable application state via URL parameters with share widget
• Core set of UI elements for basic applications
• Basemap switching
• Basic shape drawing tools in 2D and 3D
• Basic geodesic measurement tools (distance and area) in 2D and 3D
• Help documentation display from markdown files
• Preconfigured testing framework
• Preconfigured build process
• Handy development tools (hot reloading, local dev and production node servers, BrowserSync)

Installation:

To install the Common Mapping Client, follow these steps:

1. Install NodeJS on your computer.
2. Get the code by either:
   • Option A: Grabbing a tag that suits your needs.
   • Option B: Forking the repo into your new project to get the latest updates.
   • Option C: Cloning the repo, contributing back, and getting the latest updates.
3. Run the command npm install to install the required node dependencies.
4. To build and serve the development code bundle, run the command npm start.
5. Start building your mapping application.

For production use, follow these steps:

1. Build the production code bundle by running the command npm run build.
2. Serve the production code bundle by running the command npm run open:dist.

To run tests, use the command npm run test. Additional flags can be used to include cmc-core tests, run tests in phantomJS, or run tests with code watch.

Summary:

The Common Mapping Client (CMC) is a framework for web-based mapping applications that aims to simplify the development process. By providing a solid base framework with robust mapping libraries and a well-organized structure, CMC allows developers to focus on solving specific mapping problems instead of reinventing the wheel. The framework offers a wide range of features, including map layer controls, geodesic map geometry synchronization, and shareable application state. Installation of CMC is straightforward, and the framework provides a preconfigured build process and testing framework to streamline the development process. Overall, CMC is a valuable tool for developers looking to build web-based mapping applications efficiently.