Getting Started Using the Silverlight Map Control
This documentation is no longer available on MSDN, however it is available as a CHM download.
This topic contains steps for getting started using the Bing Maps Silverlight Control.
Install the Silverlight Tools
Before you begin developing your Bing Maps Silverlight Control application, you need to install the following components:
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 SP1 or Microsoft Visual Studio 2010
Microsoft Silverlight 3 Tools for Visual Studio 2008 SP1 or Microsoft Silverlight 4 Tools
Note
Microsoft Visual Studio is not required if you are only going to use the embedded maps feature or if you want to access the Bing Maps Silverlight Control using JavaScript. These features are described in the Embedding a Map into Your Web Page and the Accessing the Control Using Script topics.
Get Familiar with Silverlight
The following resources will help you learn more about Silverlight.
Create a Bing Maps Developer Account
In order to use the Bing Maps Silverlight Control, you need a Bing Maps Key to authenticate your application. To obtain Bing Maps Keys, first go to the Bing Maps Accounts Center and create a Bing Maps Developer Account. This is described in detail in the topic Getting a Bing Maps Key. For information about using your Bing Maps key to authenticate your Bing Maps Silverlight Control application, see Accessing the Control Using a Bing Maps Key.
Download the Silverlight Control
Download the Bing Maps Silverlight Control. This download includes the Bing Maps Silverlight Control assemblies and an offline version of the Bing Maps Silverlight Control SDK.
To view Bird’s eye or StreetsideTM maps, you also need to install the Bing Maps Silverlight Control Extended Modes beta.
Note
You do not need to download the control if you are only going to use the embedded maps feature or if you want to access the Bing Maps Silverlight Control using JavaScript. These features are described in the Embedding a Map into Your Web Page and the Accessing the Control Using Script topics.
Start Using the Bing Maps Silverlight Control
Now you’re ready to start using the Bing Maps Silverlight Control.
Note
If you do not have a valid Bing Maps Key, you will see an error message on the map when you try to use the Silverlight Control. Information about getting a valid Bing Maps Key is found in the Accessing the Control Using a Bing Maps Key topic.
Create a basic application using the Bing Maps Silverlight Control by following the steps in the Creating a Basic Application Using the Silverlight Map Control topic. Alternatively, you can use the embedded or scriptable map features to add a simple map to your application. These features are described in the Embedding a Map into Your Web Page and the Accessing the Control Using Script topics.
Integrate Silverlight map control functionality into your application using the information found in the Developing with the Silverlight Map Control topics.
Check out the Using the Interactive SDK topic to view the Silverlight Map Control Interactive SDK and see sample code in action.
Browse the available map control APIs in the Bing Maps Silverlight Control API Reference section of the SDK.