MapsSDK-Unity
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microsoft
Offline maps
I want to use maps sdk and build an app that would work completely offline. Please explain how to get offline map terrain feature to execute this effectively?
Offline is currently not supported, but this is a good item to consider as a feature request!
Not even disk caching?
How soon will this feature be available? Any other tool/sdk that can help with offline 3D terrain maps in unity?
Right, there's no disk caching. The extent of caching we do is in-memory (at runtime) to avoid re-requesting data from the servers.
Currently, there's no exact timeline we have for delivering an offline solution, but in terms of planning/timeline, we are continually weighing feedback and feature requests to prioritize what to work on next. These are exactly the kind of requests we are looking for! For others following, please feel free to file feature requests on the issues page and +1 existing requests that have already been opened. This will go a long ways in helping us prioritize what to deliver!
I'd really prefer to use SDK in our project under development now also. However, we must run in off-line mode. I need offline to cover a certain geographic area at a certain zoom level(s). Specifying it this way so that we could ensure it is pre-cache it would be nice. Some way to track the cache loading would also be needed.
Yes, I am in need to have an offline version as well. It would be great if you could export the current rendered map to an FBX, so it can just be loaded as a normal gameobject and not streamed in.
I just wrote a whole GH issue up before finding this thread, so I'm gonna copy/paste it in here!
Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe. We are in a disconnected scenario and want to use this control while not connected to the Internet.
I note that I can choose my own texture tile layers, but the elevation data is still Bing-specific, and this is pretty important.
Describe the solution you'd like I would like to choose my own data source for elevation and imagery data. Alternatively, I'd like
Describe alternatives you've considered The only other solutions are other map controls that are less features (eg. MapBox) - I love the feel and design of this Bing control, except for this limitation.
I've also tried decompiling Microsoft.Maps.Unity, so I can just do it myself, but it's obfuscated to a point where I can't work with it.
Additional context
I'm happy to either scrape the Bing Maps API or supply my own Tile data, or even be supplied with the source for Microsoft.Maps.Unity (which will yield other benefits too - like elevation exaggeration support, which is something I'm having to work around separately)
If you do have your own tile data, we would like to have the flexibility for you to load it from disk. Currently only textures are supported via a TextureTileLayer, but we have been considering an API to allow for customizing elevation data or 3D mesh data via similar TileLayers.
While somewhat orthogonal to blanket offline support, at least it would enable offline scenarios for folks who have their own data to display.
elevation exaggeration support
You could achieve this by creating a custom shader based and applying a scale to the elevation variable computed here, and then used by the shader.
While somewhat orthogonal to blanket offline support, at least it would enable offline scenarios for folks who have their own data to display.
Just want to explore this a bit more - if I used my own tile layers for imagery and elevation (based on HttpTileLayer, most likely), implemented my own shaders for the terrain, stuck to the "flat" elevation option in the render settings, and ensured my pin altitudes were based on the ellipsoid - would this work 100% offline? Is the "Bing Maps Key" going to just be ignored in this case?
I'm feeling that's deep in "this is a hack" territory, but would have the advantage of your excellent work with the tile loading/blending/caching logic, geo-transforms etc.
The only blocker I can see for that is the number of triangles generated for the tile is dependent on the resolution of the elevation information (as far as I can tell) - so I'd have to stick a geometry shader in there as well to make some extra detail.
You could achieve this by creating a custom shader based and applying a scale to the elevation variable computed here, and then used by the shader.
Aye, that's exactly what I ended up doing - but I also have to apply it to pins, and to the bounding box, and to the results of TransformLatLonAltToWorldPoint - not something I can contribute back as it's a big ol' hack (but now we're back in #43 territory so let's not sidetrack this one further)
With respect to the offline maps, it's a good point about the Bing Maps key. We'll look into that.
This thought of off-line usage has also occurred to me but in the form of simply, if possable, adding to a cashe for reuse... As my projects have about 20 levels where 8 are different geo-spatial areas that users will bounce back and forth between. It would be very advantageous and I would expect much faster to load from the cashe rather than re-stream through the internet wifi... So, I am glad this was brought up and glad your team will consider adding offline capability... Cool...
On Tue, Feb 4, 2020, 5:36 PM kircher1 [email protected] wrote:
With respect to the offline maps, it's a good point about the Bing Maps key. We'll look into that.
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Yes that would be awesome. Along with the mating textures... But, I don't see that happening as the tick, tick, tick won't work and I expect the LOD would not either...
On Mon, May 25, 2020, 10:52 PM cjonesy20 [email protected] wrote:
I'm also looking for the ability to export a 3D map as an FBX file.
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My project would also benefit from offline maps for a couple of selected areas.
@kircher1 Any update on the Bing Maps API key issue for offline maps? Cheers
For what it's worth, we're using this control now WITHOUT a bing maps API key, with custom imagery and elevation layers of our own. The control works, you just have to put up with a warning in the editor about it.
Of course, you need to have an elevation and imagery source, which is the hard part - it's not "offline maps" like Google Maps lets you do before you go on a holiday. Note that scenario is likely against the Bing Maps TOS anyway, so you'd still need your own tile sources.
I am also interested in the usage of Bing maps in offline. In my project, I am only showing places of interests for a small region. It is to be installed in a museum, and they don't reliable internet connection.
I apprecite any update you can give about this topic. Thahks
Hi @kircher1 , Have you worked on offline bing maps key? i need a 3d map that i can use offline
For what it's worth, we're using this control now WITHOUT a bing maps API key, with custom imagery and elevation layers of our own. The control works, you just have to put up with a warning in the editor about it.
Of course, you need to have an elevation and imagery source, which is the hard part - it's not "offline maps" like Google Maps lets you do before you go on a holiday. Note that scenario is likely against the Bing Maps TOS anyway, so you'd still need your own tile sources.
Hi, could you give some pointers on how you would go about obtaining the imagery and loading it from disk? I am running into a similar issue.
Bing now supports an offline mode where if you load the map once while connected, it will buffer it. This would be really, really helpful since right now I have a couple of apps that only really need a small map area, but need an internet connection just for that. Trying to demo something in secure areas can be a real pain.
Here's the link: Getting Started Building Offline Maps App for Windows
