| [udig-devel] Using uDig as the mapping piece to a larger application |
I have built a large subsurface 3d viewing application that combines integrated reports from multiple databases. The application is built around Java3d and Swing. A mapping tool is badly needed as I have been using static detailed jpgs for the given area. I am hesitant to use ESRI' s Java ArcEngine for several reasons. I have recently started investigating the mapping or GIS Open Software and came across GeoTools. I the JMapPane module to quickly prove that I could display the 7 or 8 shapefiles for the given area. However, performance was simply 100 percent unacceptable. I then ran into uDig (RCP, plug-ins and everything that my app is not built around) and I love it.
Finally my question to Jody or anyone that has enough experience to quickly answer definitively the following questions.
1) Is it CURRENTLY feasible to have another RCP application (i.e. my retooled RCP app) use uDig as a plugin and not the other way around. If so how realistic is this (not from my learning curve but from uDig' s documentation of this functionality - bugs that my be show stoppers in this regard, etc).
2) If this is not a viable option - is it realistic to use uDig as the primary app but have much of the primary functionality of the overall user functionality as plug-ins to uDig. This seems very far fetched to me but I am only just starting to look at plug-ins and RCP.
To uDig's credit the only real thing pushing me in this direction is the professionalism of uDig's UI, it speed and it ArcSDE potential support (congratualtions on a superb job). Any insight that you have on the big picture would be greatly appreciated. I am also investigating weather the SWT_AWT bridge can handle a complex Java3D app as well. The Swing code is large and complex and will all have to be rewritten in SWT/JFace and the app is now over 200K lines so it will be a major effort. I really attempting to determine if the overall plug-in uDig project with another significant application is "do-able" at the current time. I would appreciate your thoughts. |