Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method, and software program for enabling a user to view and interact with a visual map in an external application. According to one embodiment of the invention, a visual mapping application creates a file with (i) visual map data and (ii) software code capable of being executed by an external application to display the visual map and provide select visual mapping application in the external application. In one embodiment, such functionality includes the ability to expand and collapse map topics, scroll the map, zoom in and out, follow hypertext links in the map, find content in the map, and print the map. The created file can be thought of as a “visual map player” in that an external application can “play” the created file, resulting in a live map in the external application.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method, and software application for enabling a user to view data from an external data source in a visual map, wherein the external data source has a web services interface. Visual mapping software on a computer provides a visual mapping interface in which a user can create, edit, and/or view a visual map. Within the visual mapping interface, the visual mapping software provides the user with an option to obtain data from one or more data sources associated with a web service. In response to the user selecting a data source associated with a web service, the visual mapping software builds a web service request for the web service associated with the selected data source. The visual mapping application makes a call to the applicable web service with the web service request. The visual mapping application subsequently receives data from the web service and transforms the data into a format that can be used to generate visual map data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method, and software program for enabling a user to view and interact with a visual map in an external application. According to one embodiment of the invention, a visual mapping application creates a file with (i) visual map data and (ii) software code capable of being executed by an external application to display the visual map and provide select visual mapping application in the external application. In one embodiment, such functionality includes the ability to expand and collapse map topics, scroll the map, zoom in and out, follow hypertext links in the map, find content in the map, and print the map. The created file can be thought of as a “visual map player” in that an external application can “play” the created file, resulting in a live map in the external application.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method, and software application for enabling a user to view data from an external data source in a visual map, wherein the external data source has a web services interface. Visual mapping software on a computer provides a visual mapping interface in which a user can create, edit, and/or view a visual map. Within the visual mapping interface, the visual mapping software provides the user with an option to obtain data from one or more data sources associated with a web service. In response to the user selecting a data source associated with a web service, the visual mapping software builds a web service request for the web service associated with the selected data source. The visual mapping application makes a call to the applicable web service with the web service request. The visual mapping application subsequently receives data from the web service and transforms the data into a format that can be used to generate visual map data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method, and software program for enabling a user to view and interact with a visual map in an external application. According to one embodiment of the invention, a visual mapping application creates a file with (i) visual map data and (ii) software code capable of being executed by an external application to display the visual map and provide select visual mapping application in the external application. In one embodiment, such functionality includes the ability to expand and collapse map topics, scroll the map, zoom in and out, follow hypertext links in the map, find content in the map, and print the map. The created file can be thought of as a “visual map player” in that an external application can “play” the created file, resulting in a live map in the external application.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method, and software application for enabling a user to view data from an external data source in a visual map, wherein the external data source has a web services interface. Visual mapping software on a computer provides a visual mapping interface in which a user can create, edit, and/or view a visual map. Within the visual mapping interface, the visual mapping software provides the user with an option to obtain data from one or more data sources associated with a web service. In response to the user selecting a data source associated with a web service, the visual mapping software builds a web service request for the web service associated with the selected data source. The visual mapping application makes a call to the applicable web service with the web service request. The visual mapping application subsequently receives data from the web service and transforms the data into a format that can be used to generate visual map data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method, and software application for enabling a user to view data from an external data source in a visual map, wherein the external data source has a web services interface. Visual mapping software on a computer provides a visual mapping interface in which a user can create, edit, and/or view a visual map. Within the visual mapping interface, the visual mapping software provides the user with an option to obtain data from one or more data sources associated with a web service. In response to the user selecting a data source associated with a web service, the visual mapping software builds a web service request for the web service associated with the selected data source. The visual mapping application makes a call to the applicable web service with the web service request. The visual mapping application subsequently receives data from the web service and transforms the data into a format that can be used to generate visual map data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method, and software application for enabling a user to view data from an external data source in a visual map, wherein the external data source has a web services interface. Visual mapping software on a computer provides a visual mapping interface in which a user can create, edit, and/or view a visual map. Within the visual mapping interface, the visual mapping software provides the user with an option to obtain data from one or more data sources associated with a web service. In response to the user selecting a data source associated with a web service, the visual mapping software builds a web service request for the web service associated with the selected data source. The visual mapping application makes a call to the applicable web service with the web service request. The visual mapping application subsequently receives data from the web service and transforms the data into a format that can be used to generate visual map data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method, and software program for enabling a user to view and interact with a visual map in an external application. According to one embodiment of the invention, a visual mapping application creates a file with (i) visual map data and (ii) software code capable of being executed by an external application to display the visual map and provide select visual mapping application in the external application. In one embodiment, such functionality includes the ability to expand and collapse map topics, scroll the map, zoom in and out, follow hypertext links in the map, find content in the map, and print the map. The created file can be thought of as a “visual map player” in that an external application can “play” the created file, resulting in a live map in the external application.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for configuring an application via a visual map interface. The method involves providing a visual map into which a user can enter configuration data for the application. The visual map includes predefined topics that correspond to configurable portions of the application, and the user enters the configuration data as subtopics to the predefined topics. The predefined topics may be defined by a programmer or system administrator for the configurable application. When the configurable application requests the configuration data, the applicable data entered into the subtopics is sent to the configurable application.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method, and software application for enabling a user to initiate a search of a domain and view search results via a visual mapping interface on a computer. Visual mapping software on a computer provides a visual mapping interface into which a user can enter one or more search terms. The search terms entered by the user are used to search a search domain, such as an external website. Within the visual mapping interface, the visual mapping software provides the user with one or more search domain options, and the user selects a search domain. After the user enters search terms into the visual mapping interface and selects a search domain, the visual mapping software initiates a search of the selected domain based on the search terms. The visual mapping software subsequently receives search results for the search, and displays the search results in a visual map.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method, and software application for enabling a user to view data from an external data source in a visual map, wherein the external data source has a web services interface. Visual mapping software on a computer provides a visual mapping interface in which a user can create, edit, and/or view a visual map. Within the visual mapping interface, the visual mapping software provides the user with an option to obtain data from one or more data sources associated with a web service. In response to the user selecting a data source associated with a web service, the visual mapping software builds a web service request for the web service associated with the selected data source. The visual mapping application makes a call to the applicable web service with the web service request. The visual mapping application subsequently receives data from the web service and transforms the data into a format that can be used to generate visual map data.