[[PageOutline]]

= Introduction =

The Advanced Stylization system introduced with [wiki:MapGuideRfc14 MapGuide RFC 14] presents an incredibly powerful way of modelling stylization of map features.  This is an area to document this system and to share useful symbol definitions.

== Documentation ==

Eventually, this documentation should be migrated to the wiki, but for now here are some pointers:

 * The [wiki:MapGuideRfc14 RFC] itself, including the attached !LineUsage.doc

 * The IMAGINiT [http://www.rand.com/imaginit/1/pdfs/technology/software/building_symbol_libraries_with_autodesk_mapguide_enterprise_2009.pdf Building Symbol Libraries] PDF is helpful

 * In a bind, you need to be able to read and understand the [/mapguide/browser/branches/2.1/MgDev/Common/Schema/LayerDefinition-1.3.0.xsd LayerDefinition] and [/mapguide/browser/branches/2.1/MgDev/Common/Schema/SymbolDefinition-1.1.0.xsd SymbolDefinition] schemas

 * XPS ([http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/xps/xpsspecdwn.mspx XML Paper Specification]) - has information about the specific geometry syntax (e.g., how to draw a line or arc); see section 4.2.3 Abbreviated Geometry Syntax to see the geometry syntax that we use.  The IMAGINiT document describes the subset that we support.

== Sample Packages ==

Some browsers will try to download these as type Zipfile. Make sure to rename to MGP

 * [/mapguide/attachment/wiki/AdvancedStylization/ImageSymbolDemo.mgp?format=raw Image Symbol Demo] - This package imports into Library://SymbolDemo/ and contains a series of symbols showing how to reference image files, including: how to include these symbols in a !LayerDefinition, how to scale using map units, and how to expose attributes such as rotation to be overridden at the layer level. Once you have imported the package, preview the Map to see how the symbols appear (try zooming in and out to see how one is in !MappingUnits and the others are in !DisplayUnits).  Then explore the Layer in XML mode to see how these are referenced, including an override of the rotation angle of one symbol and setting another to be in fixed mapping units.  Finally, explore the symbol definitions themselves to see how to expose overridable parameters and to combine rasters with vectors in a single symbol.

== [wiki:AdvancedStylization/Library Symbol Library] ==

 * [wiki:AdvancedStylization/Library/Transportation Transportation]