Software Release Notes: InstantAtlas Desktop Edition 5.0.0

Release date: 03/03/2008

The software installer file (72MB) can be downloaded from http://www.InstantAtlas.com/freetrial.xhtml.

Enhancements

• Support for MapInfo TAB files
• Support for ESRI DBF, MapInfo TAB and MapInfo MID/MIF files as attributes in end report without using Data Managers
• Improved desktop application performance
• Improved licensing to get round issues on laptops and multiple network cards
• Improved language support
• Improved support for Web Map Services (WMS) as background mapping
• Improved support for users running Windows Vista
• Global replace feature for style editor
• New “Radar Chart” Flash template
• Improved Flash template “geo-performance” (i.e. faster map navigation)
• Improved Flash template “startup performance”
• Flash template support for lines

Bug Fixes

• Key Flash template bug fixes
• Key Publisher/Designer/Style Editor bug fixes
• Minor updates to the Excel data manager

Unchanged

• SVG templates

Compatibility

• Data files (XML) for old reports will work with 5.0.0 reports
• Applying a configuration file (config.xml) or stylesheet (default.css) from an 4.1.0 Flash report to a 5.0.0 Flash report may produce a suitable result in certain circumstances. We recommend that you test the updated report thoroughly and backup files beforehand.

Report Performance

• Significantly improved startup time for dynamic reports
• Significantly improved zoom and pan speeds for maps containing many features

Report Mapping

• Improved support for “non-square” maps. For example, a map of the world in version 5.0.0 will fill much more of the available map area than in version 4.x.  For Example
• Improved support for Web Map Service (WMS) background mapping. Now supports:
  • WMS background maps with more than one map layer
  • WMS background maps in JPEG, PNG and GIF formats, allowing transparent layers
  • WMS background maps with a custom (non-white) background colour
• Support for tiled background mapping in both PNG and JPEG formats
• Support for vector lines both as a base layer and a contextual layer

New Radar Chart Template

The Radar Chart template combines a single map, table, radar chart and bar chart for data display. Indicators in the radar chart are arranged around the circular chart and are grouped by theme. This chart enables at a glance analysis across a range of indicators for a selected area. It makes the comparison of profiles for different areas quick and easy.

Template and Licence File Locations

In v5 the locations of template and licence files has changed. The path for Windows Vista users is C:\ProgramData\GeoWise\InstantAtlas and for XP users is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application data\GeoWise\InstantAtlas. Note that you should not need to browse to these folders! You can update both templates and licence files using buttons in the Publisher - simply start the Publisher and click the About option (bttom left). The activation dialog also has an option for updating the licence file if your software is not yet operational.

Software Version Numbers

» To check the version of your Publisher/Designer/Style Editor suite, start the Publisher and click the About option (bottom left)

» Template version numbers are visible on the "Choose your Template" screen of the Publisher

» To check the version of an InstantAtlas dynamic report, hold down Shift-Alt on your keyboard and click the InstantAtlas logo in the report