The
following material is being maintained for posterity.
The
C_wiz GE interface has been massively enhanced at build
2007112515. Go
here for a more
detailed discussion of these enhancements and a 5 minute
video.
Most of
the gripes I had with the GE COM API (and verbalized
below) I have been able to resolve (at considerable time
and effort) by some pretty low level code.
I
haven't updated this essay with the the latest stuff
because it would take a large amount of time which is in
short supply right now.
I have been thinking it
would actually be easier to write an ActiveX control
encompassing the functionality in build 2007112515than it would be to explain how to do it - if anyone is
interested in this possibility please contact me via
Contact Us
The code should be usable
in VB6 and probably VBA also.
This is not the actual
code used in C_wiz - it has been simplified basically by editing
out material not
essential to demonstrating what it does, amongst other
things this includes some error handling and code
associated with co-existing with C_wiz.
In some places, where it
was considered desirable to smooth the flow, comments of
the form "Some C_wiz co-existence code here,..." have
been added in other places irrelevant code has just been
removed.
The concepts embodied in
the code are not necessarily original - ideas have come
from all over the web.
Included are several
suggestions and comments directed at any GE developer
that may stray past.
Before proceeding it may
make sense to see what the GE interface of C_wiz does,
to do this:
oInstall GE at
version 4.0.2416 or later.
o
Download
then follow the instructions to install the evaluation
version of C_wiz.
o
Launch C_wiz then:
o
Click [File] then click [Habitats] then click
[Evaluation 2 - Anne Sargeant 2 + GE].
o
Click [Play] then click [15 June 2004 - Sydney Harbour].
o
Click [Track] - the Map subsystem will automatically
launch GE.
o
Play with the GE navigation controls in the top RH
corner.
o
Crank up the replay speed by clicking [Throttle] on the
Map then adjusting the throttle setting with the slide
control.