Routing

• Aug 28, 2023
• 7 minutes to read

The Map control supports Microsoft’s Bing Route service. This service provides the most optimal route, either from major roads in four directions, or calculated between two or more locations on a map.

The Bing Route data provider provides the Map control’s routing functionality and is represented by the BingRouteDataProvider object. The sections below explain how to use the BingRouteDataProvider in the map control.

• Enable Routing
• Calculate a Route between Locations
• Calculate Routes from Major Roads
• Routing Result

Important

Due to Bing canceling the SOAP service on July 30, 2017, the Map Control’s Bing Route provider does not work correctly in version 16.1 or earlier.

Enable Routing

Do the following to enable routing in the Map control:

• Create an information layer and add it to the map.

  The information provides vector elements that represent GIS data obtained from the Search service in the Map control. See Layers for more information.

• Create a BingRouteDataProvider instance and assign it to the InformationLayer.DataProvider property.

• Specify the Bing Maps key using the BingMapDataProviderBase.BingKey property.

  Note

  Go to The Bing Maps Portal website to create a developer account.

  Refer to How to: Get a Bing Maps Key to learn more about how to register a Bing Maps account and create a key for it.

The code snippet below shows how to do this.

MainWindow.xaml

<dxm:InformationLayer EnableHighlighting="False"
                      >
    <dxm:InformationLayer.DataProvider>
        <dxm:BingRouteDataProvider x:Name="routeProvider" 
                                   BingKey="{Binding Source={StaticResource YourBingKey}}"
                                   LayerItemsGenerating="routeProvider_LayerItemsGenerating"/>
    </dxm:InformationLayer.DataProvider>
</dxm:InformationLayer>

There are two ways to use the map routing feature in your application, depending on your task:

• Calculate a route between two or more locations on a map;
• Get a route from major roads to the specified destination.

The sections below describe each approach.

Calculate a Route between Locations

When the Map control is connected to the Bing Route service (see the section above for details), you can calculate a route between two or more locations on a map. To accomplish this, call the BingRouteDataProvider.CalculateRoute method and pass the list of locations (waypoints) as its argument, as shown below.

MainWindow.xaml.vb

Public Sub New()
    InitializeComponent()

    ' Create three waypoints and add them to a route waypoints list. 
    Dim waypoints As New List(Of RouteWaypoint)()
    waypoints.Add(New RouteWaypoint("New York", New GeoPoint(41.145556, -73.995)))
    waypoints.Add(New RouteWaypoint("Oklahoma", New GeoPoint(36.131389, -95.937222)))
    waypoints.Add(New RouteWaypoint("Las Vegas", New GeoPoint(36.175, -115.136389)))

    routeProvider.CalculateRoute(waypoints)
End Sub

Private Sub routeProvider_LayerItemsGenerating(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal args As LayerItemsGeneratingEventArgs)
    Dim letter As Char = "A"c

    For Each item As MapItem In args.Items
        Dim pushpin As MapPushpin = TryCast(item, MapPushpin)
        If pushpin IsNot Nothing Then
            pushpin.Text = letter.ToString()
            letter = ChrW(AscW(letter) + 1)
        End If
    Next item
End Sub

MainWindow.xaml.cs

public MainWindow() {
    InitializeComponent();

    // Create three waypoints and add them to a route waypoints list. 
    List<RouteWaypoint> waypoints = new List<RouteWaypoint>();
    waypoints.Add(new RouteWaypoint("New York", new GeoPoint(41.145556, -73.995)));
    waypoints.Add(new RouteWaypoint("Oklahoma", new GeoPoint(36.131389, -95.937222)));
    waypoints.Add(new RouteWaypoint("Las Vegas", new GeoPoint(36.175, -115.136389)));

    routeProvider.CalculateRoute(waypoints);
}

private void routeProvider_LayerItemsGenerating(object sender, LayerItemsGeneratingEventArgs args) {
    char letter = 'A';

    foreach (MapItem item in args.Items) {
        MapPushpin pushpin = item as MapPushpin;
        if (pushpin != null)
            pushpin.Text = letter++.ToString();
    }
}

The image below shows the calculated route between the specified locations on the map.

Calculate Routes from Major Roads

The Map control allows you to obtain different routes to a specified location (latitude and longitude coordinates) using major roads from the north, east, south, and west. If it cannot find major roads coming from these directions, the response may contain more than one route from the same direction or fewer than four routes.

For instance, an application UI contains two combo boxes named “cbMode” and “cbOptimize”, two text boxes named “tbLatitude” and “tbLongitude”, and a button named “calculateRoutes”.

To start a route calculation, click the Calculate Routes button. This calls the BingRouteDataProvider.CalculateRoutesFromMajorRoads method and a destination location (waypoint coordinates and description) and options are passed to its argument.

View Example

MainWindow.xaml.vb

Private Sub calculateRoutes_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As RoutedEventArgs)
    routeProvider.CalculateRoutesFromMajorRoads(New RouteWaypoint(tbDestination.Text, location))
End Sub

MainWindow.xaml.cs

private void calculateRoutes_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e) {
    routeProvider.CalculateRoutesFromMajorRoads(new RouteWaypoint(tbDestination.Text, location));
}

The results for San Francisco (Latitude - “37.783333” and Longitude - “-122.416667”) are shown in the image below.

Routing Result

The RouteCalculationResult object that is provided by the BingRouteDataProvider.RouteCalculated event handler arguments’ BingRouteCalculatedEventArgs.CalculationResult stores the route calculation results from the Bing Route service.

For instance, you can access a route path between locations calculated in the Calculate a Route between Locations section of this document.

To accomplish this, handle the BingRouteDataProvider.RouteCalculated event.

View Example

MainWindow.xaml.vb

Private Sub routeDataProvider_RouteCalculated(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As BingRouteCalculatedEventArgs)
    Dim result As RouteCalculationResult = e.CalculationResult

    Dim resultList As New StringBuilder()
    resultList.Append(String.Format("Status: {0}" & ControlChars.Lf, result.ResultCode))
    resultList.Append(String.Format("Fault reason: {0}" & ControlChars.Lf, result.FaultReason))
    resultList.Append(ProcessIntermediatePoints(result.IntermediatePoints))
    resultList.Append(ProcessRouteResults(result.RouteResults))

    tbResults.Text = resultList.ToString()
End Sub
Private Function ProcessIntermediatePoints(ByVal points As List(Of RouteWaypoint)) As String
    If points Is Nothing Then
        Return ""
    End If

    Dim sb As New StringBuilder("Intermediate Points:" & ControlChars.Lf)
    sb.Append(String.Format("_________________________" & ControlChars.Lf))
    For i As Integer = 0 To points.Count - 1
            sb.Append(String.Format("Intermediate point {0}: {1} ({2})" & ControlChars.Lf, i+1, points(i).Description, points(i).Location))
    Next i
    Return sb.ToString()
End Function
Private Function ProcessRouteResults(ByVal results As List(Of BingRouteResult)) As String
    If results Is Nothing Then
        Return ""
    End If

    Dim sb As New StringBuilder("RouteResults:" & ControlChars.Lf)
    For i As Integer = 0 To results.Count - 1
        sb.Append(String.Format("_________________________" & ControlChars.Lf))
        sb.Append(String.Format("Path {0}:" & ControlChars.Lf, i+1))
        sb.Append(String.Format("Distance: {0}" & ControlChars.Lf, results(i).Distance))
        sb.Append(String.Format("Time: {0}" & ControlChars.Lf, results(i).Time))
        sb.Append(ProcessLegs(results(i).Legs))
    Next i
    Return sb.ToString()
End Function
Private Function ProcessLegs(ByVal legs As List(Of BingRouteLeg)) As String
    If legs Is Nothing Then
        Return ""
    End If

    Dim sb As New StringBuilder("Legs:" & ControlChars.Lf)
    For i As Integer = 0 To legs.Count - 1
        sb.Append(String.Format(ControlChars.Tab & "Leg {0}:" & ControlChars.Lf, i+1))
        sb.Append(String.Format(ControlChars.Tab & "Start: {0}" & ControlChars.Lf, legs(i).StartPoint))
        sb.Append(String.Format(ControlChars.Tab & "End: {0}" & ControlChars.Lf, legs(i).EndPoint))
        sb.Append(String.Format(ControlChars.Tab & "Distance: {0}" & ControlChars.Lf, legs(i).Distance))
        sb.Append(String.Format(ControlChars.Tab & "Time: {0}" & ControlChars.Lf, legs(i).Time))
        sb.Append(ProcessItinerary(legs(i).Itinerary))
    Next i
    Return sb.ToString()
End Function
Private Function ProcessItinerary(ByVal items As List(Of BingItineraryItem)) As String
    If items Is Nothing Then
        Return ""
    End If

    Dim sb As New StringBuilder(ControlChars.Tab & "Internary Items:" & ControlChars.Lf)
    For i As Integer = 0 To items.Count - 1
        sb.Append(String.Format(ControlChars.Tab & ControlChars.Tab & "Itinerary {0}:" & ControlChars.Lf, i+1))
        sb.Append(String.Format(ControlChars.Tab & ControlChars.Tab & "Maneuver: {0}" & ControlChars.Lf, items(i).Maneuver))
        sb.Append(String.Format(ControlChars.Tab & ControlChars.Tab & "Location: {0}" & ControlChars.Lf, items(i).Location))
        sb.Append(String.Format(ControlChars.Tab & ControlChars.Tab & "Instructions: {0}" & ControlChars.Lf, items(i).ManeuverInstruction))
        sb.Append(ProcessWarnings(items(i).Warnings))
    Next i
    Return sb.ToString()
End Function
Private Function ProcessWarnings(ByVal warnings As List(Of BingItineraryItemWarning)) As String
    If warnings Is Nothing Then
        Return ""
    End If

    Dim sb As New StringBuilder(ControlChars.Tab & ControlChars.Tab & "Warnings:" & ControlChars.Lf)
    For i As Integer = 0 To warnings.Count - 1
        sb.Append(String.Format(ControlChars.Tab & ControlChars.Tab & ControlChars.Tab & "Warning {0}:" & ControlChars.Lf, i + 1))
        sb.Append(String.Format(ControlChars.Tab & ControlChars.Tab & ControlChars.Tab & "Type: {0}" & ControlChars.Lf, warnings(i).Type))
        sb.Append(String.Format(ControlChars.Tab & ControlChars.Tab & ControlChars.Tab & "Text: {0}" & ControlChars.Lf, warnings(i).Text))

    Next i
    Return sb.ToString()
End Function

MainWindow.xaml.cs

private void routeDataProvider_RouteCalculated(object sender, BingRouteCalculatedEventArgs e) {
    RouteCalculationResult result = e.CalculationResult;

    StringBuilder resultList = new StringBuilder();
    resultList.Append(String.Format("Status: {0}\n", result.ResultCode));
    resultList.Append(String.Format("Fault reason: {0}\n", result.FaultReason));
    resultList.Append(ProcessIntermediatePoints(result.IntermediatePoints));
    resultList.Append(ProcessRouteResults(result.RouteResults));

    tbResults.Text = resultList.ToString();
}
string ProcessIntermediatePoints(List<RouteWaypoint> points) {
    if (points == null) return "";

    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("Intermediate Points:\n"); 
    sb.Append(String.Format("_________________________\n"));
    for (int i = 0; i < points.Count; ++i)
            sb.Append(String.Format(
                "Intermediate point {0}: {1} ({2})\n", 
                i+1,
                points[i].Description, 
                points[i].Location
            ));
    return sb.ToString();
}
string ProcessRouteResults(List<BingRouteResult> results) {
    if (results == null) return "";

    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("RouteResults:\n");
    for (int i = 0; i < results.Count; i++) {
        sb.Append(String.Format("_________________________\n"));
        sb.Append(String.Format("Path {0}:\n", i+1));
        sb.Append(String.Format("Distance: {0}\n", results[i].Distance));
        sb.Append(String.Format("Time: {0}\n", results[i].Time));
        sb.Append(ProcessLegs(results[i].Legs));
    }
    return sb.ToString();
}
string ProcessLegs(List<BingRouteLeg> legs) {
    if (legs == null) return "";

    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("Legs:\n");    
    for (int i = 0; i < legs.Count; i++) {
        sb.Append(String.Format("\tLeg {0}:\n", i+1));
        sb.Append(String.Format("\tStart: {0}\n", legs[i].StartPoint));
        sb.Append(String.Format("\tEnd: {0}\n", legs[i].EndPoint));
        sb.Append(String.Format("\tDistance: {0}\n", legs[i].Distance));
        sb.Append(String.Format("\tTime: {0}\n", legs[i].Time));
        sb.Append(ProcessItinerary(legs[i].Itinerary));
    }
    return sb.ToString();
}
string ProcessItinerary(List<BingItineraryItem> items) {
    if (items == null) return "";

    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("\tInternary Items:\n");
    for (int i = 0; i < items.Count; i++) {
        sb.Append(String.Format("\t\tItinerary {0}:\n", i+1));
        sb.Append(String.Format("\t\tManeuver: {0}\n", items[i].Maneuver));
        sb.Append(String.Format("\t\tLocation: {0}\n", items[i].Location));
        sb.Append(String.Format("\t\tInstructions: {0}\n", items[i].ManeuverInstruction));
        sb.Append(ProcessWarnings(items[i].Warnings));
    }
    return sb.ToString();
}
string ProcessWarnings(List<BingItineraryItemWarning> warnings) {
    if (warnings == null) return "";

    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("\t\tWarnings:\n");
    for (int i = 0; i < warnings.Count; i++) {
        sb.Append(String.Format("\t\t\tWarning {0}:\n", i + 1));
        sb.Append(String.Format("\t\t\tType: {0}\n", warnings[i].Type));
        sb.Append(String.Format("\t\t\tText: {0}\n", warnings[i].Text));

    }
    return sb.ToString();
}

The result is shown in the image below.