There's a new addition to an enumeration folks, VEDataType.ImportXML . Here's an easy example of how collections are added to a map:
function MapLoad()
{
map = new VEMap('myMap');
map.onLoadMap = fnLoadCollection;
map.LoadMap();
}
function fnLoadCollection()
{
var l = new VEShapeLayer();
var veLayerSpec = new VEShapeSourceSpecification(VEDataType.VECollection, "C63B5D9B400AD5!122", l);
map.ImportShapeLayerData(veLayerSpec, null, true);
}
Collections are cool, but they aren't my style. My style is to own my own data. Collections are assigned an ID on maps.live.com (after you sign in to save them), and granted you can import XML files (GPX, KML, LOC) but you can't import -> modify -> then export the files to a format that you use. They go into the black hole that is known as a hosted service. I like to keep tabs on my data and own it myself. That being said, I did try this out here. This shows my collection that is stored on maps.live.com - a geocaching trip my wife and I took to the Greenbelt and Barton Creek. I DID have to edit the KML file that I imported - more on that later.
The coolest thing about this example? Mouse-over the waypoint labeled 4-way and click the picture. Now note where the camera was to take the picture - I was North/Northeast of the trail intersection. Got that? OK, now click the birds-eye view in the upper-left of the Map Control. Zoom into that waypoint and see how accurate that is. I thought it was pretty impressive.
