Hi Lucy, good question. The default Arches-HIP package uses a couple of Bing services, which require a key. A key comes with Arches (it's in the virtual environment, ../site-packages/arches/settings.py), but this is one that Farallon or the GCI has set up, so you should get a new one if you plan to use Bing services.
The two Bing services are map tiles and the geocoding address widget that you see in the Map View. Every time you type an address in that bar, a request is sent to Bing for matching lat/long coordinates. The tiles are the three basemap layers that Arches uses by default. Whenever you have one of those layers active and you pan the map around, a request is sent to Bing for the appropriate tiles based on the visible extent. The Bing key is sent along with these requests to authorize the transaction, and Microsoft keeps track of your usage. So, would Arches work without using Bing services? Yes, you'd just have to define some different basemap layers (open street map is a good alternative, depending on how good it is in your area) and then you would have to remove or replace the address search (geocoding) widget. However, getting a key is pretty straightforward, and based on how your application fits into the Microsoft® Bing™ Maps Platform APIs’ Terms Of Use <http://www.microsoft.com/maps/product/terms.html>, it'll likely be completely free. In section 8.2.c you'll see an upper limit of 50,000 "billable" transactions per day, and it's doubtful you would get anywhere close to that. This is no guarantee though, so it would be best to read up on the terms of use and how transactions are billed to be completely sure. Ultimately, it would also be good to get some feedback from Farallon/GCI about this subject as well. To get your own key, follow the link in the documentation (https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff428642.aspx) and work through those steps. You'll have to set up a username/password, and then obtain a key. Once you have a key, add a line in your app's settings.py file that looks like: BING_KEY='paste your key here' This will overwrite the Farallon/GCI Bing key that is included by default, and the address bar and basemap layers will work just as before. You'll be able to log on to the Bing maps portal (https://www.bingmapsportal.com/) to view your usage. Keep in mind that "billable" doesn't mean you'll necessarily be billed, it's just a way they categorize usage. Good luck! Adam On Tuesday, October 27, 2015 at 5:08:01 AM UTC-5, Lucy FJ wrote: > > Hi everyone, > > Here on the Egypt database project we are slowly moving forward. I have a > question about BING services. In the 'settings' section of the installation > documentation, 'read the docs', it is suggested that we sign up with BING > services and obtain a key. What does this actually do? Can Arches run > without the Bing key? Can we show sites on the map with out this? Are there > any alternatives? Unfortunately neither I nor anyone in our IT department > have previous experience in geocoding. > > Thank you for your time, > > Lucy > -- -- To post, send email to archesproject@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe, send email to archesproject+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more information, visit https://groups.google.com/d/forum/archesproject?hl=en --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Arches Project" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to archesproject+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
