SQLBits 2010

Where the bl**dy h*** are you? (Spatial Data Visualisation)

A look at spatial data visualisation, including the maps in SSRS 2008 R2, handling shapefiles for those of us who have to deal with maps outside the USA, geocoding addresses with Bing, using the Silverlight Bing Maps control, and even PivotViewer.

Ok, so this wasn’t the best advert for Australian tourism, but it is a question often asked by data applications. We understood spatial data in SQL Server 2008, and we love the map functionality in SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services. But if you have a pile of addresses, how can you convert that into data that you can map? And how do you make a map that lets you zoom in and out? In this talk, Rob Farley looks at how to handle shape files in Report Builder 3.0, the Bing Maps functionality for searching for addresses and displaying a map, and how this can tie into the spatial types we’ve been seeing for the last couple of years. It may also include a venture into the world of Live Labs Pivot, investigating new and interesting ways to display your data.