topic Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API in ArcGIS JavaScript Maps SDK Questions

Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

jeffpalus — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 06:37:12 GMT

Just to be consitent with other ESRI web mapping API's, please add kinetic scrolling (aka inertia scrolling) feature, like the way the map pan move in bing & google maps. When you pan around on the map, the expected behaviour is for the map the continue to slide proportionally to the speed you dragged/panned the map.

When the user drag the map, the map moves smoothly.
When the user release the left mouse button the map does not stop straight, but stops by the power of dragging the map you made.

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

StephenLead — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 22:18:40 GMT

+1 this would be a very nice feature

Have you tried adding something at ideas.esri.com?

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

jeffpalus — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 04:37:39 GMT

Yes, here is the link:
http://ideas.arcgis.com/ideaView?id=08730000000bvKQAAY

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

Dan — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:00:28 GMT

Has ESRI implemented kinetic panning in the Javascript API yet? If not, when?

Silverlight and Flex have smooth kinetic panning. We'd like to see similar behavior in our web map apps regardless of the API. We'd also like to provide modern web functionality that users expect.

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

AdrianMarsden — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 13:23:13 GMT

Please, if this is added, make it optional. When google Maps started doing it I spent ages trying to switch it off, I HATE it. I want the map to stop when I stop moving the mouse, not to continue on moving based on how fast I moved the mouse. Hate it.

Did I mention, I don't like it?

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

derekswingley1 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:05:59 GMT

The team has (briefly) discussed adding this in the past but we haven't made it a priority. If it is added, you will be able to turn it off.

One thing that came up is that this is more of a requirement on touch devices. If you're still using a mouse, it's probably not the ideal experience. Anyone care to agree or disagree?

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

Dan — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:28:31 GMT

Some hate it. Some love it. So, yes, please make it an option.

Also, it would be nice if it had the ability to pan continuously for a long distance on release (like Google Earth), or to glide to a halt in a stickier fashion (like Bing Maps and Google Maps). Both of these map apps are hugely successful, so there are enough people out there who enjoy glide/swipe (kinetic) panning. (BTW: if the user stops panning before releasing the mouse, map should not glide at all (as is done in Bing Maps, Google Maps, etc.)

Kinetic panning is particularly useful for large areas. Similar concept to free-spinning mouse wheels for zipping through long documents - less effort to move across large areas.

Also, rather than just a Boolean, a numeric factor could be set to determine glide time (0 = no glide effect).

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

Dan — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:32:29 GMT

If you're still using a mouse, it's probably not the ideal experience. Anyone care to agree or disagree?

I humbly disagree with swingley's comment above . . .

Bing Maps, Google Maps, Google Earth, and other very successful map apps use kinetic/glide panning on moused setups as well as mobile/touch devices.

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

Dan — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:39:58 GMT

Another comparison is with zoom. With a free-spin mouse wheel a Flex map app only zooms in one notch no matter how fast the wheel is spun (as I recall). I like how the JSAPI enables the user to free-spin deep in to or out of the map.

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

derekswingley1 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:52:07 GMT

I humbly disagree with swingley's comment above . . .

Noted. Don't expect this in the next release (3.3) but we might be able to do something after that.

Bing Maps, Google Maps, Google Earth, and other very successful map apps use kinetic/glide panning on moused setups as well as mobile/touch devices.

Google Earth and Maps, and to some degree Bing, are quite successful at being platforms people use for maps but having kinetic panning is only one (and probably a minor one at that) of the many reasons for their success. Kinetic panning, when done correctly, IMO, is a subtle enhancement to an app's user experience. If it's too prominent, it tends to detract from the user experience (again, my opinion). Ideally, it "just feels right" and isn't directly noticed by users. Developers are a different story as that is a pretty picky audience :).

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

Dan — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:49:28 GMT

Google Earth and Maps, and to some degree Bing, are quite successful at being platforms people use for maps but having kinetic panning is only one (and probably a minor one at that) of the many reasons for their success.

True, but it wouldn't be a far reach to assume that Google's/Bing's/others' market research found that kinetic panning was preferred or they would not have included it.

We'll look forward to it in 3.4 (please) with hopes of squeezing it in for 3.3 (double please).

Developers are a different story as that is a pretty picky audience.

True, at least in my case - �?�

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

derekswingley1 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:57:25 GMT

We'll look forward to it in 3.4 (please) with hopes of squeezing it in for 3.3 (double please).

Can't promise anything, but we'll be talking about it. Definitely not for 3.3.

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

Dan — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 18:00:32 GMT

Thanks for joining the discussion.

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

StephenLead — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 00:05:36 GMT

Ideally, it "just feels right" and isn't directly noticed by users

I use Google Maps all the time, but I still had to fire it up and test it out to see what this thread was asking for.

Now that I've noticed it, I want it too.

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

JoeJan — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 06:01:54 GMT

esri, please add it to 3.3

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

jeffpalus — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 20:49:28 GMT

ERSI ? IS there any news?

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

ryanmordoff — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:57:12 GMT

Are people still interested in this? I was able to throw together a rough approach that seems to be working fairly well for me. If anyone is interested let me know, I will probably clean it up and throw up on github in a few weeks. Should work for 3.3 and 3.4.

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

ReneRubalcava — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:10:10 GMT

I would definitely be interested. I made an attempt at this, but I think my math was off as my map just jumped around all over the place.

Thanks.

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

JeffJacobson — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:25:39 GMT

Are people still interested in this? I was able to throw together a rough approach that seems to be working fairly well for me. If anyone is interested let me know, I will probably clean it up and throw up on github in a few weeks. Should work for 3.3 and 3.4.

I would also be interested.

Re: Kinetic Panning Via The ESRI JavaScript API

ryanmordoff — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:12:11 GMT

Sounds good, I should have it cleaned up in a few weeks. Will let you know when I release it.