Design and Implementation of Open Source WebGIS Client Framework Based on Flex

A new open source WebGIS client framework based on Flex is presented in this paper. Firstly, the paper introduces the background and significance of the framework, discusses key concepts and open source software involved, such as Flex Viewer and OpenScales, as well as their principles. Then, it analyzes the structure of the framework and the implementation steps. Finally, it elaborates on its feasibility and effectiveness with examples. The framework adopts the popular RIA technology -- Flex language. With rich user experience and map service as data source, the framework is of good portability and scalability. Besides, integrated with open source software, it is characterized by low cost and high flexibility, which provides a new idea for the developer in most cases.