Bing Maps overview

Bing Maps offers access to rich map imagery and data as well as robust search, location, and routing services. Access to the Bing services platform requires explicit registration with Microsoft. The subsequent use of Bing services in the ArcGIS API for Silverlight requires that you generate and provide a key when utilizing a Bing component.

The ArcGIS API for Silverlight uses Bing Maps imagery, geocoding, and routing services via a set of proxy classes in the ESRI.ArcGIS.Client.Bing library—namely, the TileLayer, Geocoder, and Routing classes, respectively. Each class has a Token property that is set to a Bing Maps key. Bing Maps keys can only be used with Bing Maps production services and they do not expire. The key is included in each request to a Bing Maps service to authorize access.

Note:

Although the Token property can be set to a valid token generated by a Bing Maps token service for either the production or staging environment, the Bing token and staging service architecture has been deprecated, and as a result you should use Bing Maps keys going forward. A Bing Maps key is similar to a token, but it does not expire and is associated with a specific application name and URL.

Create a key using the Bing Maps Portal by doing the following steps:

1. In a browser, navigate to Bing Maps Account Center.
2. Create or use a Windows Live ID to log in.
3. Click the "Create or view keys" link and add an application name and URL to create a key. Currently the name and URL are not validated.
4. Copy the key, which is available on the same page, and use it to set the Token property or apply as a token in a constructor for Bing components in the ArcGIS API for Silverlight. See the topic on Using Bing Imagery, Geocode, and Route services for more information.