Driving Google Maps from the XForms model

I've just written a new tutorial, describing how to write an XForms application that overlays data from a BBC Backstage feed onto a Google Map. The application is pretty short and straightforward, but it also provides a cogent illustration of the advantages that the XForms model can bring, even to non-XForms user interfaces.

There are two particularly interesting aspects to the application. The first is that it makes extensive use of the XForms model without actually containing any XForms UI controls. The UI consists of a solitary HTML div element, which is used by the Google Maps library to contain the map. As such, the form presents a very clear demonstration of the XForms model acting in isolation.

Secondly, the XForms actions have been written in such a way as to be entirely agnostic toward the specifics of the feed on which they are invoked. You can try this out for yourself, by replacing the contents of the action attribute on submission with any other RSS feed that contains WGS 84 latitude and longitude data. With the form in its current, simple state, this might not seem to be a claim of any great benefit. However, our intention is to develop this application much further, showing how it can be used to form the basis of what is essentially a graphical data browser.

The full tutorial is available here.