Bing Maps Static Maps API

Before Getting Started make sure to obtain an API key from: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff428642.aspx

If you wished you could retreive Bing Maps static images for a specific location, your wait is over. I am not sure when the Bing Maps Static API offering became available but I do know that it works. The API is broken up into  several sections to make it easier to find what you are looking for.

The first section of the entire Bing Maps Static API properly named “Bing Maps REST Services API” is the Locations API which may be used to retreive information based on a location such as street address. The format of the returned data may be in JSON or XML and may be controlled with the Output Parameters found in the Common Parameters and Types. To test it out, put the following in your brower address bar:

http://dev.virtualearth.net/REST/v1/Locations/CA/Ontario/M5V2T6/Toronto/301 Front St W?key=

and add your own key to the end of the line

When the browser returns you should by default get a json string similar to the following:

{
    "authenticationResultCode":"ValidCredentials",
	"brandLogoUri":"http:\/\/dev.virtualearth.net\/Branding\/logo_powered_by.png",
	"copyright":"Copyright © 2011 Microsoft and its suppliers. All rights reserved... ( see actuall result )",
	"resourceSets":[{
	    "estimatedTotal":1,
		"resources":[{
		    "__type":"Location:http:\/\/schemas.microsoft.com\/search\/local\/ws\/rest\/v1",
			"bbox":[43.640018282429324,-79.3961907073811,43.647743717570677,-79.381957292618893],
			"name":"301 Front St W, Toronto, ON, M5V2T6",
			"point":{
                "type":"Point",
				"coordinates":[43.643881,-79.389074]
		    },
			"address":{
			    "addressLine":"301 Front St W",
				"adminDistrict":"ON",
				"countryRegion":"Canada",
				"formattedAddress":"301 Front St W, Toronto, ON, M5V2T6",
				"locality":"Toronto",
				"postalCode":"M5V2T6"
			},
			"confidence":"High",
			"entityType":"Address"
		}]
	}],
	"statusCode":200,
	"statusDescription":"OK",
	"traceId":"...(See Actuall Result)"
}