Before you begin developing your Bing Maps Silverlight Control application, you need to install the following components:

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 SP1
  
  
• Microsoft Silverlight 3 Tools for Visual Studio 2008 SP1
  
  

Note:
Microsoft Visual Studio is not required if you are only going to use the embedded maps feature or if you want to access the Bing Maps Silverlight Control using JavaScript. These features are described in the Embedding a Map into Your Web Page and the Accessing the Control Using Script topics.

The following resources will help you learn more about Silverlight.

• Silverlight Getting Started page
  
  
• Silverlight Home page
  
  
• Silverlight Community
  
  

In order to use the Bing Maps Silverlight Control, you need a Bing Maps Key to authenticate your application. To obtain Bing Maps Keys, first go to the Bing Maps Accounts Center and create a Bing Maps Developer Account. This is described in detail in the topic Accessing the Control Using a Bing Maps Key.

Download the Bing Maps Silverlight Control. This download includes the Bing Maps Silverlight Control assemblies and an offline version of the Bing Maps Silverlight Control SDK.

Note:
You do not need to download the control if you are only going to use the embedded maps feature or if you want to access the Bing Maps Silverlight Control using JavaScript. These features are described in the Embedding a Map into Your Web Page and the Accessing the Control Using Script topics.

Now you’re ready to start using the Bing Maps Silverlight Control.

• Create a basic application using the Bing Maps Silverlight Control by following the steps in the Creating a Basic Application Using the Silverlight Map Control topic. Alternatively, you can use the embedded or scriptable map features to add a simple map to your application. These features are described in the Embedding a Map into Your Web Page and the Accessing the Control Using Script topics.
  
  
• Integrate Silverlight map control functionality into your application using the information found in the Developing with the Silverlight Map Control topics.
  
  
• Check out the Using the Interactive SDK topic to view the Silverlight Map Control Interactive SDK and see sample code in action.
  
  
• Browse the available map control APIs in the Programming Reference for the Silverlight Map Control section of the SDK.