(.NET) Adding Preferential and Random Sorting to MapPoint Web Service Applications

With Microsoft MapPoint Web Service 3.5, you can now sort search results based on the values of specific entity properties. The new SortProperties property satisfies most locator scenarios for sorting search results. Some locator applications, however, such as an insurance agent locator or a hotel finder, require advanced sorting to give preference to particular agents or hotels. These applications may also require that a portion of the search results be presented in random order, so that no preference is given to any result.

This article first describes how to use the SortProperties property, and then illustrates how to do preferential and random sorting, using a hotel-finder application for a travel Web site as an example.