Here is a small, yet feature-rich Web WorldWind sample application. The JavaScript/HTML/CSS code can be viewed and edited right here on JS Bin.

The complete source for this example can be viewed, downloaded or forked as a GitHub Gish.

Overview

The concepts used here are the same ones employed in the actual Explorer web app.

Libraries

This web app uses the Knockout library to manage the Model-View-View Model (MVVM) architecture. The Bootstrap library is used for the web layout and presentation. And, of course, the WebWorldWind library manages the globe view. The JQuery library is used lightly for some event handing in the menus.

HTML
  <!-- Libraries -->
  <script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery.min.js"></script>
  <script src="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.3.6/js/bootstrap.min.js"></script>
  <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/knockout/3.3.0/knockout-min.js"></script>
  <script src="https://files.worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/artifactory/web/0.9.0/worldwind.min.js"></script>

WorldWindow

The WorldWind library is initialized to a canvas object defined in the HTML.

<canvas id="canvasOne" style="width: 100%; height: 100%; 
               background-color: rgb(36,74,101); 
               border:1px solid #000000;" data-bind="style: { cursor: dropIsArmed() ? 'crosshair' : 'default' }">
  Try Chrome or FireFox.
</canvas>
// Attach the WorldWindow globe to the HTML5 canvas 
var wwd = new WorldWind.WorldWindow("canvasOne");

Globe

The GlobeViewModel defines the application-defined logic for “picking” objects on the globe. It contains the logic and event handlers for placing markers on the globe with “click-drag” or “drag-and-drop” actions.

GlobeViewModel
  // ------------------------------------
  // Define a view model for the globe
  // ------------------------------------
  function GlobeViewModel(wwd, markersViewModel) {
    var self = this;

    // Marker icons used in the marker palette 
    self.markerPalette = ko.observableArray([
      "https://files.worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/artifactory/web/0.9.0/images/pushpins/castshadow-red.png",
      "https://files.worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/artifactory/web/0.9.0/images/pushpins/castshadow-green.png",
      "https://files.worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/artifactory/web/0.9.0/images/pushpins/castshadow-blue.png",
      "https://files.worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/artifactory/web/0.9.0/images/pushpins/castshadow-orange.png",
      "https://files.worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/artifactory/web/0.9.0/images/pushpins/castshadow-teal.png",
      "https://files.worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/artifactory/web/0.9.0/images/pushpins/castshadow-purple.png",
      "https://files.worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/artifactory/web/0.9.0/images/pushpins/castshadow-white.png",
      "https://files.worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/artifactory/web/0.9.0/images/pushpins/castshadow-black.png"
    ]);
    // The currently selected marker icon 
    self.selectedMarkerImage = ko.observable(self.markerPalette()[0]);
    // Used for cursor style and click handling 
    self.dropIsArmed = ko.observable(false);
    //The dropCallback is supplied with the click position and the dropObject.
    self.dropCallback = null;
    // The object passed to the dropCallback 
    self.dropObject = null;

    /**
     * Adds a marker to the globe.
     */
    self.addMarker = function() {
      self.dropIsArmed(true);
      self.dropCallback = markersViewModel.dropMarkerCallback;
      self.dropObject = self.selectedMarkerImage();
    };

    // Invoke addMarker when an image is selected from the palette
    self.selectedMarkerImage.subscribe(self.addMarker);

    /**
     * Handles a click on the WorldWindow. If a "drop" action callback has been
     * defined, it invokes the function with the picked location.
     */
    self.handleClick = function(event) {
      if (!self.dropIsArmed()) {
        return;
      }
      var type = event.type,
        x, y,
        pickList,
        terrain;
      // Get the clicked window coords
      switch (type) {
        case 'click':
          x = event.clientX;
          y = event.clientY;
          break;
        case 'touchend':
          if (!event.changedTouches[0]) {
            return;
          }
          x = event.changedTouches[0].clientX;
          y = event.changedTouches[0].clientY;
          break;
      }
      if (self.dropCallback) {
        // Get all the picked items 
        pickList = wwd.pickTerrain(wwd.canvasCoordinates(x, y));
        // Terrain should be one of the items if the globe was clicked
        terrain = pickList.terrainObject();
        if (terrain) {
          self.dropCallback(terrain.position, self.dropObject);
        }
      }
      self.dropIsArmed(false);
      event.stopImmediatePropagation();
    };

    // Assign the click handler to the WorldWind
    wwd.addEventListener('click', function(event) {
      self.handleClick(event);
    });
  }

Layers

The LayersViewModel manages the layers that are displayed on the globe. The layers are placed in a Knockout observable array for the view to present as a list. Each WorldWind.Layer-based object is annotated with an observable layerEnabled object to provide the view with the ability display and control the layer’s visibility.

LayersViewModel
  // ------------------------------------
  // Define a view model for the layers
  // ------------------------------------
  function LayersViewModel(wwd) {
    var self = this;
    // WMS configurations for USGS WMS layers
    // See: https://basemap.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/
    // See: https://services.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/
    var usgsTopoCfg = {
        title: "USGS Topo Basemap",
        version: "1.3.0",
        service: "https://basemap.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/services/USGSTopo/MapServer/WmsServer?",
        layerNames: "0",
        sector: new WorldWind.Sector(-89.0, 89.0, -180, 180),
        levelZeroDelta: new WorldWind.Location(36,36),
        numLevels: 13,  // capabilites says 16, but really 13. limit to prevent requests for blank tiles
        format: "image/png",
        size: 256,
        coordinateSystem: "EPSG:4326", // optional
        styleNames: "" // (optional) A comma separated list of the styles to include 
      },
      usgsImageryTopoCfg = {
        title: "USGS Imagery Topo Basemap",
        version: "1.3.0",
        service: "https://basemap.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/services/USGSImageryTopo/MapServer/WmsServer?",
        layerNames: "0",
        sector: new WorldWind.Sector(-89.0, 89.0, -180, 180),
        levelZeroDelta: new WorldWind.Location(36, 36),
        numLevels: 12,
        format: "image/png",
        size: 256,
        coordinateSystem: "EPSG:4326", // optional
        styleNames: "" //A comma separated list of the styles
      },
      usgsContoursCfg = {
        title: "USGS Contour Lines Overlay",
        version: "1.3.0",
        service: "https://services.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/services/Contours/MapServer/WmsServer?",
        //layerNames: "1,2,4,5,7,8", // lines and labels: large scale, 50' and 100' respectively
        layerNames: "10,11,12,14,15,16,18,19", // lines and labels: large scale, 50' and 100' respectively
        sector: new WorldWind.Sector(18.915561901, 64.8750000000001, -160.544024274, -66.9502505149999),
        levelZeroDelta: new WorldWind.Location(36, 36),
        numLevels: 19,
        format: "image/png",
        size: 256,
        coordinateSystem: "EPSG:4326", // optional
        styleNames: "" //  A comma separated list of the styles
      };
    // Define our layers and layer options
    var layer,
      layerCfg = [{
        layer: new WorldWind.BMNGLayer(),
        enabled: true,
      }, {
        layer: new WorldWind.BMNGLandsatLayer(),
        enabled: true,
      }, {
        layer: new WorldWind.WmsLayer(usgsImageryTopoCfg),
        enabled: false,
        detailControl: 2.0,
        disableTransparentColor: true  // prevent white labels from being transparent
      }, {
        layer: new WorldWind.WmsLayer(usgsTopoCfg),
        enabled: false,
        disableTransparentColor: true  // prevent white labels from being transparent
      }, {
        layer: new WorldWind.BingAerialLayer(),
        enabled: false
      }, {
        layer: new WorldWind.BingAerialWithLabelsLayer(),
        enabled: true
      }, {
        layer: new WorldWind.BingRoadsLayer(),
        enabled: false
      }, {
        layer: new WorldWind.WmsLayer(usgsContoursCfg),
        enabled: false,
        opacity: 0.85
      }, {
        layer: new WorldWind.RenderableLayer("Markers"),
        enabled: true,
      }, {
        layer: new WorldWind.CompassLayer(),
        enabled: true
      }, {
        layer: new WorldWind.CoordinatesDisplayLayer(wwd),
        enabled: true
      }, {
        layer: new WorldWind.ViewControlsLayer(wwd),
        enabled: true,
        // Override the default placement from bottom-left to top-left
        // Leave room at the top for the Coordinates output
        placement: new WorldWind.Offset(
          WorldWind.OFFSET_FRACTION, 0,
          WorldWind.OFFSET_FRACTION, 1),
        alignment: new WorldWind.Offset(
          WorldWind.OFFSET_PIXELS, -10,
          WorldWind.OFFSET_INSET_PIXELS, -18)
      }];

    // Apply the layer options and add the layers to the globe
    for (var i = 0; i < layerCfg.length; i++) {
      layer = layerCfg[i].layer;
      layer.enabled = layerCfg[i].enabled;
      layer.opacity = layerCfg[i].opacity ? layerCfg[i].opacity : 1.0;
      if (layerCfg[i].placement) {
        layer.placement = layerCfg[i].placement;
      }
      if (layerCfg[i].alignment) {
        layer.alignment = layerCfg[i].alignment;
      }
      if (layerCfg[i].disableTransparentColor) {
        layer.urlBuilder.transparent = false;
      }
      if (layerCfg[i].detailControl) {
        layer.detailControl = layerCfg[i].detailControl;
      }
      // Set the layer's view model properties
      layer.layerEnabled = ko.observable(layer.enabled);
      // Add the layer to the globe
      wwd.addLayer(layer);
    }

    // The layers collection view model
    self.layers = ko.observableArray(wwd.layers);

    // Layer item click handler
    self.toggleLayer = function(layer) {
      layer.enabled = !layer.enabled;
      layer.layerEnabled(layer.enabled); // view model
      wwd.redraw();
    };
  }
Layers View
<!-- Layers tab -->
<div id="layers" class="tab-pane" role="tabpanel">
  <div class="section-heading">
    <h4 class="sub-header">
      <span class="glyphicon glyphicon-list" aria-hidden="true" style="padding-right:5px;"></span>
      Layers 
      <a class="section-toggle" data-toggle="collapse" href="#layers-body">
      </a>
    </h4>
  </div>
  <div id="layers-body" class="section-body collapse in">
    <!-- layer buttons bound to 'layers' observableArray -->
    <!-- the button's active class is bound to 'layerEnabled' observable -->
    <div class="list-group" data-bind="foreach: layers">
      <button class="list-group-item btn btn-block" data-bind="click: $root.toggleLayer, css: {active: $data.layerEnabled}">
        <span data-bind="text: $data.displayName"></span>
      </button>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
<!-- /Layer -->

Projections

The ProjectionsViewModel provides an observable list of map projection names used in the view’s menu. It also contains a changeProjection function that changes the WorldWind Globe object’s projection based on the user selection.

ProjectionsViewModel
  // -----------------------------------------
  // Define a view model for the projections
  // -----------------------------------------
  function ProjectionsViewModel(wwd) {
    var self = this;
    self.projections = ko.observableArray([
      "3D",
      "Equirectangular",
      "Mercator",
      "North Polar",
      "South Polar",
      "North UPS",
      "South UPS",
      "North Gnomonic",
      "South Gnomonic"
    ]);
    // Projection support vars
    self.roundGlobe = wwd.globe;
    self.flatGlobe = null;
    // Track the current projection
    self.currentProjection = ko.observable('3D');
    // Projection click handler
    self.changeProjection = function(projectionName) {
      // Capture the selection
      self.currentProjection(projectionName);
      // Change the projection
      if (projectionName === "3D") {
        if (!self.roundGlobe) {
          self.roundGlobe = new WorldWind.Globe(new WorldWind.EarthElevationModel());
        }
        if (wwd.globe !== self.roundGlobe) {
          wwd.globe = self.roundGlobe;
        }
      } else {
        if (!self.flatGlobe) {
          self.flatGlobe = new WorldWind.Globe2D();
        }
        if (projectionName === "Equirectangular") {
          self.flatGlobe.projection = new WorldWind.ProjectionEquirectangular();
        } else if (projectionName === "Mercator") {
          self.flatGlobe.projection = new WorldWind.ProjectionMercator();
        } else if (projectionName === "North Polar") {
          self.flatGlobe.projection = new WorldWind.ProjectionPolarEquidistant("North");
        } else if (projectionName === "South Polar") {
          self.flatGlobe.projection = new WorldWind.ProjectionPolarEquidistant("South");
        } else if (projectionName === "North UPS") {
          self.flatGlobe.projection = new WorldWind.ProjectionUPS("North");
        } else if (projectionName === "South UPS") {
          self.flatGlobe.projection = new WorldWind.ProjectionUPS("South");
        } else if (projectionName === "North Gnomonic") {
          self.flatGlobe.projection = new WorldWind.ProjectionGnomonic("North");
        } else if (projectionName === "South Gnomonic") {
          self.flatGlobe.projection = new WorldWind.ProjectionGnomonic("South");
        }
        if (wwd.globe !== self.flatGlobe) {
          wwd.globe = self.flatGlobe;
        }
      }
      wwd.redraw();
    };
  }
Projections View
<ul class="nav navbar-nav navbar-right">
  <!-- Projections dropdown -->
  <li id="projections" class="dropdown">
    <a href="#" class="dropdown-toggle" data-toggle="dropdown" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" aria-expanded="false"><span data-bind="text: currentProjection"></span> <span class="caret"></span></a>
    <!-- Bind the list to the 'projections' observableArray -->
    <ul id="projections-menu" class="dropdown-menu" data-bind="foreach: $root.projections">
      <li data-bind="click: $root.changeProjection">
        <a><span data-bind="text: $data"></a>
      </li>
    </ul>
  </li>
</ul>

The SearchViewModel manages the view’s access to a WorldWind geocoder and WorldWind “goto” animator.

SearchViewModel
// ---------------------------------------
// Define the view model for the SearchBox
// ---------------------------------------
function SearchViewModel(wwd) {
  var self = this;
  self.geocoder = new WorldWind.NominatimGeocoder();
  self.goToAnimator = new WorldWind.GoToAnimator(wwd);
  self.searchText = ko.observable('');
  self.onEnter = function(data, event) {
    if (event.keyCode === 13) {
      self.performSearch();
    }
    return true;
  };
  self.performSearch = function() {
    var queryString = self.searchText();
    if (queryString) {
      var latitude, longitude;
      if (queryString.match(WorldWind.WWUtil.latLonRegex)) {
        var tokens = queryString.split(",");
        latitude = parseFloat(tokens[0]);
        longitude = parseFloat(tokens[1]);
        self.goToAnimator.goTo(new WorldWind.Location(latitude, longitude));
      } else {
        self.geocoder.lookup(queryString, function(geocoder, result) {
          if (result.length > 0) {
            latitude = parseFloat(result[0].lat);
            longitude = parseFloat(result[0].lon);
            self.goToAnimator.goTo(new WorldWind.Location(latitude, longitude));
          }
        });
      }
    }
  };
}
Search View
<!-- Search Box -->
<form id="search" class="navbar-form navbar-left" role="search">
  <div class="form-group">
    <input type="text" class="form-control" placeholder="Destination" id="searchText" data-bind="value: searchText, valueUpdate: 'keyup', event: {keypress: onEnter}" />
  </div>
  <button id="searchButton" class="btn btn-primary" type="submit" data-bind="click: $root.performSearch">Go To</button>
</form>

Markers

The MarkersViewModel manages the creation, editing and removal of WorldWind Placemark-based marker objects. This object is passed into the GlobeViewModel which handles the globe’s picking, clicking and dragging of markers.

MarkersViewModel

  // -------------------------------------
  // Define a view model for the markers
  // -------------------------------------
  function MarkersViewModel(wwd) {
    var self = this,
      MARKER_LAYER = 9;

    self.markers = ko.observableArray();

    // Set up the common placemark attributes.
    self.commonAttributes = new WorldWind.PlacemarkAttributes(null);
    self.commonAttributes.imageScale = 1;
    self.commonAttributes.imageOffset = new WorldWind.Offset(
      WorldWind.OFFSET_FRACTION, 0.3,
      WorldWind.OFFSET_FRACTION, 0.0);
    self.commonAttributes.imageColor = WorldWind.Color.WHITE;
    self.commonAttributes.labelAttributes.offset = new WorldWind.Offset(
      WorldWind.OFFSET_FRACTION, 0.5,
      WorldWind.OFFSET_FRACTION, 1.0);
    self.commonAttributes.labelAttributes.color = WorldWind.Color.YELLOW;
    self.commonAttributes.drawLeaderLine = true;
    self.commonAttributes.leaderLineAttributes.outlineColor = WorldWind.Color.RED;

    /** "Drop" action callback creates and adds a marker to the globe */
    self.dropMarkerCallback = function(position, imageSource) {
      var attributes = new WorldWind.PlacemarkAttributes(self.commonAttributes),
        placemark = new WorldWind.Placemark(position, true, attributes);

      // Set the placemark properties and  attributes
      placemark.label = "Lat " + position.latitude.toPrecision(4).toString() + "\n" + "Lon " + position.longitude.toPrecision(5).toString();
      placemark.altitudeMode = WorldWind.CLAMP_TO_GROUND;
      placemark.eyeDistanceScalingThreshold = 2500000;
      attributes.imageSource = imageSource;

      // Add the placemark to the layer and to the observable array
      wwd.layers[MARKER_LAYER].addRenderable(placemark);
      self.markers.push(placemark);
    };

    /** Animator used to programmatically move the globe to a marker */
    self.goToAnimator = new WorldWind.GoToAnimator(wwd);

    /** "Goto" function centers the globe on a selected marker */
    self.gotoMarker = function(marker) {
      self.goToAnimator.goTo(new WorldWind.Location(
        marker.position.latitude,
        marker.position.longitude));
    };

    /** "Edit" function invokes a modal dialog to edit the marker attributes */
    self.editMarker = function(marker) {
      // TODO bind marker to dialog, maybe create an individual marker view-model
    };

    /** "Remove" function removes a marker from the globe */
    self.removeMarker = function(marker) {
      var markerLayer = wwd.layers[MARKER_LAYER],
        i, max, placemark;

      // Find and remove the marker from the layer and the observable array
      for (i = 0, max = self.markers().length; i < max; i++) {
        placemark = markerLayer.renderables[i];
        if (placemark === marker) {
          markerLayer.renderables.splice(i, 1);
          self.markers.remove(marker);
          break;
        }
      }
    };
  }
Markers View
<!-- Markers tab -->
<div id="markers" class="tab-pane" role="tabpanel">
  <div class="section-heading">
    <h4 class="sub-header">
      <span class="glyphicon glyphicon-map-marker" aria-hidden="true" 
            style="padding-right:5px;"></span>
      Markers
      <a class="section-toggle" data-toggle="collapse" href="#markers-body"></a>
    </h4>
  </div>
  <div id="markers-body" class="section-body collapse in">
    <!-- Bind the list to the 'markers' observableArray -->
    <ul id="markers-list" data-bind="foreach: $root.markers">
      <div class="btn-group btn-block btn-group-sm">
        <!-- Goto Button -->
        <button type="button" class="btn btn-default" data-bind="click: $root.gotoMarker">
          <span><img width="16px" height="16px" data-bind="attr:{src: $data.attributes.imageSource}" />  </span>
          <span data-bind="text: $data.label"></span>
        </button>
        <!-- Edit Button -->
        <button type="button" class="btn btn-default glyphicon glyphicon-pencil" data-bind="click: $root.editMarker"></button>
        <!-- Delete Button -->
        <button type="button" class="btn btn-default glyphicon glyphicon-trash" data-bind="click: $root.removeMarker"></button>
      </div>
    </ul>
  </div>
</div>
<!-- /Markers -->