History of GmapPackage
| Version 14 | Current version | |
|---|---|---|
The goal of this project is to create a package that lets you edit a Google Map like a wiki, with some Flickr integration thrown in for spice. A Road Map for the package is well underway. You can find part of it below and part of it on this wiki page I'm beginning to move things over here as they become more clarified. If you want to join in I'm not a professional programmer, but have faith, this is going to be sweet. If you do want to help out, well I guess you can email me wjames5 -at - nyc.rr.com or find me on the bitweaver irc thing. PuzzlesSetsThis needs to be a lot like categories. Markers and Polys need to be grouped, or added to sets, but it would make sense to be able to add them to multiple sets. Probably need a new table for this. Should the sets be nested. Could the Categories module be duplicated as is to serve as a set manager? Does it need any modification?RoadMapDatabase StructureTABLE: tiki_gmap
TABLE: tiki_gmap_marker
TABLE: tiki_gmap_iconstyle
TABLE: tiki_gmap_markerstyles
TABLE: tiki_gmap_polyline
TABLE: tiki_gmap_polylinestyles
TABLE: tiki_gmap_polygonnote: Polygons must be XPolygons
TABLE: tiki_gmap_polygonstyles
TABLE tiki_gmap_sidepanel
Interfacethis is a start toward building the UI<form method="POST" action="submit.php" name="mapform" id="mapform"> Map ToolsTitle <input name="map_title" id="map_title" type="text" size="25" value="Some Title" /> Description <input name="map_desc" id="map_desc" type="text" size="25" value="About this map" /> Width <input name="map_w" id="map_w" type="text" size="25" value="auto" /> Height <input name="map_h" id="map_h" type="text" size="25" value="auto" /> Latitude <input name="map_lat" id="map_lat" type="text" size="25" value="somenumber" /> Longitude <input name="map_lon" id="map_lon" type="text" size="25" value="somenumber" /> Zoom Level <input name="map_z" id="map_z" type="text" size="25" value="7" /> Map Type <select name="map_type" id="map_type"><option>Street Map</option><option>Satellite</option><option>Hybrid</option><option>Any custom map types</option></select> Show Controls <select name="map_showcont" id="map_showcont"><option>Small</option><option>Large</option><option>None</option></select> Show Scale <input name="map_showscale" id="map_showscale" type="checkbox" value="True" /> Show_map_types <input name="map_showtype" id="map_showtype" type="checkbox" value="True" /> Marker Sets (table with options) Include On Launch <input name="map_marklaunch" id="map_marklaunch" type="checkbox" value="True" /> Include In Side Pane <input name="map_markside" id="map_markside" type="checkbox" value="True" /> Polylines Sets (table with options) Include On Launch <input name="map_linelaunch1" id="map_linelaunch1" type="checkbox" value="True" /> Include In Side Pane <input name="map_lineside1" id="map_lineside1" type="checkbox" value="True" /> Polygon Sets (table with options) Include On Launch <input name="map_polylaunch1" id="map_polylaunch1" type="checkbox" value="True" /> Include In Side Pane <input name="map_polyside1" id="map_polyside1" type="checkbox" value="True" /> Additional Map Types (table with options) Include On Launch <input name="map_typelaunch1" id="map_typelaunch1" type="checkbox" value="True" /> Include In Side Pane <input name="map_typeside1" id="map_typeside1" type="checkbox" value="True" /> Comments <input name="map_comm" id="map_comm" type="checkbox" value="True" /> <input type="submit" name="mapsubmit" value="Submit" /></form> <form method="POST" action="submit.php" name="markerform" id="markerform"> Marker ToolsMarkerName<input name="marker_name" id="marker_name" type="text" size="25" value="somenumber" /> Latitude<input name="marker_lat" id="marker_lat" type="text" size="25" value="somenumber" /> Longitude<input name="marker_lon" id="marker_lon" type="text" size="25" value="somenumber" /> Icon Type<select name="marker_icontype" id="marker_icontype"><option>Default Style</option><option>Custom Style 1</option><option>Custom Style 1</option></select> Click Action (assign actions here or type?) Window Text<textarea name="marker_wintext" id="marker_wintext" cols="30" rows="5" /> Marker Style<select name="marker_style" id="marker_style"><option>Default Style</option><option>Custom Style 1</option><option>Custom Style 1</option></select> Label Text <textarea name="marker_labeltext" id="marker_labeltext" cols="30" rows="2" /> zIndex <input name="marker_zi" id="marker_zi" type="text" size="25" value="auto" /> Flickr Image (how to get path? menu?) Custom Icon ToolsName <input name="icon_name" id="icon_name" type="text" size="25" value="Some Name" /> Type<select name="icon_type" id="icon_type"><option>GIcon</option><option>XIcon</option></select> Icon Image Path <input name="icon_img" id="icon_img" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Image Size <input name="icon_imgsize" id="icon_imgsize" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Shadow Image Path <input name="icon_shadow" id="icon_shadow" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Shadow Size <input name="icon_shadowsize" id="icon_shadowsize" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Icon Anchor x <input name="icon_anchorx" id="icon_anchorx" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Icon Anchor y <input name="icon_anchory" id="icon_anchory" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Info Window Anchor x <input name="icon_winanchorx" id="icon_winanchorx" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Info Window Anchor y <input name="icon_winanchory" id="icon_winanchory" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Info Shadow Anchor x <input name="icon_shadowanchorx" id="icon_shadowanchorx" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Info Shadow Anchor y <input name="icon_shadowanchory" id="icon_shadowanchory" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Custom Marker ToolsName <input name="marker_styname" id="marker_styname" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Type <select name="marker_stytype" id="marker_stytype"><option>PdMarker</option><option>XMarker</option></select> (PdMarker Class Only) Icon Hover Image Path <input name="icon_hover" id="icon_hover" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Label Hover Opacity <input name="icon_hoverop" id="icon_hoverop" type="text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Label Opacity <input name="icon_labelop" id="icon_labelop" type="text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Label Hover Styles <input name="icon_hoverstyle" id="icon_hoverstyle" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Window Styles <input name="icon_winstyle" id="icon_winstyle" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> <input type="submit" name="markersubmit" value="Submit" /></form> <form method="POST" action="submit.php" name="polyform" id="polyform"> Polyline ToolsPloylineName <input name="line_name" id="line_name" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Type<select name="line_type" id="line_type"><option>Default</option><option>XPolyline</option></select> Points Data <textarea name="line_data" id="line_data" cols="30" rows="5" /> Style<select name="line_style" id="line_style"><option>Default</option><option>Custom</option></select> (selects a style by id Border Text <input name="line_bordertext" id="line_bordertext" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> zIndex <input name="line_zi" id="line_zi" type="text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Polyline StylesName <input name="line_styname" id="line_styname" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Color <input name="line_color" id="line_color" type="text" size="25" value="Hex Value" /> Weight <input name="line_name" id="line_name" type="text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Opacity <input name="line_w" id="line_w" type="text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Pattern <input name="line_pattern" id="line_patter" type="text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Segment_count <input name="line_seg" id="line_seg" type="text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Begin Arrow <input name="line_beginarrow" id="line_beginarrow" type="checkbox" value="True" /> End Arrow <input name="line_endarrow" id="line_endarrow" type="checkbox" value="True" /> Arrows Every <input name="line_arrowint" id="line_arrowint" type="text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Font (CSS) <input name="line_font" id="line_font" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Text Every <input name="line_textint" id="line_textint" type="text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Text fgstyle_color <input name="line_txtfgcolor" id="line_txtfgcolor" type="Text" size="25" value="Hex Value" /> Text fgstyle_weight <input name="line_txtfgweight" id="line_txtfgweight" type="Text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Text fgstyle_opacity <input name="line_txtfgop" id="line_txtfgop" type="Text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Text fgstyle_zindex <input name="line_txtfgzi" id="line_txtfgzi" type="Text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Text bgstyle_color <input name="line_txtbgcolor" id="line_txtbgcolor" type="Text" size="25" value="Hex Value" /> Text bgstyle_weight <input name="line_txtbgweight" id="line_txtbgweight" type="Text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Text bgstyle_opacity <input name="line_txtbgop" id="line_txtbgop" type="Text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Text bgstyle_zindex <input name="line_txtbgzi" id="line_txtbgzi" type="Text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Polygon ToolsPolygonName <input name="poly_name" id="poly_name" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Type<select name="poly_type" id="poly_type"><option>Polygon</option><option>Circle</option></select> Points Data <textarea name="poly_data" id="poly_data" cols="30" rows="2">An Array</textarea> Center <input name="poly_center" id="poly_center" type="Text" size="25" value="A Lat/Lon Array" /> Radius <input name="poly_radius" id="poly_radius" type="Text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Border Style<select name="poly_borderstyle" id="poly_borderstyle"><option>Custom 1</option><option>Custom 2</option></select> (this is a polyline style) Style<select name="poly_style" id="poly_style"><option>Custom 1</option><option>Custom 2</option></select> (this is a polygon style) Border Text <input name="poly_bordertext" id="poly_bordertext" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> zIndex <input name="poly_zi" id="poly_zi" type="text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Polygon StyleName <input name="poly_styname" id="poly_styname" type="text" size="25" value="Some Value" /> Color <input name="poly_color" id="poly_color" type="text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Weight <input name="poly_weight" id="poly_weight" type="text" size="25" value="A Number" /> Opacity <input name="poly_op" id="poly_op" type="text" size="25" value="A Number" /> <input type="submit" name="polysubmit" value="Submit" /></form> | SummaryThis package makes including and using Google Maps on your bitweaver site a snap! You can create maps, markers, polylines, and other information with just a little pointing and clicking - no Google Maps API knowledge required! It also provides a service to other packages, to make it easy to add location data to other content. The Gmap Package also provides a universal map for viewing any of such geo-located bitweaver content on your site, so if you tag a page or article with a location you can search for that content by location and view it on a map.Core Features:Gmap Map BuilderCreating Custom Google Maps with Custom Markers, Polylines, Polygons, and other featuresGmap Mapping ServiceLets other packages integrate Google Maps into their features without having to do any map development. One example use that is already integrated is Google Maps can be used for easily attaching geo location data to any bitweaver cms content. Admins can select which content types can be mapped. A Small Map and Permalinks to the Gmap Content Browser can also be included on content pages for easy viewing of where a content item is on a map.Gmap Content BrowserA universal map interface for searching for bitweaver geo located content (like pages, articles, users) and viewing it on the map.Install InstructionsDependenciesThe R2 version of the GmapPackage is dependent on the GeoPackage. All location date, lat/lng pairs, are being managed by the GeoPackage service. You MUST also install the GeoPackage if you want to use GmapPackage.For strict security enforcement in Gmap package you should also install LibertySecurePackage. Gmap has options for making maps and map components private. To strictly enforce those settings in all access points, particularly lists, then you will need LibertySecure. You can run Gmap without LibertySecure, but "private" content will be displayed in lists. ConfigurationYou must obtain a Google Map API Key for your site.To use the package you need a key from Google. You can sign up for a key here - it is quick and painless and best of all, Free. After you install the package and have your key, you can plugin your key value for your site in the Gmap admin preferences, which you can get to by going to http://yourbitweaversite/kernel/admin/. Or if you just point your browser to the gmap/ directory, while logged in as admin, you will get prompts how to do this. For non-required additional configuration tips see: GmapPackage Configuration Tips Get The CodeYou can get the latest version of the package by getting module _bit_gmap from bitweaver CVS.Development RoadmapBugs
Next Steps
Custom HistoryHistory features would be for recording changes to gmap package specific data as well as displaying liberty history data.
Final Beta Prep
Extended Features DescriptionMany basic Google Map features are now fully supported and editable via a AJAX UI. Also 600+ free custom icon images, as originally listed here are also included with the package. Additionally, Marker infoWindow text can utilizes whatever text syntaxes your site supports. With all these features you can create great looking maps without writing a single line of javascript. And with its "Sets Model", the Gmap Package makes it easy to re-use map components, like marker styles, custom icons, polylines, etc, over and over on multiple maps, i.e. create once, use infinitely. More about the "Sets Model" is below.The features of the package are supplemented by a bleeding edge AJAX editing interface. Almost all features of the map can be updated live, without a browser refresh. About the AJAX Editing UIThe Gmap Package has a very robust AJAX based editing interface for live updating of map features. The editing UI and related AJAX transaction methods use the Mochkit library.Sets Model FrameworkThe GmapPackage uses a sets model for associating markers, markericons, maptypes, polylines, polygons, and their styles with maps.Through the use of various keychains, each object may be associated with many maps, many sets of obejcts, and many styles. Each map has a key chain which associates it with sets of markers, maptypes, polylines, and polygons. Marker Sets, Polyline Sets, and Polygon Sets in turn each have individual objects as well as styles with which they are associated. The reason for this is multifold. One advantage of this sets model is it makes it easier to share individual markers, polyline, and polygons with various maps and sets of each object. For example a marker can be in any number of sets, and those sets can be on any number of maps. This makes it much easier to share content across multiple maps. This could be especially value where say you might want to mash up particular information like restaurants, or art events with something universal like subway stops. Once you create a set of subway stops, then you could reuse that on multple maps mixing it with other data. The other advantage is that styles can be divorced from content. This is both valuable for customizing the look and feel of the same map data on a map by map basis, as well as optimizing the database and lightening page weight. Each set contains a reference to a style. If a new look and feel is desired for a set of markers, that set only need be duplicated and a new style assigned. However none of the actual marker or polyline or polygon data is duplicated, only the reference to that data. This thus reduces redundancy while following in the W3C ideal of seperating data from style. This use of sets also makes for lighter db queries and page weight. For each style used that style is only delivered to the client once, each object in a set then references that one style. This is faster and more efficient than packaging style information with each object...especially as one starts to use tens to hundreds of like styled objects on one map. References
|