Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Cartography, maps, navigation, GPS and more.
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Joseph Elfelt
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Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by Joseph Elfelt » May 7th, 2012, 8:01 am

Later today (unless something blows up) I will push the following beta code into production.
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/beta/gmap4_507_beta.php

1. The low-res 't3' maps are back
2. There are phone-friendly buttons
3. The 'My location' feature has been overhauled

I have a favor to ask.

If you have a smartphone, iPod or Blackberry and can spare a couple of minutes, I would enjoy hearing whether the buttons and 'My location' feature seem to work OK.

Joseph

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jdemott
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Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by jdemott » May 7th, 2012, 3:52 pm

Hi Joseph,

I just did a very quick trial on both an iPhone 4S and iPad3, with Safari in both cases. On the iPad, gmap4 opens normally and there don't seem to be any buttons--menu choices seem to work fine but the text on the menu is a bit small for easy selection with my clumsy fingers. On the phone, there are "buttons" (large text menu choices) that seem to work okay. I didn't try them all, but those I tried seem fine. My Location failed on the first try but worked the second time--I was indoors so it was likely a poor signal. It would definitely help to have a button or something a bit larger for the first step of Start gmap4--if I didn't know where it was I probably wouldn't have found it. Hope this helps. Thanks for making gmap4 available.

Joseph Elfelt
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Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by Joseph Elfelt » May 7th, 2012, 7:30 pm

John - Thanks much for the info! I do not have access to an actual iPhone so I am relieved to hear that it appears to work OK on yours.

The phone-friendly buttons appear automatically only on phones, iPods and Blackberries.

The phone-friendly buttons do not automatically display on iPads and similar devices. You can turn those buttons on by starting Gmap4 with the screen=phone URL parameter. For example, if you save the following URL as a bookmark in your iPad's browser, then you can use that bookmark to start Gmap4 with the phone buttons turned on:
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?screen=phone

Joseph Elfelt
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Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by Joseph Elfelt » March 22nd, 2013, 2:35 pm

Recently Gmap4 was updated to version 4.1 and now includes a unique map-in-a-link feature that is worth mentioning. Anyone can now make a custom map and save their data right in a Gmap4 link. You do not need to save your data in a separate file such as a GPX or KML file. This may be the easiest and faster way for you to make a custom online topographic map.

To try out this feature:
1. Click Menu ==> Draw and Save
2. Click the map a few times to set draggable symbols and draw a line
3. Rightclick any symbol and select “Gmap4 display long link”

You can copy the link that is displayed, paste it into a new browser address bar, hit enter and your custom map will be displayed.

This feature also works on your iPhone, iPad, android and other mobile device. Remember, Gmap4 is a browser app and your browser has to be online. After you tap the screen to set some draggable symbols then tap a symbol and select “Action Menu”. The list of actions include two different ways to save a Gmap4 link that includes your data.

More information on this map-in-a-link feature can be found in the following three places.

1. What’s new page
Note the tip about deleting the ll and z parameters from your Gmap4 link.
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4_whats_new.html

2. Example page
Scroll down to the section titled “Your map data saved in the Gmap4 link”. The examples range from basic to advanced and give you a quick way to see some of the kinds of maps you can make with this feature.
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4_examples.html

3. Help file
You can download the PDF file and search it (control-f) for the section titled “Make a custom map with Gmap4 and save it”.
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4_help.pdf

Joseph, the Gmap4 guy
Redmond, WA

raven
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Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by raven » March 22nd, 2013, 5:02 pm

Joseph, great feature. I suggest that you find a way to allow the numbered line points to be a subset of the points used to define the track. I experimented with a route up a ridge, and following the ridge required far more points than I would have wanted to discuss or clutter a map with.

I found a hiccup in selecting the new map link. I used a Macbook Air, and when I right clicked -- that is, on the mba two-finger clicked -- both the map r-click menu popped up and the browser r-click menu (in this case Firefox). When I then left clicked on a neutral part of the page the browser menu disappeared leaving the Gmap right-click menu. I was then able to select the Gmap4 long display link, but I suspect some users may be confused. Perhaps a note in the instructions would help.

Joseph Elfelt
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Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by Joseph Elfelt » March 22nd, 2013, 8:33 pm

Thanks for the kind words.

Sometime in the future I will likely add another menu to help users further craft the Gmap4 link after clicking the map.

Edit: I deleted the rest of this post since that information is now out of date given the features in Gmap4 version 4.2 as described in the following post.

Joseph, the Gmap4 guy
Last edited by Joseph Elfelt on April 2nd, 2013, 8:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Joseph Elfelt
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Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by Joseph Elfelt » April 2nd, 2013, 7:06 pm

raven wrote:Joseph, great feature. I suggest that you find a way to allow the numbered line points to be a subset of the points used to define the track. I experimented with a route up a ridge, and following the ridge required far more points than I would have wanted to discuss or clutter a map with.

I found a hiccup in selecting the new map link. I used a Macbook Air, and when I right clicked -- that is, on the mba two-finger clicked -- both the map r-click menu popped up and the browser r-click menu (in this case Firefox). When I then left clicked on a neutral part of the page the browser menu disappeared leaving the Gmap right-click menu. I was then able to select the Gmap4 long display link, but I suspect some users may be confused. Perhaps a note in the instructions would help.
Raven, thanks for the insight. Now that I have thought about it some more, your post describes how the new map-in-a-link feature should have worked in the first place.

Earlier today I upgraded Gmap4 to version 4.2. The only changes were to the Menu ==> Draw and Save feature.

There is some new documentation on the What’s New page.
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4_whats_new.html

There is also some additional text on the Example’s page. Scroll down to the section titled "Your map data saved in the Gmap4 link".

Let’s assume you want to make a map that has around 15 points showing a route and 3 of those points should be waypoints with a symbol on the map that can be clicked to display a balloon with some information. Here is the recommended recipe:

1. Click Menu ==> "Draw and Save"
2. Click “Continue” to accept the default. Each click on the map will make a linepoint
3. Click the map to draw a line along the route. The symbols are draggable. These circle symbols will not appear on the final map.
4. Rightclick each symbol that you want to make into a waypoint. Select “Edit”. Give the waypoint a meaningful name and maybe a comment. Save.
5. Rightclick any symbol and select "Gmap4 link - With description".

“With description” means someone viewing your map can click any waypoint symbol and a balloon will appear. If you did not enter your own description (i.e. comment) for a waypoint then by default the balloon will display the waypoint name (default is a sequential number) and the waypoint latitude longitude.

Copy that link and paste it into a new browser address bar. Your map will appear.

Of course you can also edit that link as shown on the Gmap4 examples page and the other documentation.

One use for this map-in-a-link feature is to make a map of where you plan to park and hike. Leave that Gmap4 link with someone who can send it to the sheriff if you fail to return/call/text by an agreed upon deadline.

Cure for the hiccups: (This info has been added to the docs)
If you are using a touch screen then just tap a symbol - do not try to do any kind of touchscreen rightclick thingy. You will see a balloon with a button at the top that says “Action Menu”. Tap that button and you will see the same context menu that is produced on a desktop by a rightclick.

Joseph, the Gmap4 guy.

raven
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Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by raven » April 2nd, 2013, 11:04 pm

Joseph, I just tested the new version using a Macbook Air with Opera 12. It worked well. No glitches.

Let me suggest two low priority changes for eventual inclusion.

When a map was saved while displaying the perspective I wanted, showing the position of the route relative to a useful landmark, the reopened map was rescaled to the largest size that would fit the route saved, thereby losing the orientation to the landmark. I think the initial perspective is an important variable and that the intended map scale should be preserved.

Second, attempts to add a second route to the map failed. On the original map, prior to saving, the program wanted to continue the initial line. Saving map with one route followed opening the new map and adding a second route failed: when the enhanced map was saved and then opened, the initial line was gone and only the new one was present - with the map rescaled for the new line. The ability to show alternative routes on one map would be useful; maybe even with different line colors.

Keep up the good work.

Joseph Elfelt
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Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by Joseph Elfelt » April 3rd, 2013, 5:22 am

Thanks for checking out the new version. I added your suggestions to list of possible enhancements. I expect to get other suggestions as people play with the map-in-a-link feature. At some point I will consider implementing the popular requests.

Meanwhile, he is how you can do the two items you mentioned.
raven wrote:When a map was saved while displaying the perspective I wanted, showing the position of the route relative to a useful landmark, the reopened map was rescaled to the largest size that would fit the route saved, thereby losing the orientation to the landmark. I think the initial perspective is an important variable and that the intended map scale should be preserved.
By *not* including the ll and z parameter in the map-in-a-link, Gmap4 will automatically center and zoom the map so that all of the data is on the user's screen irrespective of the user's screen size.

Solution for now:
Enter the Gmap4 link you made in a new browser address bar. Your map opens. Adjust the map center and zoom to your liking. Click Menu ==> Link to this map. That link includes a ll and z parameter and therefore will have the orientation you want.

But keep in mind that if you share your Gmap4 link with others then people will likely be looking at your link with screen sizes from smartphones to desktops. If your link includes a z parameter then people with small screens will only see a small portion of your map compared to what a desktop user sees.
raven wrote:Second, attempts to add a second route to the map failed. On the original map, prior to saving, the program wanted to continue the initial line. Saving map with one route followed opening the new map and adding a second route failed: when the enhanced map was saved and then opened, the initial line was gone and only the new one was present - with the map rescaled for the new line. The ability to show alternative routes on one map would be useful; maybe even with different line colors.
Currently Gmap4 only lets you draw a single line.

Solution for now:
Draw both routes as one continuous line. Save the map-in-a-link. Edit the link by adding something like
line=off||line=on color=00ffff width=4||
in between the two routes.

See these before and after examples:
(I decided to not make these links clickable since they contain spaces and the software running this forum did not handle that well.)

http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?&t=t1&markers=line=on width=2 color=ff0000 linesymbol=off dash=off|| 44.619555,-101.3554|| 44.56161,-101.358833|| 44.622243,-101.279869|| 44.56161,-101.280556|| line=off

http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?&t=t1&markers=line=on width=2 color=ff0000 linesymbol=off dash=off|| 44.619555,-101.3554|| 44.56161,-101.358833||line=off||line=on color=00ffff width=4|| 44.622243,-101.279869|| 44.56161,-101.280556|| line=off

Finally, keep in mind that links should not contain more than 2,000 characters.

Joseph, the Gmap4 guy

raven
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Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by raven » April 4th, 2013, 9:14 pm

Thanks.

I had tested resizing and saving a map, but I did not know of the downside on smaller screens. Your current default seems to be the better approach.

Editing the URL to generate multiple tracks seems to be a painful option, but thanks for explaining how to do it.

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