Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Cartography, maps, navigation, GPS and more.
User avatar
aiwetir
Posts: 600
Joined: December 10th, 2014, 11:54 am
Contact:

Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by aiwetir » May 11th, 2018, 9:43 am

So were you squeaking in for free up until now?

I've been tossing around the idea of running my own TMS for a while but I'm a bit afraid of the cost even on AWS.
- Michael

Joseph Elfelt
Posts: 157
Joined: September 3rd, 2010, 10:24 am
Contact:

Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by Joseph Elfelt » May 11th, 2018, 10:05 am

Everybody was "squeaking in for free" up to 25,000 Google map API downloads/day.

User avatar
Bosterson
Posts: 2317
Joined: May 18th, 2009, 3:17 pm
Location: Portland

Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by Bosterson » May 11th, 2018, 12:01 pm

Wow, that's a huge bummer. The Google Terrain API uses LIDAR data and has so much more detail than USGS/USFS topo maps. Why is Google suddenly reducing free use? They can't possibly "need" the money... :(
#pnw #bestlife #bitingflies #favoriteyellowcap #neverdispleased

User avatar
aiwetir
Posts: 600
Joined: December 10th, 2014, 11:54 am
Contact:

Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by aiwetir » May 11th, 2018, 1:55 pm

So I hinted at running my own TMS server and the point of this is that there aren't really any good national lidar based contour/hillshade maps out there. This is something that I want to create. Essentially the best maps for SAR, hiking, field work.

Anyone in? We just need a bunch of servers and a steep learning curve.
- Michael

Joseph Elfelt
Posts: 157
Joined: September 3rd, 2010, 10:24 am
Contact:

Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by Joseph Elfelt » May 11th, 2018, 2:04 pm

aiwetir wrote:
May 11th, 2018, 1:55 pm
So I hinted at running my own TMS server and the point of this is that there aren't really any good national lidar based contour/hillshade maps out there. This is something that I want to create. Essentially the best maps for SAR, hiking, field work.

Anyone in? We just need a bunch of servers and a steep learning curve.
Have you seen CalTopo hillshading?
Actually you can see that data with Gmap4.
Simply turn on the "t4 CalTopop hi-res" basemap and then click Menu ==> "t4 CalTopo hill shading".

Also, I am curious why you think Google is using lidar. My understanding is that 3DEP (aka lidar) does not cover all the USA yet. See
https://nationalmap.gov/elevation.html

User avatar
Bosterson
Posts: 2317
Joined: May 18th, 2009, 3:17 pm
Location: Portland

Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by Bosterson » May 11th, 2018, 3:07 pm

Joseph Elfelt wrote:
May 11th, 2018, 2:04 pm
Also, I am curious why you think Google is using lidar. My understanding is that 3DEP (aka lidar) does not cover all the USA yet.
I've assumed they are where available. Check out S Washington right across the Columbia River. The finely detailed Google Terrain map abruptly changes to a generic topo curve as you move north. Northern Oregon's Terrain map has fantastic detail - I assume because of LIDAR.
#pnw #bestlife #bitingflies #favoriteyellowcap #neverdispleased

User avatar
adamschneider
Posts: 3710
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: SE Portland
Contact:

Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by adamschneider » May 11th, 2018, 10:09 pm

Joseph, I'm in the same boat with GPS Visualizer. Until/unless I can get up and running with Leaflet, one thing I'm going to do is let people supply their own Google Maps API Key. You might try something similar with Gmap4.

User avatar
aiwetir
Posts: 600
Joined: December 10th, 2014, 11:54 am
Contact:

Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by aiwetir » May 12th, 2018, 1:58 am

Google Terrain uses lidar where available and I'm not sure what they use where it's not lidar but it's probably USGS 10m DEM.

The Cal-Topo hillshade isn't what I'm looking for. I'm looking for lidar resolution, something authoritative that you can use for reference in the field, not just something that people can use to figure out if that's a peak or depression.

Won't you guys still need basemaps or a server with Leaflet? What's the plan there?
- Michael

Joseph Elfelt
Posts: 157
Joined: September 3rd, 2010, 10:24 am
Contact:

Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by Joseph Elfelt » May 12th, 2018, 3:22 am

aiwetir wrote:
May 12th, 2018, 1:58 am
Won't you guys still need basemaps or a server with Leaflet? What's the plan there?
Gmap4 uses 3 things from Google:
1. Their 4 basemaps. Street, terrain, aerial with no labels and aerial with labels
2. Geocoding. This runs the Gmap4 search feature
3. Directions.

The feds have a decent enough seamless street basemap. This is part of "The National Map" (TNM). Curiously, all the TNM basemaps are offline this morning.

Matt Jacobs (CalTopo developer) has generously allowed me to display his topo map tiles.

The main problem I see for basemaps is aerials. TNM includes seamless NAIP aerials. These are OK unless you want to zoom in a bunch. The good news is that Gmap4 already has a bunch of code that lets it display data that is hosted on GIS servers. Many states host their own aerial photos and TNM has a layer I can add that displays street names.

As for leaflet, I would host that open source API on my own server.

User avatar
RobFromRedland
Posts: 1094
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: Gmap4 - Enhanced Google Map viewer with topographic maps

Post by RobFromRedland » May 15th, 2018, 7:16 am

adamschneider wrote:
May 11th, 2018, 10:09 pm
Joseph, I'm in the same boat with GPS Visualizer. Until/unless I can get up and running with Leaflet, one thing I'm going to do is let people supply their own Google Maps API Key. You might try something similar with Gmap4.
That was my thought as well. If there was a way to specify a user key in the calls, then it would continue to work. I was afraid of this when I got the notice about the upcoming changes. This is why I hate relying on 3rd party stuff. The only thing you can count on is it changing (and/or going away).

Joseph, I really appreciate all you have done with gMap4. I hope you can find a way to continue to make it work.
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: WOW! What a ride! - Hunter S. Thompson

Post Reply