[Xerte] Google Maps KML problem

Tue Mar 10 09:56:25 GMT 2009

Hi,

I have a dilemna here I’d like the community’s input on. 

I spent yesterday investigating some of these problems with google maps and kml and discovered the component we use is no longer supported by the people who wrote it, as google have released their own maps API for Flash. From what I can tell, google are insisting that their API is the only permitted method to access their mapping data. The problem is, it is only available as an AS3.0 version, and so I can’t integrate it into toolkits in the same way as the current component.

I don’t really want to try and support an unsupported component, and think we should probably not continue to use it in toolkits – so, what to do?

Options:

-          Do nothing. Keep using the current solution and cross our fingers.

-          Yahoo make an AS2.0 component for their mapping that I could use, but it is also no longer supported by Yahoo. However, it is probably a better solution than the existing one in that the component will probably continue to work for some time. The drawback with the Yahoo solution is, basically, I think people like google maps, and it doesn’t support kml. Rather it supports something called geoRSS for overalying data onto your maps. I couldn’t get it to work yesterday when I tried with geoRSS from a google map.

-          Open a new window from Xerte with the map in it. So perhaps we have a clickable static map, that when clicked throws open a new window with the interactive map in it. This window could directly contain a maps.google.com map – you create a map at mymaps, and use the link as the url for the clickable static map. The popup window contains the map itself.

-          Create an AS3.0 solution for the new window. This is basically the same as the last one, but we would have control over the sort of functionality the swf performed – i.e. nice looking interface, layers you can toggle on and off, etc. This would take the most time.

I’d like to keep support for some sort of mapping solution because I think it is sufficiently useful / interesting. I also don’t want to re-create complex mapping tools for creating / annotating maps. I think google maps is where the momentum is, and is my preferred option I think. I’d like to settle on a  solution before we release v1.0 of toolkits, which is quite close now,

What do you think?

J

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Tyler Clair
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2009 8:12 PM
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: Re: [Xerte] Google Maps KML problem

I have the newest version (2.5). I followed the directions Julian gave me and still nothing. They were a little different like having to go to insert > misc > google map but i don't see how that would be a problem.

I have been looking at the actual KML files and they are completely different. I took the Google Map KML and imported it into Google Earth then exported one of the placemarkers and I noticed that there is not any Lat or Lon references just coordinates:

Created in Google Earth
        <Placemark>
            <name>W Wisconsin Ave &amp; N Plankinton Ave</name>
            <LookAt>
                <longitude>-87.91060997694737</longitude>
                <latitude>43.03866589851576</latitude>
                <altitude>0</altitude>
                <range>182.6580423814871</range>
                <tilt>0</tilt>
                <heading>0.04980345284858622</heading>
                <altitudeMode>relativeToGround</altitudeMode>
            </LookAt>
            <styleUrl>#msn_palette-30</styleUrl>
            <Point>
                <coordinates>-87.91058050017033,43.03879047695281,0</coordinates>
            </Point>
        </Placemark>

Created in Google Maps imported to Google Earth then exported as KML:

<Placemark>
        <name>W Wisconsin Ave &amp; N Plankinton Ave</name>
        <description>Originaly Grand Ave and West Water St.
Detective Peter Schmidt and Detective William McManus apprehended Frank and Oscar on the corner of Grand Ave. and West Water St. Frank almost killed McManus but his gun misfired and was wrestled to the ground.</description>
        <styleUrl>#sn_blue-dot</styleUrl>
        <Point>
            <coordinates>-87.91120100000001,43.038757,0</coordinates>
        </Point>
    </Placemark>
The KML file from Google maps just links to the map and doesn't contain any data.
I have tried this on several computers with the newest version of Xerte and still no luck, I can take the KML file contents and paste it into this site: Display KML on a Google Map <http://display-kml.appspot.com/>  and they display fine.

I have attached the xterte project if you would like to look at it as well.

If I recreate the map in Google Earth everything displays just fine, its just very odd to me that it works straight from Google maps for Julian but not for me. is there a setting I'm missing?

Thanks,
Tyler

On Fri, Mar 6, 2009 at 1:29 AM, Julian Tenney <Julian.Tenney at nottingham.ac.uk> wrote:

Each of those examples contains a single point, somewhere in Milwaukee.

Both of them work for me. So we know we’re all running the same code, can you install the latest Xerte and then follow these steps:

Open Xerte

Templates -> Page Templates

Insert -> Google Map

Add new KML layer

Browse for and select the KML file – either of the ones you sent work

Run the piece

Navigate in the map so you can see Milwaukee.

It works?

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk [mailto:xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Tyler Clair
Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 11:34 PM
To: Xerte discussion list
Subject: Re: [Xerte] Google Maps KML problem

Hi Patrick,

I've attached the two files.

I hope this doesn't scrub the attachments.

Thank you so much! Ive been playing around with this for about a day and a half and I and the hand full of instructors I have showed this to are very impressed and excited with the features.

On Thu, Mar 5, 2009 at 4:05 PM, Patrick Lockley <Patrick.Lockley at nottingham.ac.uk> wrote:

Hi Tyler, 

Could you send the KML layers? Or let us know where we could find them?

Cheers

Pat

________________________________

From: xerte-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk on behalf of Tyler Clair
Sent: Thu 05/03/2009 22:48
To: Xerte List
Subject: [Xerte] Google Maps KML problem

Hello,

I have been trying to create a google map page by using a KML file from a google map I created. If I create a map in Google Earth the KML file displays just fine but if I get the KML file from google maps nothing shows up. I have even tried taking the KML file and importing it into Google Earth then saving it as a different KML file but still nothing gets displayed. I just dont understand why it would be different.

Thanks,

Tyler

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