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Re: Gmap4 - Google Maps+topographic. View KML,KMZ,GPX,TPO
Joseph #20107 12/04/11 08:12 PM
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Gmap4 has been updated to version 2.2. The full list of changes is posted on the Gmap4 "what's new" page (see hompage link below). Here are some highlights.

First, Gmap4 can add labels to Google maps. The labels are built from the waypoint names in your file. Your existing maps will work with this feature, except KMZ files are not yet supported. Labels can be styled with your own HTML and CSS. The following link displays a GPX file that is hosted at Topofusion and displays with labels turned on. http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?q=http://www.topofusion.com/GPX/BrianHead-Network.gpx&t=t2&label=on

To open Gmap4 with labels turned on, include this parameter in your Gmap4 URL: &label=on
To toggle the labels after a map is displayed click Menu ==> Label On/Off

You can style the labels with your own HTML and CSS. This label feature works with all the file formats that Gmap4 can read except KMZ files. Label support for KMZ files will be added in a future update.

Below is an example of a map I made with fancy labels. Note that (1) each label is clickable and (2) when you shift to an aerial map view then the labels acquire a solid background so the text does not disappear in shadows on the aerials. This map uses a delimited text file that is hosted at Google Sites.
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?q=https://sites.google.com/site/gmap4files/p/delimited/teanaway_peaks_delimited.txt&ll=47.421616,-120.876101&t=t2&z=13&label=on

Second, a number of features have been added to the delimited text file format that Gmap4 can display. The section of the Gmap4 Help file titled "Delimited text files - Some details" has been completely re-written and now starts with a series of example maps that will let you rapidly learn the basics. If you want the most control over your map, this is the file format to use.

Third, the internet security features of Gmap4 have been enhanced. If you look at a file that causes Gmap4 to display a security-related message on your screen and you think that message is a 'false positive', then please go to the Gmap4 contact page and send an email. Include the URL to the map (Menu ==> Show map URL) in your email.

Fourth, Gmap4 can now display files that include a '?' character in the URL for the file.

For more information please see the Gmap4 homepage: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.html

Enjoy!

Joseph, the Gmap4 guy

Re: Gmap4 - Google Maps+topographic. View KML,KMZ,GPX,TPO
Joseph #20330 12/22/11 08:56 AM
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The Gmap4 production code is now version 2.3. This is the first version that includes special features for smartphones and other mobile devices.

1. Gmap4 can now find your location on the map. This service will use some or all of:
* Your IP address
* Cell towers
* Wi-fi hotspots
* Any GPS chip in your phone or other mobile device

Simply open any map in your phone's browser and then select Menu ==> Findme. You can try this right now on your desktop/laptop just to see how it works. However, your desktop/laptop location will likely not be very accurate since in many cases only your IP address will be used.

You can also build Gmap4 URLs that will automatically run the Findme feature when the map opens. Simply include the parameter 'findme=on' in the Gmap4 URL.
Example: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?findme=on

Since Gmap4 uses the Google maps Application Programming Interface (API), this feature only works if your phone's browser is online to the internet.

Also, because Gmap4 is a web application, you do not need to download or install anything in order to use Gmap4 on your phone. To open Gmap4 on your phone:
A. Open your phone's browser. (Remember, that browser has to be online.)
B. Do a web search for Gmap4 - the first hit should be the Gmap4 homepage
C. Select the link just under the homepage title. That link opens Gmap4 and displays a map of the world.
D. Select Menu ==> Findme

Of course you can save the Gmap4 URL as a bookmark in your phone's browser.

Gmap4 does not save your location or report it to anyone. For more details, please search the Gmap4 Help file on 'mobile'.
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4_help.pdf

Here are two links with more information if you are curious how this works:
http://www.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/geolocation/
http://support.google.com/gmm/bin/answer...9894&src=cb

2. You can turn off the coordinates in the lower right corner

Turning off the coordinate display in the lower right will let you see more of the map. You can toggle that display by selecting Menu ==> UTM - LatLng - Off

To open Gmap4 with that display already off, include the parameter '&coord=off' in the Gmap4 URL
Example: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?findme=on&coord=off

3. Tweaking the mobile interface
Gmap4 is not a 'native' app for your phone. Instead, the exact same code that runs in the browser on your desktop/laptop also runs in the browser on your phone. Amazing! But this means my options for improving the interface when running on a phone are somewhat limited. What I can do fairly easily is add buttons. However, each button would cover part of the map.

Question: Are there any features of Gmap4 important enough that they should have their own buttons? One obvious candidate is the 'Findme' feature. Any others?

4. The MyTopo maps now display ads in one corner. That was not my idea!
For example, this map shows part of Yellowstone National Park:
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=44.461721,-110.832396&z=14&t=t2

The Trimble Company now owns the MyTopo maps. As the 'price' for being allowed to continue displaying the MyTopo maps at no cost, Gmap4 must display Trimble's ad images when the MyTopo maps are on the screen.

Joseph, the Gmap4 guy
Redmond, WA

Re: Gmap4 - Google Maps+topographic. View KML,KMZ,GPX,TPO
Joseph #20342 12/22/11 08:21 PM
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Sounds really slick, Joseph. Now, if I only had a "mobile device" that displayed maps. wink

I had to check out the new "MyTopo" ads. They're not too bad, except the "mytopo.com" text plastered all over the maps is sure excessive. But regardless, I hope they continue to make them available since they are the best on-line topographic maps that show trails.

I also see you have added an edit so if someone sticks an extra parameter at the end of a URL, your program pops up an error message. I have been using a parameter to identify an area so I can type that parameter in my browser's URL to quickly find that map. For example, in Firefox, I type in the URL: "xloc=Whitney", and the browser finds the full URL to your website with the map centered on Mt Whitney, (If I have set up and viewed such a URL in the past.) It would be cool if you could enable such a parameter -- one that would simply be ignored by your software.
Example: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.ph...mp;xloc=Whitney

Re: Gmap4 - Google Maps+topographic. View KML,KMZ,GPX,TPO
Steve C #20346 12/23/11 04:43 AM
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@Steve

Sorry I broke your system. As part of its increased security Gmap4 will now display an error message if there is any URL parameter that it does not recognize.

I am always open to the idea of adding additional URL parameters. But the name 'xloc' likely lacks intuitive meaning for most people. Also, any URL parameter should cause the map to do something

Hmmmm...

What about title=Mt_Whitney

You could search the Firefox history on Whitney.
And the Gmap4 code could (1) convert the underscore to a space and (2) display 'Mt Whitney' as a title on the map.

Re: Gmap4 - Google Maps+topographic. View KML,KMZ,GPX,TPO
Joseph #20394 12/25/11 10:27 PM
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Hmmmm...

What about title=Mt_Whitney

You could search the Firefox history on Whitney.
And the Gmap4 code could (1) convert the underscore to a space and (2) display 'Mt Whitney' as a title on the map.


Well, using a "title=..." is a little too generic -- there are many URLs containing that string. But I could set the first character of all my Gmap URLs to a special character, ex: title=~whitney and that would make it unique enough that typing "title=~" would bring up all gmap titles.

If you displayed the title, that would be ok, but not necessary. I am just looking for a quick way to find a URL with the mapping coordinates that I have used in the past.

Of course, I could set up a few bookmarks with the appropriate titles, too.

Re: Gmap4 - Google Maps+topographic. View KML,KMZ,GPX,TPO
Steve C #20396 12/26/11 03:35 AM
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I like the bookmark idea. That sounds like the typical way of keeping track of URLs that a person wants to revisit.

Re: Gmap4 - Google Maps+topographic. View KML,KMZ,GPX,TPO
Joseph #21090 01/29/12 01:19 PM
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The Gmap4 code has been updated to version 3.0. There are two new 'big' features that many people will find useful.

First, Gmap4 can now display a new set of very high resolution USA topographic maps that (1) are a better quality image than the MyTopo maps, (2) do not have heavy watermarks obscuring part of the map and (3) do not have any ads. The link below displays a basic map of the USA. Zoom in to your favorite area (or use the 'Search' feature) then open the menu in the upper right corner and select "t4 Topo High".
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=37.125286,-94.21875&t=m&z=4

You can also set the amount of hill shading you prefer to see on these new maps. Click Menu ==> Hill shading. And there is a new URL parameter (&hillshade=) you can use to set the hill shading in any Gmap4 URLs that you make.

A developer in California named Matt (http://CalTopo.com) produced these new topo map tiles from data he obtained from the USGS. Matt is paying out of his pocket to host these new map tiles on Amazon's cloud service. It is my great hope that the Gmap4 user community taken as a whole will be willing to make sufficient donations to pay its share of Matt's Amazon bill. The Menu button on the map has a 'donate' link.

Matt's high resolution topographic map tiles should cover the states show in green on the following index map. I think the states that are not done yet are FL, LA, MA, MS, NH, RI, SD, VT and WY.
http://nationalmap.gov/historical/index.html
As the USGS finishes high resolution scans (660 pixels per inch) for the remaining states, Matt will be processing that data into tiles.

The Gmap4 'Help' file has more information on these new maps and also instructions for how you can report any problems you discover.

Second, Gmap4 now includes a trip planning feature called "Make a map". You can now click the map to make waypoints, routes and tracks. You can download your work in a GPX file and then upload that information into many handheld GPS units. Of course you can also put your GPX file online and then make a Gmap4 URL to display your file. This feature works worldwide.

Gmap4's implementation of this feature lets you:
* Click once and create both a waypoint and routepoint
* Edit any data field (including GPS symbol name) that causes information to appear on your GPS screen

"Make a map" quick start:
1. Zoom in where you want to do trip planning
2. Set the map view you want
3. Click Menu ==> Make a map
4. Click a few spots on the map. Distance in miles and kilometers is reported in the lower right corner.
5. Right click any point
6. Click "Download GPX file"
7. Right click the URL to the GPX file and save it on your harddrive
8. Load the GPX information into your GPS

Each click you just made on the map sets a draggable (click-hold-drag) waypoint and routepoint. This is the Gmap4 default for trip planning.

For more information on these features, please visit the Gmap4 homepage and download the current Help file. The sections that describe these new features are marked "(New)" in the table of contents.
Gamp4 Homepage: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.html

I welcome your suggestions for improvements and any bug reports.

Enjoy!

Joseph, the Gmap4 guy

Re: Gmap4 - Google Maps+topographic. View KML,KMZ,GPX,TPO
Joseph #21099 01/30/12 08:29 AM
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Joseph,

that draw a map feature is something I have been waiting for. Now you can quickly show a route to others online even if you don't have an existing GPX file.

Sample drawn on the topo map with a few mouse clicks.


Quick question about the topo maps - since they are based on USGS data, I assume the copyright situation is the same (public domain)?


Re: Gmap4 - Google Maps+topographic. View KML,KMZ,GPX,TPO
Fishmonger #21101 01/30/12 09:11 AM
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Joseph, thanks so much for continuing to improve Gmap4. It sure is a good tool! And the availability of Matt's CalTopo maps is quite welcome, since MyTopo plastered their logo all over their online maps.

Fishmonger (and Joseph too, if you can do anything), that "Location Approx" of the Mt Whitney Mountaneer's Route is way off between Clyde Meadow and Iceberg Lake. I don't know how it ever showed up on the USGS maps, but people would get seriously in trouble if they followed it rather than looking up other maps.

Here's a link to Bob Rockwell's map, which is much closer to the actual route: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockwellb/2767178079/sizes/o/in/photostream/

BTW, I made a donation, and encourage others to do the same. A free on-line mapping tool is nice, and having something we can use to include maps within posts here really helps illustrate topics.

Re: Gmap4 - Google Maps+topographic. View KML,KMZ,GPX,TPO
Steve C #21102 01/30/12 10:33 AM
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Originally Posted By: Steve C

Fishmonger (and Joseph too, if you can do anything), that "Location Approx" of the Mt Whitney Mountaneer's Route is way off between Clyde Meadow and Iceberg Lake. I don't know how it ever showed up on the USGS maps, but people would get seriously in trouble if they followed it rather than looking up other maps.


yeah, it was just a quick doodle - proof of concept, following the trail indicated on the USGS topo map. Wasn't meant to send anybody up the mountain with these coordinates. I do have a proper gpx track somewhere on the hard drive, but can't find it right now.

Also - anyone attempting the Mountaineer's route who needs to rely on 36 waypoints they found on the internet posted by a character who calls himself Fishmonger really should stay home in the first place grin

The drawing function is useful to show basic directions without having to create a new map image file for every route discussion. I have many of those image files on my server, and some are rather large images and eihter too small or too large when loaded in a browser without additional zoom levels for context - example Clouds Rest JMT alternate route.

Re: Gmap4 - Google Maps+topographic. View KML,KMZ,GPX,TPO
Fishmonger #21105 01/30/12 02:54 PM
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Thanks for the kind words.

I am not an attorney, but that does not prevent me from excising my 1st amendment right to express an opinion. The PDF files that were produced by the USGS and which contain the hi-res scans are in the public domain.

Matt took that public domain data and did a pile of work to transform it into map tiles which programs like Gmap4 can display. In my view, Matt owns a copyright on his tiles. He is also paying out of his pocket to host them on Amazon so everyone can view them.

Keep in mind that all this is brand spanking new. Matt is still thinking through the details of how he is going to make these tiles available to others. I fully expect these tiles will show up in some phone apps and on other sites.

Bottom line - If you want to download the PDF files and do stuff with them, then you have already paid for them with your taxes. Goferit. But if you are thinking of doing a bunch of stuff with Matt's tiles, then I respectfully suggest you make a donation.

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