Add an interactive topographic map (+GPS data) to your post

[Joseph]

Quite painful but I just cleared my cache and it works!

Glad you got it working.

I'll update the Gmap4 documentation to point out that in order to use the new 'Earth' map view, the Google Earth browser plug-in must be installed.

[ibenick]

The only way I was able to get the gmaps to work on my mac, in any browser, cache cleared or not, was by installing the google earth plugin. So its required to use the maps at all or just for the 'earth' map view? I love those gmaps but I'll have to go back to plain old google maps with an optional link to the gmap if thats the case. Don't want to have my website appear broken to people who haven't installed the google earth plugin.

[Joseph]

The only way I was able to get the gmaps to work on my mac, in any browser, cache cleared or not, was by installing the google earth plugin. So its required to use the maps at all or just for the 'earth' map view? I love those gmaps but I'll have to go back to plain old google maps with an optional link to the gmap if thats the case. Don't want to have my website appear broken to people who haven't installed the google earth plugin.

I agree with you. This problem obviously took me by surprise. Here's the plan.

1. I'm in the process of tweaking Gmap4 so everything will work fine as long as the user does not try to look at the Earth view.
2. I will update all my docs, including the message that appears on the screen when the user clicks Earth
3. The prior version of Gmap4 is here: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4_2_1_1.php

[ibenick]

Awesome, Joseph. I'm going to put a link giving you credit for gmap4 under each map in my TR's from now on. Great work you do.

[Udink]

Great work you do.

I'm totally in agreement. I need to start using this on my website as well. Awesome work, man.

[Joseph]

Thanks for the kind words.

I'm working on wrapping my brain around this.
If anyone here is having trouble with the production version of Gmap4 (http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php)
and has not installed the Google Earth browser plug-in, then please see if you can open the following map.
This is a tweaked version of Gmap4.

http://www.mappingsupport.com/test_g...Ridge.gpx&t=t2

[Udink]

Thanks for the kind words.

I'm working on wrapping my brain around this.
If anyone here is having trouble with the production version of Gmap4 (http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php)
and has not installed the Google Earth browser plug-in, then please see if you can open the following map.
This is a tweaked version of Gmap4.

http://www.mappingsupport.com/test_g...Ridge.gpx&t=t2

I don't know how helpful this is, but I can open this map and see the red tracklog using Google Earth plugin version 5.1.7894.7252.

[Joseph]

After the September 12th update to Gmap4 I heard from a handful of people that this new version gave them a blank screen and nothing else. For most people the new version worked fine but for an unfortunate few it did not. I want to thank those that spoke up. After all, when things work fine for me, I have no way of knowing that they do not work fine for you unless you tell me. The best way to reach me is to e-mail through my contact page: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4_contact.html

Late today I updated the Gmap4 code. If you click Menu ==> About then you will see the date September 14, 2011 (or later).

If you are still having trouble viewing maps with Gmap4, then I have a favor to ask. In addition to updating the code I also put together a short list of easy things that you can try to get the latest version of Gmap4 working on your system. Here’s the favor: Please download the latest copy (dated September 14, 2011) of the ‘Help’ file (http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4_help.pdf) and search that file for ‘tips on flying’. Near the end of that section you will see a heading that starts “Background...”. That section gives you a peek under the hood and suggests several easy/quick things you can do to try and get the current version of Gmap4 working on your system.

Some of those suggestions have worked for others, so I hope if you are having problems that you take a few minutes and give them a try. And if nothing else works, then the last suggestion gives you a link to the prior version of Gmap4 which does not include the new ‘Earth’ feature which seems to be the source of most of the problems.

But since being able to fly over your GPS track (or any other data file) in 3D is easily the coolest feature in Gmap4, I most certainly hope you are able to convince your system to run the current version of Gmap4 so you can waste as much time as I have flying here and there. It’s addictive but - hey - you’ve been warned.

[Joseph]

Gmap4 has been updated to version 2.1.6 dated September 17, 2011.
Homepage: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.html

Reminder: Since Gmap4 lives in the cloud (1) you never have to download or install Gmap4 and (2) you are always automatically using the latest version of the code. But if Gmap4 does not seem to work then please clear your browser’s cache and try again. To see the Gmap4 version number you can click Menu ==> About on any map.

This update fixes the ‘blank screen’ problem that some users experienced after the September 12th update. If you experienced that problem, then please try Gmap4 again.

In order to use the new 3D ‘Earth’ view, your computer system needs to have the Google Earth browser plug-in installed. The Gmap4 code now checks to see if your system already has this plug-in installed. If your computer system does not have this plug-in installed, then you will see a message telling you that and a link to Google where you can download the plug-in if you decide to install it. If you decide to install the plug-in, please follow the instructions in that message. You need a broadband connection and a reasonably modern computer to use the 3D ‘Earth’ view.

If you decide to not install the plug-in, simply close the message window. You can continue using all the other features of Gmap4 except the ‘Earth’ view.

[ibenick]

@Joseph, a couple of questions. I've noticed that the latest version of gmap doesn't zoom the map out to show the entire tracks but rather one or steps in. Is there a way to set the zoom level? A good example of it defaulting to one zoom level too many can be found here: http://backcountrypost.com/?p=1189. Also, it seems to be converting the icons in my latest map from the ones I've set to plain old blue google markers. Any ideas? See this TR map for example: http://backcountrypost.com/?p=1218 compared to the actual google map below:

See how to embed Google Maps in your posts

Viewing on a mobile device? Click this link to open the map: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=214533597045798101523.0004acdd42f071dfed5a7&msa=0&ll=40.671785,-110.839691&spn=0.160924,0.166683

[Joseph]

I looked at the source code for http://backcountrypost.com/?p=1189
Both of your Gmap4 links specify &z=14.
Gmap4 used zoom level 14 because you told it to.
Simply delete &z=14 and Gmap4 should automatically set the right zoom such that the map is as detailed as possible but still holds all your data.
Use this link:
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap...ba6cf33da&t=t2

Regarding the markers, here's some background.
When you make a Google mymap and save it, google actually saves your map as kml file.
You can download Google's kml file via this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=...a6cf33da&msa=0&output=kml

IMHO, that kml file is not well-drafted.

You can gain much better control over your maps if you look at the appendix to the Gmap4 Help file: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4_help.pdf
That appendix and the examples in it will teach you how to build your own KML files.
Consider using this workflow:
1. Build your map as a Google MyMap
2. Download that mymap from Google as a KML file
3. Use one of the sample KML files in the appendix and paste your data over mine
4. Copy the track coords from Google's KML file and paste them into your KML file
5. Copy the coords for each marker from Google's KML file and paste them into your KML file.

Just follow the KML examples in the appendix and you will quickly learn how to whip out KML files.

Then put your KML files online and display them with Gmap4.

[ibenick]

Thanks, Joseph. I didn't realize the zoom level was also in the URL. The markers changing still doesn't make much sense though. It seems a lot easier to me to just make my very simple map in Google Maps and then paste the MSID into the gmap URL. It's not like I'm doing anything complicated, just dropping a couple of markers. And I really don't understand why the markers on all of my old maps are still showing as they indicate on Google Maps but all new maps convert to plain blue markers in GMap.

[Joseph]

I just made a new MyMap.
I added one 'tent' icon.
I saved the map, got the msid and looked at it with Gmap4 and I saw....google's default blue paddle.

Conclusion: Google broke something at their end.

See last post in this thread for a suggested fix.
http://www.google.com/support/forum/...768eb061&hl=en

Here are a whole pile of icons you can copy:
This page shows many symbols that Google is hosting:
http://hohonuuli.blogspot.com/2007/0...z-letters.html

Also you might post here. Maybe there are other solutions:
http://www.google.com/support/forum/...3acfcc52&hl=en

[Joseph]

Gmap4 has been updated to version 2.2. The full list of changes is posted on the Gmap4

[accadacca]

I am getting broken maps? http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthre...9-to-your-post

http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthre...id=Trip_Report

[Joseph]

It looks like the Bogley site has changed how it works under the hood when you try to add iframe tags in your post. That bogley change has broken Gmap4.

To put a link (such as a Gmap4 URL) in an iframe you hi-light the link and then click the button that is a red paddle with the little diskette image.

Bogley does produce an iframe and does launch Gmap4.

Problem: Bogly adds an extra URL parameter to the end of the Gmap4 URL (&output=embed). That extra URL parameter breaks Gmap4.

[Joseph]

I realized what happened. Earlier this month I updated the Gmap4 production code. One of the new things I added is stronger internet security.

As part of those improved security features the current version of the production code will display an error message if the Gmap4 URL includes a parameter that Gmap4 does not recognize. Earlier versions of the production code did not generate that error message.

That is the reason why Gmap4 used to work OK in iframes on Bogley but no longer does so.

What now?
Any chance Bogley could stop adding that unwanted parameter to the Gmap4 links?

[Sombeech]

It looks like the Bogley site has changed how it works under the hood when you try to add iframe tags in your post. That bogley change has broken Gmap4.

Sorry, we haven't made any changes with this, iframes, templates, or Google code. Is it possible that the changes are on Google's end?

[Joseph]

If I take this URL:
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?t=h
and wrap it in your SAVEDMAP tags then some piece of code somewhere adds "&output=embed" to the Gmap4 URL.
That unwanted URL parameter causes Gmap4 to produce an error message.

Only happens on Bogley.

Gmap4 runs fine in iframes on various other forums.

[Sombeech]

If I take this URL:
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?t=h
and wrap it in your SAVEDMAP tags then some piece of code somewhere adds "&output=embed" to the Gmap4 URL.
That unwanted URL parameter causes Gmap4 to produce an error message.

Only happens on Bogley.

Gmap4 runs fine in iframes on various other forums.

The other forums are most likely using a different version of the Google Map embed. Can you link to another example forum for reference? Are they using a straight iframe from Google Maps? Ours isn't quite that simple, just a security precaution. There are ways to embed malicious sources in the simpler iframes, then everybody viewing the page(s) is vulnerable.

But that being said, our Google Map embed code hasn't been touched by us since it was first implemented here. So it's either a conflict that has always existed or Google must have changed something.