New Google Map Feature

[+Markwell]

I'm seeing that to.. it only occurs in IE when the browser is Maxed and you click on the name in the cache found list.

 

Not just when the browser is maxed. I run in restored windows to the full width of my screen but not maxed, and it happened anyway.

[+colin&daddy]

Re: Inset map on cache listing page

 

I have only taken a brief look at this new Google map feature, but my initial reaction is that this map is less helpful than the previous. I use the inset map as an at-a-glance guide to where the cache is located and found the previous incarnation quite useful, as it showed city names, freeways, streets, etc., and gave me an instant awareness of the general area and how I might get there. Then I would click a link to Google maps, or Mappoint to further refine my mapping needs. This new iteration not at all helpful to me in that regard as the default zoom level shows me nothing; I get a white road on a green background and have no idea where it is. Additionally, as a Mac user (the handicaps one has to struggle with) I find that it doesn't even display completely or redraw correctly on clicking.

So, although I have and do appreciate the continuing efforts to upgrade and fine tune the site, this latest development has been a step backwards for me. Anyone else have similar thoughts or experiences. Or suggestions how I can use/adapt to the new feature?

Thanks,

 

Roger

[+Raine]

My *ONLY* real complaint is the size of the map: 493x325 pixels. Surely the list of "found" caches could have been moved to below the map, or some other configuration of screen real estate, to allow for a larger window of map...

 

Very good info above

 

If you notice the right above the map and click it.. it will make the map taller.

 

-Raine

 

*edited to trip down the quotes*

Edited May 4, 2006 by raine

[+PDOP's]

I'm noticing a difference in the way the map page is rendered between IE and SeaMonkey(my preferred browser. In IE the map is about 3/4 of the page width while in SM it's half. I'd much rather see the larger map width in SeaMonkey but don't see a way to do this. The green +- icon at the top right of the map doesn't seem to have any effect in IE or SM.

[+Lignumaqua]

Just an FYI - Adblock in Firefox sees the cache list on the search page as an Ad and blanks it out.

 

Thanks

 

Mike

[+The Leprechauns]

But for a 50 mile journey from Pittsburgh to Wheeling, it rocks. I can pick up the caches near the exits and junctions, plus the Wheeling caches from a zoomed out view of the city, and have a bookmark list for a roadtrip ready in just a few minutes. I'd spend an equivalent amount of time sorting and filtering if I had downloaded the two pocket queries needed to get me to the same end result.

I hear you. I guess I am not as excited because I've been using ExpertGPS to do this from PQs for some time now; and my solution has the advantage that caches I've already found don't show up. But I agree that this method allows you to make a relatively quick bookmark list along a route.

Especially if you haven't found a lot of the caches, and/or you have a good memory to recognize found caches by their name, until Raine adds that functionality.

 

I wonder if you can set a PQ from a bookmark list to exclude caches you've already found? I ought to try that sometime...

Don't bother; I tried that a week or so ago when playing with this feature. When creating a PQ from a bookmark list, one is limited to specifying when it is to run, what address to send it to, and the file format. So I then tried previewing the query results and manually checking to see whether any found caches had accidentally strayed onto the bookmark list. Not very elegant.

 

::: goes and sits next to Fizzy at the bar, patiently awaiting the long-term REAL solution to caches along a route :::

::: Buys Lep a green beer. :::

::: picks up the next round :::

Edited May 4, 2006 by The Leprechauns

[+Markwell]

If you notice the right above the map and click it.. it will make the map taller.

Missed that. Better. But what if I need to expand it East/West without losing resolution?

Edited May 4, 2006 by Markwell

[+Stunod]

I'm seeing that to.. it only occurs in IE when the browser is Maxed and you click on the name in the cache found list.

 

Not just when the browser is maxed. I run in restored windows to the full width of my screen but not maxed, and it happened anyway.

 

Yup...doesn't matter what the window size is, it happens the first time you click on a cache from the list.

[+TheAprilFools]

If you notice the right above the map and click it.. it will make the map taller.

Missed that. Better. But what if I need to expand it East/West without losing resolution?

It looks like the width is variable, it expands to fit the size of your browser window.

Edited May 4, 2006 by Blanston12

[+ekhoc]

Just a note, these are the only browsers that will support the Google Map functionality.

Thanks. This explains why I got an error message about Google API not being supported on my mobile. Too bad, sorta..

..although it would be nice if the page did no even try to load the Google map for mobiles. Or even better if there would be a lightweight user interface for us using small devices

 

But the map, when using Firefox - this is what I've been hoping for. Thanks!

[+Stunod]

My *ONLY* real complaint is the size of the map: 493x325 pixels. Surely the list of "found" caches could have been moved to below the map, or some other configuration of screen real estate, to allow for a larger window of map...

 

Very good info above

 

If you notice the right above the map and click it.. it will make the map taller.

 

-Raine

 

*edited to trip down the quotes*

 

Oh, nice!

 

BTW...if you make the map taller and THEN click on a cache from the list you don't get the problem with the text being obscured...

[+Raine]

I'm noticing a difference in the way the map page is rendered between IE and SeaMonkey(my preferred browser. In IE the map is about 3/4 of the page width while in SM it's half. I'd much rather see the larger map width in SeaMonkey but don't see a way to do this. The green +- icon at the top right of the map doesn't seem to have any effect in IE or SM.

 

The width is actually set to 100% so its a rendering issue with your browser.

 

As far as SeaMonkey goes if its not on this list I can't support it

http://local.google.com/support/bin/answer...6532&topic=1499

 

Any one else having the +/- icons not work for them in IE?

-Raine

[+Raine]

Just a note, these are the only browsers that will support the Google Map functionality.

Thanks. This explains why I got an error message about Google API not being supported on my mobile. Too bad, sorta..

..although it would be nice if the page did no even try to load the Google map for mobiles. Or even better if there would be a lightweight user interface for us using small devices

 

But the map, when using Firefox - this is what I've been hoping for. Thanks!

 

You could always try http://wap.geocaching.com

[+Lignumaqua]

This is excellent!

 

Looks like there is a small bug when you are in the expanded ( + ) mode.

 

Caches don't show up in the expanded view unless they are in what would have been the unexpanded viewport. i.e. no caches in the bottom 1/3 of the view.

 

Mike

[+Raine]

This is excellent!

 

Looks like there is a small bug when you are in the expanded ( + ) mode.

 

Caches don't show up in the expanded view unless they are in what would have been the unexpanded viewport. i.e. no caches in the bottom 1/3 of the view.

 

Mike

 

It seems to be working fine for me on both IE & FireFox.. are you sure there are caches there or that they might be on one of the other pages?

[+PDOP's]

The width is actually set to 100% so its a rendering issue with your browser.

 

As far as SeaMonkey goes if its not on this list I can't support it

http://local.google.com/support/bin/answer...6532&topic=1499

SeaMonkey is Mozilla but I can I live with it. (your link is not working )

Any one else having the +/- icons not work for them in IE?

-Raine

 

It does make the map taller but not wider in both IE and SM.

Edited May 4, 2006 by PDOP's

[+fizzymagic]

Just an FYI - Adblock in Firefox sees the cache list on the search page as an Ad and blanks it out.

No, it doesn't. Looks fine to me. Perhaps you have configured something weird in Adblock?

[+colin&daddy]

I don't know, in fact how I saw this feature to begin with. Every cache page now has a blank grey box.

Safari 2.0.3, Mac OSX 10.4.6

[+Lignumaqua]

This is excellent!

 

Looks like there is a small bug when you are in the expanded ( + ) mode.

 

Caches don't show up in the expanded view unless they are in what would have been the unexpanded viewport. i.e. no caches in the bottom 1/3 of the view.

 

Mike

 

It seems to be working fine for me on both IE & FireFox.. are you sure there are caches there or that they might be on one of the other pages?

 

Hi Raine,

 

I tried it in IE and it works there but not in Firefox 1.5.0.3 - here's an example URL

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/gmnearest.a...=-97.8676&zm=15

 

It shows 14 caches as the page opens - now expand it by clicking '+' and you still only see 14 caches. However there are two or three in the bottom 1/3 of the screen that don't show up. Just scroll the map up a bit and they'll pop into view!

 

As I said this only seems to be an issue in Firefox 1.5.0.3

 

Mike

[+ReadyOrNot]

Wow! Exactly what I have been looking for. I was very happy with the Google Earth integration, but agrivated that I had to keep switching back and forth between Google Earth and Geocaching.com to get descriptions. VERY NICE JOB!

 

Can someone explain what you are looking for in "Caches along a route"? Are you looking for a system to just blindly add every cache along some route to a bookmark list? Why would you want to blindly add caches to your bookmark list? (Maybe that's why I only have 188 finds -- but they were good ones )

[+The Bolas Heathens]

I'm having the same problem and hope it will be fixed soon as it would be a really useful feature.

 

Mac OS X 10.4.6 with Safari 2.0.3.

 

They're not showing up for me in Safari, although Google Maps stuff usually does. I just see a gray box. (Version 2.0.3 on 10.4.6)

[+Lignumaqua]

Just an FYI - Adblock in Firefox sees the cache list on the search page as an Ad and blanks it out.

No, it doesn't. Looks fine to me. Perhaps you have configured something weird in Adblock?

 

It was definetely Adblock doing it, actually I should have said Adblock Plus rather than Adblock. I've now added geocaching.com to the white list and that fixed it - I only had the standard filters, no custom ones. Means I get to see the Trimble ads but I can live with that! :-)

[+Raine]

The width is actually set to 100% so its a rendering issue with your browser.

 

As far as SeaMonkey goes if its not on this list I can't support it

http://local.google.com/support/bin/answer...6532&topic=1499

SeaMonkey is Mozilla but I can I live with it. (your link is not working )

Any one else having the +/- icons not work for them in IE?

-Raine

 

It does make the map taller but not wider in both IE and SM.

 

Ok, I downloaded the lastest version of SeaMonkey and visted the site.. looks fine to me..

 

Edited May 4, 2006 by raine

[CoyoteRed]

Very cool feature!

 

A small suggestion maybe to add to the functionality; add the last 10 log icons just above or below where you are showing the travel bugs to get an idea of the status and activity of the cache. Something like:

 

Maybe with an alt text of the icon meaning and log date.

[+Semper Questio]

I have not yet had a chane to really take a thorough look at the enhancements, but so far I can say this....WOW!!!! VERY nice!

 

The only thing I saw on my first look is there is no "found" indicator and no way to remove found caches from the maps. Any chance of either of these coming along later?

 

Thanks for your continued efforts!

 

That's on my list of things to do!

 

OK, you guys keep this stuff up and I'm gonna hafta fly up there and buy you a round or 2!

 

Thanks!

[+RJFerret]

Great new feature--love it!

 

I second not showing found caches...

 

But here's another request, how about one-click to the cache page instead of two? (Now you click the pin or link in cache list on side and it loads info into small box above THEN you have to click the name over there...)

 

Could there be a direct link instead? Maybe a mouse-over shows the info in the small box and click takes you to the page? (While a click on the pin stays the same, putting the info in the small box.)

 

Thanks as always! -Randy

 

PS: Just noticed if you click a pin, you can't click another pin without moving the map around to get rid of the bubble. Speaking of which, what does the bubble show that you don't already see?

[+Raine]

 

Hi Raine,

 

I tried it in IE and it works there but not in Firefox 1.5.0.3 - here's an example URL

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/gmnearest.a...=-97.8676&zm=15

 

It shows 14 caches as the page opens - now expand it by clicking '+' and you still only see 14 caches. However there are two or three in the bottom 1/3 of the screen that don't show up. Just scroll the map up a bit and they'll pop into view!

 

As I said this only seems to be an issue in Firefox 1.5.0.3

 

Mike

 

Gotcha.. should be fixed now.

-Raine

[+Raine]

I have not yet had a chane to really take a thorough look at the enhancements, but so far I can say this....WOW!!!! VERY nice!

 

The only thing I saw on my first look is there is no "found" indicator and no way to remove found caches from the maps. Any chance of either of these coming along later?

 

Thanks for your continued efforts!

 

That's on my list of things to do!

 

OK, you guys keep this stuff up and I'm gonna hafta fly up there and buy you a round or 2!

 

Thanks!

 

I'll be in Texas in July, so you can buy one there

[+jangor]

When linking to a cache page from google earth I generate an error message "Google Map API not compatible with this browser". Page then loads with the old maps. I use IE 6.02. This message does not occur when starting at geocaching.com. Same browser and seems like a strange error.

[+Raine]

When linking to a cache page from google earth I generate an error message "Google Map API not compatible with this browser". Page then loads with the old maps. I use IE 6.02. This message does not occur when starting at geocaching.com. Same browser and seems like a strange error.

 

Are you viewing this page within Google Earth or in an external browser?

[+Amulek]

How does one print the new map?

[robertlipe]

This may not count for a lot, but I have a reasonable amount of experience with Google Maps (look for me in the book...) and I have to say the presentation of this is really nice. I'm impressed. The use of hoverovers to send events between the map and the point selection is really nice.

 

The integration with the Yahoo geocoding API makes this a very appealing way to search for an area. Type in your target address or city and state without the hoops of looking up zip codes, lat/lons, or wondering if it's > 10000 people and poof, there's a map. http://www.geocaching.com/seek/ and http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.aspx would benefit from being smoshed together and hooked up to that technology.

 

As a few random technical notes:

• Please consider dynamically resizing the map div vertically just like you do for the horizontal axis.
  
• If that's impractical for some reason, consider adding a call to setWindow size that's selectable from user preferences (my profile?) and from the URL post data.
  
• Consider shooting a bounding circle around the displayed points if > 20 were returned by the server. (From the center, find the most distant point of the 20 displayed. That's the radius of the circle. GMaps make this kind of clunky if if you make it a jaggy polyline it's not terrible. ) This gives you a visual cue beyond the "of 20 displayed" label that you're looking at only a subset of the points available and the absence of a marker on that section of the road doesn't mean one isn't there.
  
• Passing through the map type constructor (hybrid, sat, map) from the post data would make it more useful for those of us building links from PQs to these pages.
  
• The 'expand' button doesn't recalculate the center point of the map, even though it changes the geometry.
  

As a geocacher, a few different notes of a different kind:

• I pretty much agree with Lep and Fizzymagic above, though, on using this for major route planning. Guys, if I buy the next round, can I have a seat? Planning the woodstock trip drove me to drink.
  
• Please don't do the "randomization" thing above 150. If you're trying to figure out if there's anything between city X and Y and and points are displayed randomly, that's not very helpful. Cap it at 150 and move on.
  

Nice job, guys!

[+BalkanSabranje]

Very interesting, thanks!

[+ctgreybeard]

Verry snazzy! I have a question though but it may have more to do with Google than this app.

 

If you look at GCGJ97 you will see "Bethel Middle School", "Circle of Friends School", and "Anna H Rockwell School"

 

NONE of these is ANYWHERE near here! At a stretch the Middle School used to be there but that has been the town hall for several years.

 

If I go to Google maps those places are not shown.

 

Any idea why they are different by so much or why the Schools aren't in the right places? That could be very confusing.

 

Bill W.

[+Raine]

Thanks Robert for you feedback..

 

If you look at the javascript, which you might have , you'll notice I've got functions in there for adding polycircles to the maps, its a work in progress feature at the moment..

 

If we didn't do the rand on 150 or more.. wouldn't you get a lopsided view?

[+PMaholm]

Looks awsome! I only have some problems with only seeing 20 caches, I like to get a pretty good view with the zm=13. It's not difficult at all for me to hit places that have way more than 20 caches on the screen. Just some food for thought.

 

-Patrick

[+Raine]

Verry snazzy! I have a question though but it may have more to do with Google than this app.

 

If you look at GCGJ97 you will see "Bethel Middle School", "Circle of Friends School", and "Anna H Rockwell School"

 

NONE of these is ANYWHERE near here! At a stretch the Middle School used to be there but that has been the town hall for several years.

 

If I go to Google maps those places are not shown.

 

Any idea why they are different by so much or why the Schools aren't in the right places? That could be very confusing.

 

Bill W.

 

Well.. if you look at the copyright on the map data, one is TeleAtlas and the other is NAVTEQ, so I'm thinking the TeleAtlas is just behind a bit

[+Raine]

Looks awsome! I only have some problems with only seeing 20 caches, I like to get a pretty good view with the zm=13. It's not difficult at all for me to hit places that have way more than 20 caches on the screen. Just some food for thought.

 

-Patrick

 

If you look below the list of caches you'll see some numbers, these are page numbers that will let you see the other caches listed.

 

-Raine

[Jeremy]

Very cool feature!

 

A small suggestion maybe to add to the functionality; add the last 10 log icons just above or below where you are showing the travel bugs to get an idea of the status and activity of the cache. Something like:

 

Maybe with an alt text of the icon meaning and log date.

 

I agree that this is a great feature. The problem at the moment is how that information is gathered, so it is cpu-cost prohibitive to show that information for now. However we do have plans to add additional database tables to better handle this.

[+PMaholm]

Ok, but is there anyway to up the amounts of pins on the map? If the caches have already been queried would it add a lot more server load to pop in extra pins but no details? Kinda like how the old maps had all the caches but then you could "Identify" or if you could have a user control of "select amount of pins" with some predefined numbers? just some Ideas.

 

-Patrick

 

Looks awsome! I only have some problems with only seeing 20 caches, I like to get a pretty good view with the zm=13. It's not difficult at all for me to hit places that have way more than 20 caches on the screen. Just some food for thought.

 

-Patrick

 

If you look below the list of caches you'll see some numbers, these are page numbers that will let you see the other caches listed.

 

-Raine

[+4leafclover]

I *knew* you would say that, Fizzy, so I was very careful to say "partial solution" in my post. I agree with you. For a 500 mile journey this manual pan and bookmark method would be very time consuming. But for a 50 mile journey from Pittsburgh to Wheeling, it rocks. I can pick up the caches near the exits and junctions, plus the Wheeling caches from a zoomed out view of the city, and have a bookmark list for a roadtrip ready in just a few minutes. I'd spend an equivalent amount of time sorting and filtering if I had downloaded the two pocket queries needed to get me to the same end result.

 

::: goes and sits next to Fizzy at the bar, patiently awaiting the long-term REAL solution to caches along a route :::

 

did lep just invite fizzy to cheers?

[+Raine]

Ok, but is there anyway to up the amounts of pins on the map? If the caches have already been queried would it add a lot more server load to pop in extra pins but no details? Kinda like how the old maps had all the caches but then you could "Identify" or if you could have a user control of "select amount of pins" with some predefined numbers? just some Ideas.

 

-Patrick

 

Looks awsome! I only have some problems with only seeing 20 caches, I like to get a pretty good view with the zm=13. It's not difficult at all for me to hit places that have way more than 20 caches on the screen. Just some food for thought.

 

-Patrick

 

If you look below the list of caches you'll see some numbers, these are page numbers that will let you see the other caches listed.

 

-Raine

 

If you added more pins the length would get longer. Plus I only pulled 20 caches info from the DB not all ?150? it should be pretty face to just page through the 20.. If you need more then I'd suggest Google Earth

[+PMaholm]

Ahh okay. That's fine, I was just throwing out ideas. Thanks!

 

-Patrick

[+PDOP's]

Ok, I downloaded the latest version of SeaMonkey and visited the site.. looks fine to me..

 

This appears to be related to the screen resolution. This is what I'm seeing at 800by600 (old eyes, sorry ) Anyways if I haven't said it already thanks for the new feature

 

[robertlipe]

Thanks Robert for you feedback..

 

If you look at the javascript, which you might have , you'll notice I've got functions in there for adding polycircles to the maps, its a work in progress feature at the moment..

I'd just glanced through the code and had not noticed that. At a glance, it looks like you have the hard part done. I'll still give you bonus five points for being a step ahead on what's obviously a good idea. :-)

If we didn't do the rand on 150 or more.. wouldn't you get a lopsided view?

No, you'd a view that was centered on the center.

 

To see it easily, you need to look at a cache that's kind of remote but near a large city. Let's take this one: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/gmnearest.a...994293213&zm=16

 

(Sidebar: Although zm is given in the permalink, specified, it's not honoured.)

 

At zoom level 10, the first 20 of the 28 are shown. Now zoom out one more step so that Nashville is in scope. The odds of the area you're actually interested in (you know, the part that's the center of the map) being 20 of the 448 are not good. It's probable that the area you're centered on is about to turn blank or nearly blank. As you pan around, caches twinkle in and out like stars. If ou're panning on an interstate and your zoom level happens to enter one of the > 150 zones, the maps get weird.

 

I'd just take the nearest 150 instead of "150 of a sequillion".

[+Maingray]

Not sure if this was addressed above, but when I load up a cache listing, I get the "old" map displayed really quickly before it is then replaced with the Google Map. Slows down the page loading a bit.

 

Firefox 1.5.0.3

[+Lignumaqua]

 

Hi Raine,

 

I tried it in IE and it works there but not in Firefox 1.5.0.3 - here's an example URL

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/gmnearest.a...=-97.8676&zm=15

 

It shows 14 caches as the page opens - now expand it by clicking '+' and you still only see 14 caches. However there are two or three in the bottom 1/3 of the screen that don't show up. Just scroll the map up a bit and they'll pop into view!

 

As I said this only seems to be an issue in Firefox 1.5.0.3

 

Mike

 

Gotcha.. should be fixed now.

-Raine

 

 

Certainly is - quick work Raine! Thanks!

 

Mike

[+bottlecap]

VERY NICE!

 

Another great answer for "why should I become a premium member?". Improvements don't come cheap.

 

Thanks for the effort.

[+nancois]

This new mapping feature addition is great!! I like the panning feature too. Very slick! Things have sure come a long way since I first logged on to the site. Keep up the good work

[+ctgreybeard]

Verry snazzy! I have a question though but it may have more to do with Google than this app.

 

If you look at GCGJ97 you will see "Bethel Middle School", "Circle of Friends School", and "Anna H Rockwell School"

 

NONE of these is ANYWHERE near here! At a stretch the Middle School used to be there but that has been the town hall for several years.

 

If I go to Google maps those places are not shown.

 

Any idea why they are different by so much or why the Schools aren't in the right places? That could be very confusing.

 

Bill W.

Well.. if you look at the copyright on the map data, one is TeleAtlas and the other is NAVTEQ, so I'm thinking the TeleAtlas is just behind a bit

I don't think they would be behind by 20 years!

 

Looking a bit at the API, however, makes me wonder what overlays you are using. I suspect that one of the overlays is the source of the errors. Maybe I'll get myself an API key and do a little research. If I find out anything I'll let you know.

 

It is a great feature in any case!