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New Google Map Feature


Jeremy

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I've only taken a brief tour, but so far I'm impressed. <_< I do have two suggestions, though:

 

1) When additional information is displayed above the map (bt clicking a cache name), it would be nice to see the found/owned status of the displayed cache. This has probably been suggested above, but if it has, I've missed it.

 

2) Rather than showing a random list of 20/150 caches when zoomed WAY out, would it be possible to show all caches similar to the old maps (that is, not as 6,000 little clickable green pins- that would put far too much stress on the server- but maybe a static layer generated once per day showing cache distribution as is used on the old maps). It's a bit confusing to have to look every time I move the map to see whether I'm being shown all caches in the current view, or just a random few. Perhaps left-clicking on the map when zoomed out could bring up the closest 20 caches as pins, similar to the "identify" feature on the old maps.

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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:

icon_smile.gificon_smile.gificon_smile.gificon_maint.gificon_smile.gificon_sad.gificon_smile.gificon_smile.gif

 

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

Oooh, like that...

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Another vote for capping the caches at the nearest 150 and doing away with randomization. When planning a cache route, some geocachers are decidedly *not* random. They look for areas of cache concentration and the routes which connect those areas.

ditto

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When planning a cache route, some geocachers are decidedly *not* random. They look for areas of cache concentration and the routes which connect those areas.

 

Here's a drastic example to back this up. Here's a section of I-40 in Texas/Oklahoma I'm planning to hit after Woodstock. Looking at the old maps, you can see why;). Looking at the new map, I would have never known the I-40 corridor was so cache-dense and would have missed the area.

 

060504_map2.jpg

 

060504_map1.jpg

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Wow. There is definately something wierd going on with some of the map data Google is showing through this interface.

 

If you look here: GC Google Map

 

The area shown as "Anoka Public Golf Course" is NOT a golf course.

The grey area just north of the aleged golf course IS actually Anoka High School, but

the grey area just south which is also labeled as "Anoka High School" is actually a state chemical dependency treatement center, AKA "Spin Dry"

 

Now compare it to the regular google map of the same area here:

Stock Google Map

 

None of the 3 areas I mentioned are highlighted in any way on this version of the map.

 

'sup with Google?

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Wow. There is definately something wierd going on with some of the map data Google is showing through this interface.

 

If you look here: GC Google Map

 

The area shown as "Anoka Public Golf Course" is NOT a golf course.

The grey area just north of the aleged golf course IS actually Anoka High School, but

the grey area just south which is also labeled as "Anoka High School" is actually a state chemical dependency treatement center, AKA "Spin Dry"

 

Now compare it to the regular google map of the same area here:

Stock Google Map

 

None of the 3 areas I mentioned are highlighted in any way on this version of the map.

 

'sup with Google?

 

They are in a big change at the moment.. they updated all the Google Earth base data a couple of weeks, and stated then that they will probbaly roll out the new data set to Google Local (aka Maps) as well. So there is that sync issue. The "new" base data seems to be a little older in quite a few areas, but Google argued it looked better.

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I very much like the new mapping feature. I use Google maps for the aerial photos, and this simplies the process. I also like the mini-map within the map when you click on a pushpin.

 

Keep up the good work.

 

(I too see the old map briefly when the page loads, using FF 1.5.0.3)

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I get the same as this user. map overlaps cache deatils info. Mine looks just like the image posted. IE 6.o winXPsp2, screen res. 1024x768

-The Seven G's

 

Blanston, that's the same error I get. 'bmGUID' is undefined

 

Another issue...take a look at this screen shot showing the map overlaying the text:

 

baa264f2-e952-4aa4-b0b3-301b524d8617.jpg

 

I can't reproduce what you're seeing there..

 

Does it always look like that or just when you've resized the page?

 

what resolution you're running at?

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I noticed that "print-friendly" retains the Mapquest map. Will that continue (I hope)?

 

I hope so, too. I cache in a lot of remote mountain areas. The Google maps for these areas have nice squiggly lines where the Forest Service and other little roads are but do not identify the roads. How helpful is this:

 

Google%20map.JPG

 

Also, a person cannot right click and print the Google map. For those of us still using paper, printing a Mapquest map on the back of the cache sheet is extremely useful.

 

On the other hand, there are features I like on the Google maps, such as being able to drag the Google map to view and look up other caches in the area. I'd appreciate having continued access to both map systems.

Edited by GunniGirl
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While the new maps are nice to look at, and great to see the surrounding caches, I don't like that I cannot print the map (as I used to with the Mapquest map). For those of us who are still not "paperless", we must rely on printing out maps to get us to there. This is a MAJOR problem for me. I used to just right click and copy the map, then paste it in a blank word document, then resize it to whatever size I needed. Is there any way that option can be added to these maps???????? ;)

Also, it should come up showing the nearby caches and mark the ones I've already found. I shouldn't have to go in and "bookmark, delete or whatever".

I understand change is good and bad, but when I can't print out where I need to go... that's bad! (now I'll have to open another browser, go to Mapquest, input the coordinates and go from there.... more work!) Hopefully this new mapping program will have some future improvements that may resolve this.

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While the new maps are nice to look at, and great to see the surrounding caches, I don't like that I cannot print the map (as I used to with the Mapquest map). For those of us who are still not "paperless", we must rely on printing out maps to get us to there. This is a MAJOR problem for me. I used to just right click and copy the map, then paste it in a blank word document, then resize it to whatever size I needed. Is there any way that option can be added to these maps???????? ;)

Also, it should come up showing the nearby caches and mark the ones I've already found. I shouldn't have to go in and "bookmark, delete or whatever".

I understand change is good and bad, but when I can't print out where I need to go... that's bad! (now I'll have to open another browser, go to Mapquest, input the coordinates and go from there.... more work!) Hopefully this new mapping program will have some future improvements that may resolve this.

This is also my caching technique. Try going to the "Make this page printer-friendly" screen. For now, the old method still works there.

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Add me to the list of Safari users who are just seeing a grey box on the cache pages. (Safari 2.0.3 on Mac OS 10.4.6)

 

Me too ;)

Interestingly, if I use the latest Webkit build, they work just fine, although I wouldn't recommend it for normal use as some builds could be unstable.

 

FYI... The Map It! page works just fine, no matter what browser I use. It's just the cache pages where the maps don't show up.

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I agree with the others that said the default zoom level as shown on a cache description page is too great, especially since the map is smaller, at least as I see it in my browser. The zoom level with the old maps gave a better perspective of where the cache is at a glance. Setting the default zoom out a level or two would be my preference. If it were as large as the old maps and zoomed out a level that would be just right I think.

 

I hope that a link to the old maps will remain available someplace, like under the "For online maps..." list.

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Every cache page now has a blank grey box.

Safari 2.0.3, Mac OSX 10.4.6

 

Add me to the list of people with the Mac-Safari problem (10.4.6/2.0.3). Any way to render the old maps if the new ones aren't working?

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Being from Canada, you guys probably aren't aware of the maps WE had to deal with. We had a green box with a couple of lines on it, that might have been roads(??). You should see the links below, for more or less detail.

 

Jeremy and the others in the gang! I hope I can speak for all Canucks when I say "BRILLIANT!"

 

We now have ROADS... and there aren't caches in the middle of lakes, or railroad tracks that haven't existed since the hula-hoop was popular.

 

Frankly, I am not concerned about the little bugs that are there (I didn't see anything... eyes were too full with "tears of joy")

 

This is like going from a tricycle to a crotch-rocket!

 

I was so happy that I posted a new thread in the Canada Forum, because we've all suffered to the point of not even looking at those other maps.

 

Link to Before Old Map ( I use the term as broadly as possible)

 

Link to After (New map) WOW... HUGE Improvement in Quality

 

;) The Blue Quasar

Edited by The Blue Quasar
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If you still want a MapQuest map (which is what I still do) you can click on "For online maps... MapQuest" on the cache page and this will open up a MapQuest map in another window. Then you can copy and paste it into a word doc.

 

I use the google maps for the sattelite views mostly. Now I will use the new map feature for routing as I use to use the gc.com maps.

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

 

Thanks

 

Mike

Adblock only blocks what you've told it to. You probably has a too-aggressive block list loaded. Adblock will show you which specific rules are being invoked, and you can use that info to fix the problem.

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I like the changes. Suggestions for the new maps on the cache detail pages:

 

1. Make them a bit wider. There is room on the cache detail pages at nearly all text size levels for them to be 50% wider.

 

2. I suggest having the default zoom on the map be two or three notches further out. The default map should give an overview of where the cache is.

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Very nice. Of course I have feedback...

 

Larger map area (taller) Show more than 5 caches next to it. Maybe the nearest 20 whether they are on the map or not.

 

Too bad it is not based on virtual earth (live local) but you got to do what you got to do. The dragging of the map rocks!

 

Thanks for the constant features. (Maybe the mapping features will lend itself to caches along a route soon...) ;):P;)

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Finally.... it thought I was just too stupid to figure out something that was to be obvious: how to get to the bigger maps with the local caches. Well it's not obvious or intuitive on the cache page (I had to reread the general announcement to figure it out) - so another suggestion: please add a commentabove or below the map on the cache page: "Click on red pushpin to see sourrounding geocaches". (Unless, of course, you enjoy fielding questions about it every few days).

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Thank you Jeremy for a real neat map feature. Tonight I was on the phone with The Navigatorz and were were commenting on the new map. Then we started to play around with it and were simply amazed with it. There is probably a lot of features we have not explored yet. But the ones we have , we have nothing but hidgh praise for all that you have done. "Thank you" Mr. Gadget #2

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

 

Which web browsers does Google Maps support?

 

Google Maps currently supports the following web browsers:

 

* IE 6.0+

* Firefox 0.8+

* Safari 1.2.4+

* Netscape 7.1+

* Mozilla 1.4+

* Opera 8.02+

 

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

 

The feature works fine on Firefox 1.0.3 and SuSE Linux, but I've got the following problem using firefox 1.5.0.3 on Windows XP:

Whenever (after login of course) I display a cache description page, at the beginning of the rendering process a dialogbox is displayed, saying (I try to translate it to english): "The Google Maps API key used on this website was registered for another website. You can create a new key for this website at http://www.google.com/apis/maps/ "

Clicking okay loads the page, then another error is displayed: "Sorry, the Google Maps API is not compatible with this browser".

Then I see the old-fashioned map on the right and the link-box "Find other caches..." on the left. In the middle, there's just a green box with no functionality.

Clicking the link "google maps" in the "for online maps"-box displays the google map without problems.

I thought the adblocker of firefox was responsible for the effect, so I disabled it, but to no avail. Anyone here having the same problems?

thank you in advance!

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Now it works. If anyone else has the same problem, do the following:

- enable java script

- if you use adblock, go on any geocaching.com-cache-description-page and click on "whitelist this whole site" in the adblock options menu

- erase private data (cookies etc.)

In my case, I think I was using the google maps feature on another site before, maybe the browser mixed up some cookies or session ids or anything else. After clearing the cache and cookies and a restart of the browser, it works.

Thanks for the new feature. Especially the thing with displaying all caches in the neighborhood is very useful for planning a cache tour!!

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I had the same problem as goldensurfer, with firefox 1.5.0.3. Then I tried IE and it worked fine. Then I went back to the same firefox window later, and it started working there too. I didn't erase any cookies or change any settings, it just started working.

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I'v been waiting for this for a long, long time. Thanks!

 

Now, if only it worked for me... Macintosh OS X 10.4.6, I've tried Safari 2.0.3 and Firefox 1.5.0.3.

 

Note, I see an earlier posted talked about beta users, if you need Macintosh beta users, I'm available. (I've been writing software professionally since the early 80s so I understand the job of being a good beta tester.)

 

Thanks for the update though, this will make life easier for most people!

 

Paul

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

 

Thanks

 

Mike

Adblock only blocks what you've told it to. You probably has a too-aggressive block list loaded. Adblock will show you which specific rules are being invoked, and you can use that info to fix the problem.

 

Hi Prime,

 

Yep - that was my point. It seems that the default filters in Adblock Plus block this. (I had never added any filters manually). After I whitelisted geocaching.com all was well. I was just flagging that this might be a common problem.

 

Mike

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Minor bug report - If there are exactly "20 Geocaches Found in search area" then after the list of those 20 the page still shows the link to page 2. That page 2 contains no caches of course as all 20 are on the first page. Looks like a '>=' should be a '>'? :)

 

Tested in Firefox 1.5.0.3 and IE

 

Here's an example link 20 Caches

 

Mike

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I really like the google maps. Especially the fact it doesn't have to keep reloading the page every time you click something.

 

One thing that would be nice... is a filter for the ones I've already found. Often we go out GeoCaching so I look for areas where many are close together. My wife and daughter (who is 3) have a short tolerance/attention for finds that take too long to get to.

 

Not to mention I have a goal of finding 9 in one day... :)

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I agree with other posts...default map on cache page definitely needs to be zoomed out 3-4 levels for it to be really useful. Otherwise, I think I love it. Or better yet, two little maps, one zoomed out/one detailed all on the cache page.

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In Firefox, it doesn't seem possible to open the secondary map in a new tab or window. There's needs to be an alternate link to open the map page, besides just clicking on the push-pin.

 

Yup that would be nice. I see the same problem in Mozilla/SeaMonkey.

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