Map Channels Version 3 (Beta)

Map Channels Version 3 (Beta)

update 02/03/2009 - Map Channels v3.01 - added features:

* Google Map Maker tiles can be selected
* Fixed caching bugs affecting update and display of map scripts
* Added map cursor shape option
* Added filter and info window link colour options
* Fixed info window and tooltip style bugs
* Added 'infoInitial' map setting and '&id' parameter to display a selected place marker
when the map first loads
* Added local map hosting instructions

Not just an update, but a complete re-write of the code.

New Features

• Restructuring of the design process
• User-definable dictionaries to present maps in any language
• Support for spreadsheet data in either tab-delimited format or from Google Spreadsheets
• Support for GeoRSS feeds using the Google Feeds API
• Marker clustering to display large numbers of markers on a map
• Google Street View (UK Streetview is on it's way...)
• Microsoft Virtual Earth (includes the birds eye view mode; oblique aerial imagery)

Clustering is now available as an option so maps can display more markers easily.

This involves gathering markers dependant on the number that obsure the map detail.

But also gives the user feeback that there are x amount of markers in an area

See the image below ( image source: Google Maps Mania)

Note: The Markers have dynamic numbers displayed on them indicating number of markers within a cluster at a particular zoom level of the map.

There is an option to display Street View and Virtual Earth as in Dual Maps.

(Look out Germany and the UK in the coming weeks)

Multi-language support is improved, users can create a custom dictionary to translate all phrases used on the map.

Feeds supported include KML, GeoRSS, Google Spreadsheet and Tab-delimited text. Feeds can be created separately from the map and from spreadsheet feeds.

Developers can customise the javascript used to display info window, tooltip and icon text.

Demos using Map Channels Version 3 (beta) are available here

http://events.mapchannels.com/ and http://www.seebournemouth.com/