Mapping News by Mapperz

Google Map Static Map Upgrade (v2)

New Features Encoded Paths, Polygons & Geocoding

update:
here is a useful tip or two using 'MyMaps' created features:
http://imagine-it.org/google/staticmap/encodemymap.php
(thanks to @pamelafox)

Google have made some changes - many top requested features have been included, but due to these feature requests there are some changes required for you code.

Locations (in center, markers, or path parameters) can now be specified as addresses instead of latitude/longitude coordinates.
Paths can be specified as encoded polylines.
Paths can be filled and rendered as polygons.
Colours can now be specified as any 24-bit or 32-bit colour.

Use of the Google Static Maps API is unchangedwith a query limit of 1000 unique (different) image requests per viewer per day

encoded polygon in Google Static Maps v2

http://maps.google.com/maps/api/staticmap?size=400x400&path=fillcolor:0xAA000033|color:0000ff|enc:ykfyHln@bBtLhJkI|JyGdChAzHiL
|BfBvH}IlEvCl@tG%60@rGYjIXbLpApEbC_@a@kJ~@cUpB_@tH~D~FzG%60Eg@
qAeK[iGvBgEeDwB%60A}EuFwA|AqGvG_D?_QdDiJgAiElCuOkGuC_I_Is@iK|
AuFz@_GYuGuEj@{PtG_CTbA~OsJKa@sFcH?XrVQhGi%60@dj@zDdVwRdPrCbO
&key=YOUR API KEY&sensor=false

Note: The fastest way to create an encoded polygon is to create a polygon in Google Earth then right click the polygon and copy & paste into this site

http://facstaff.unca.edu/mcmcclur/GoogleMaps/EncodePolyline/encodeForm.html
check your polygon is located correctly. The click then 'Show Code'
The line {points:
contains the encoded polygon. use this for your static map.

Having been re-written The Static Maps API v2 changes are:

red=old green=new

Instead of specifying maptype=mobile, specify the desired map type (like maptype=hybrid) and the parameter mobile=true. This way, we can provide mobile optimised tiles for every map type.
The colour for a path is now specified using "color", not "rgba":

For example:
&path=rgba:0x0000FF80,weight:5|37.40303,-122.08334|37.39471,-122.07201|37.40589,-122.06171
becomes:
&path=color:0x0000FF80|weight:5|37.40303,-122.08334|37.39471,-122.07201|37.40589,-122.06171
Similar to how the path styles were specified before, the marker styles are now specified using key:value pairs, separated by pipes [|]. Marker labels are now denoted using uppercase alpha characters instead of lowercase alpha characters.

For example:
midreda
becomes:
size:mid|color:red|label:A
Instead of specifying the marker style after each marker parameter, specify the style at the beginning of the markers= parameter, and that style will apply to all of the markers proceeding. If you want to show markers with different styles, just supply a new markers= parameter for each one.

For example:
markers=37.400465,-122.073003,midreda|37.437328,-122.159928,midreda|37.369110,-122.096034,smallblue
becomes:
markers=size:mid|color:red|label:E|37.400465,-122.073003|37.437328,-122.159928&markers=size:small|color:blue|37.369110,-122.096034
Marker labels now require uppercase alphanumeric characters in the label parameter. This will allow us to later supply lowercase characters if we wish.

For example:
markers=37.400465,-122.073003,midreda
becomes:
markers=size:mid|color:red|label:E|37.400465,-122.073003
Instead of using the span=parameter to make sure that your static map shows a particular viewport, use the visible= parameter instead, and specify a list of coordinates that must be shown.

For example:
center=0,0&span=20,20
becomes:
visible=10,-10|-10,10
The frame parameter is no longer supported.