Thanks for the help, Hank! I am working my way through the tutorial you posted. I now realize that I asked if it is possible to test locally, but in the end product, the users of the Add-On won't necessarily have a server to upload their data to.
Since it is possible to implement the Maps API for a non-web application within the TOS, would there not be some means of perhaps passing the user's data file to a temporary server (offered by Google?) or some such? Forgive me if the answer to this is obvious, but this is my main stumbling block; how to test/implement the application with the (limited) resources I have at hand. Cheers, Christine On Jun 11, 5:10 pm, Bruce Van Allen <[email protected]> wrote: > It is possible to test locally, assuming your computer or LAN provides > a web server. You won't get much help with coding questions, though, > if people here can't look at a live example of what you're trying to > solve. > > My suggestions would be (please forgive if some is obvious): > > A. Put up a map with markers, starting with a simple map with hard- > coded marker coordinates [1]. > > B. Then make a map with a set of markers added dynamically from data > generated in your server. The data could be in XML, JSON, or a data > structure of your own [2] -- the main issue being how to efficiently > generate it in the server and then parse it in the browser. A key > piece of dynamic mapping is to store the place information in a > Javascript variable/object for later access, rather than just > iterating through it when creating placemarkers. A common approach is > to push the marker objects into an array as they are being created. > > C. Then make a map to which users may add markers, say by clicking, > and give them a way to add additional info about the point they > clicked. > > D. Then provide a way for the user to initiate a "Save" action that > sends the data back to your server and stores is with the other place > data (or maybe in a queue if you need human review before permanently > adding the point to the map). You could also make the map itself > initiate the save. > > E. By this point, I suspect you'll be able to connect the dots to your > Excel Add-On. > > [1] Check out Mike Williams's tutorials at <http://econym.org.uk/gmap/ > > >. > > [2] A note on data structures: > A KML file is a type of XML file. KML is certainly the best option in > many cases for shunting place data around. Some good thought has gone > into the way KML organizes mapping data, and any system you build > would benefit from understanding it. However, lots of maps made with > the Google Maps API never see a KML file. > > For my maps, I often prefer JSON as a way to package output from the > server to the map (including instructions as well as data). JSON is > easy to generate directly from Perl, my preferred server language; and > JSON objects eval() efficiently in Javascript -- no XML parsing > needed. JSON also serializes well for storage by either of those two > languages. (But this post is NOT about language preferences/wars!) > > HTH > > On Jun 11, 6:23 am, Christine <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Hi, > > I am trying to develop an Add-On in Excel that incorporates the Google > > Maps API. The user should be able to add (many) locations on the map, > > and details about the location. This ideally would be done either by > > clicking on the appropriate site using the Google Maps interface, or > > by extracting/(reverse-)geocoding coordinates from cells in the > > spreadsheet. > > > I don't really have any idea where to start. I registered the API key > > with a localhost address, and would also like to play with some of the > > other APIs available. The application will eventually be available > > online as per the TOS, but I don't currently have access to a server > > to store KML files. > > > Is there any way to test locally? > > > Any helpful starting points would be greatly appreciated. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Google Maps API" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Google-Maps-API?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
