Yeah, that LocalSearch is a very intuitive interface. The fact that you can't set the text, and thus change the language, might be a deal-breaker, though.
What about just making the existing address-lookup input look more like LocalSearch's? I'm imaging something that looks like this: ---------------------- | Search the map | Search ---------------------- (Hopefully that fixed-width formatting showed up correctly.) The input itself contains a gray "Search the map" string, that disappears as soon as the user clicks in the input; then there's a "Search" button or link next to it that the user presses to do the actual lookup. Potential solution? -Yaron On Wed, Jan 28, 2009 at 1:17 PM, Sergey Chernyshev < [email protected]> wrote: > Yep, I agree - clearing the input seems odd if you clear the input, but if > it's kept, then it's not clear to the user why that address is not saved, > but coordinates instead - this can be solved by the in-pan control like > Local Search or similar where it's sort-of clear that this window is only > for looking stuff up. > > As for reverse geocoding, I think it well depends on the use case - for > things like specifying location for the event, it makes sense to know where > it is but not knowing the address or another example - when you need to post > location of the address of the Deli you go to every day - you know where it > is on the map, but has no idea about coordinates or address. The question is > if it should be used for entering map coordinates or for entering addresses > (another type of data). > > Sergey > > > > On Wed, Jan 28, 2009 at 1:09 PM, Yaron Koren <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Thanks for this feedback. The first suggestion - do automatic lookups, >> clear the input as soon as a lookup succeeds - seems odd. If you type in a >> whole address, then realize there was a typo in the number, you'll have to >> type it all again, no? >> >> Ooh, that LocalSearch control is neat - really neat. I've never seen it >> before. It might be worth looking to see if it can be integrated with the >> rest of the form input. One possible downside, though, is that the text it >> uses (like "search the map") is probably not internationalizable. >> >> It might make sense to increase the map size. This is already a settable >> parameter, by the way. >> >> Reverse geocoding, AKA finding a street address from a selected point, >> might be more trouble than it's worth - if the place the user is entering >> has a street address, it seems like the chance would be much higher that the >> user knows that address than that he/she knows its location on the map. >> Plus, if the user wants to enter just coordinates and not an address, say, >> for privacy reasons (if they're entering their own location), this might >> just confuse the issue. Yes, you could argue that entering coordinates is >> itself giving up your privacy, but I would guess that at least some people >> enter a point in the general area of where they are, just so they can show >> up on a map. >> >> -Yaron >> >> >> On Wed, Jan 28, 2009 at 12:44 PM, Sergey Chernyshev < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> I was terribly disgusted with the interface when I started to use it on >>> TechPresentations.org - it definitely needs some improvement. >>> >>> My thoughts - as tosfos suggests, it's better to update non-editable area >>> based on either user clicking on the map or by using lookup. In addition to >>> that I would suggest that lookup should happen when field is changed, >>> without user even pressing a button - once lookup is successful, it should >>> clear up lookup field. The only question is how to separate direct input >>> from looked up input - we should either rely on Google's geocoder to return >>> what was entered or try to parse the string and see if it's coordinate >>> (first one is easier and might suffice, second one helps not to rely on >>> Google geocoder service to be constantly available). Another addition might >>> be have same configuration, but to add in-place editing for the coordinates >>> value if the lable is clicked. >>> >>> Another alternative is to use LocalSearch control on the map instead of >>> lookup field: >>> http://code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/examples/control-localsearch.html- >>> it's quite neat and might be what we need. If this functionality is not >>> what user wants, than similar control just for geocoding might need to be >>> developed. >>> >>> In addition to this, I think default size of the map should be increased >>> significantly because right now it's too easy to move the cursor beyond >>> visible area and it become unclear if coordinates changed or you need to >>> click some point on the map to change those coordinates. Maybe it's worth >>> showing coordinates of current cursor to give user feedback that he needs to >>> click the map to change the resulting coordinates. >>> >>> BTW, I wonder if it makes sense to use reverse geocoding, new feature of >>> Google's - >>> http://code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/services.html#ReverseGeocodingor >>> maybe it's worth creating separate extension similar to >>> http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Google_Geocoder >>> >>> Sergey >>> >>> >>> >>> On Tue, Jan 27, 2009 at 10:39 AM, Yaron Koren <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Tosfos - that's an interesting suggestion. >>>> >>>> Barry - well, even if the map input becomes user-configurable, I'd still >>>> like the default to be as nice as possible. But I guess your sample code >>>> was >>>> also a recommendation for the default layout and text. >>>> >>>> -Yaron >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Tue, Jan 27, 2009 at 9:44 AM, Barry <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> >>>>> I'm in favor of giving the form designer as much control as possible. >>>>> Could the "field" be entered as three coordinated fields? >>>>> >>>>> In addition to: >>>>> | '''Geographic coordinate''' in the form "<nowiki>45.4564°N, >>>>> -23.456°E</nowiki>". >>>>> {{{field|coordinate|input type=googlemap}}} >>>>> >>>>> How about adding: >>>>> | '''Enter address of location.''' >>>>> {{{field|coordinate|input type=googlemap_address}}} >>>>> |- >>>>> | '''Or, enter geographic coordinate''' in the form >>>>> "<nowiki>45.4564°N, -23.456°E</nowiki>". >>>>> {{{field|coordinate|input type=googlemap_coordinate}}} >>>>> |- >>>>> | '''Or, find the location on the map'''. >>>>> {{{field|coordinate|input type=googlemap_map}}} >>>>> >>>>> You could link them together by the field name and still support >>>>> the existing version as with type="googlemap" >>>>> >>>>> You could even allow the form designer to include only one or two of >>>>> the fields, >>>>> so a cartographer could use the coordinate field and leave off the >>>>> address. >>>>> >>>>> (I know this is at least an order of magnitude more difficult than >>>>> rearranging the form elements, >>>>> but you asked...) >>>>> >>>>> - Barry >>>>> >>>>> On Jan 26, 12:49 pm, Yaron Koren <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> > Hi, >>>>> > >>>>> > I've gotten the sense recently that some or many users find the >>>>> Semantic >>>>> > Google Maps form input confusing, especially when they first try to >>>>> use it. >>>>> > To refresh your memory, here's an example of the form input in >>>>> action: >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> http://hackerspaces.org/w/index.php?title=Santa_Fe_Complex&action=for. >>>>> .. >>>>> > >>>>> > It consists of three parts: an input of geographical coordinates >>>>> (which is >>>>> > what actually gets saved to the template), a map input (which also >>>>> sets the >>>>> > coordinates), and an entry for placing an address, then looking up >>>>> that >>>>> > address (which sets the values of both the coordinate and map >>>>> inputs). With >>>>> > that many inputs, and the lack of any explanatory text, it's no >>>>> wonder that >>>>> > some people get confused. >>>>> > >>>>> > So: does anyone have any thoughts on ways the input could be >>>>> improved? >>>>> > Perhaps the two text entries should be reversed, with the address >>>>> lookup on >>>>> > top? Or maybe one of the text entries should be placed to the right >>>>> of the >>>>> > map, instead of the top or bottom? Maybe "look up coordinates" should >>>>> be >>>>> > changed to "look up address"? Or maybe that text should appear, >>>>> unlinked, >>>>> > before the entry, with something like "Go" appearing after the entry >>>>> as the >>>>> > actual link? >>>>> > >>>>> > Any thoughts are welcome. Also, if you know of any existing inputs on >>>>> the >>>>> > web that do something similar, that would be helpful to know about >>>>> too. >>>>> > >>>>> > Thanks, >>>>> > Yaron >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Sergey Chernyshev >>> http://www.sergeychernyshev.com/ >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> > > > -- > Sergey Chernyshev > http://www.sergeychernyshev.com/ > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Semantic Forms" 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/semantic-forms?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
