Actually, being outside of the map, local search makes it confusing and that's the problem of original and new solution so I think best bet would be to move it inside the map.
On Fri, Jan 30, 2009 at 12:24 PM, Yaron Koren <[email protected]> wrote: > Okay, I made a version of this change on Discourse DB: > > http://discoursedb.org/w/index.php?title=London&action=formedit > > Does this improve things at all? Or would a more radical change be better? > > -Yaron > > > > On Wed, Jan 28, 2009 at 2:00 PM, Yaron Koren <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Well, in the change I'm talking about, the "local search" input would not >> be on the map, but under the map, just as it is now - only the text would be >> different. >> >> >> On Wed, Jan 28, 2009 at 1:43 PM, Sergey Chernyshev < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Yep, that's what what I was actually looking for - to have interface like >>> local search (text field and button on the map) but make it perform >>> geocoding instead. >>> >>> >>> On Wed, Jan 28, 2009 at 1:34 PM, Yaron Koren <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> 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/ >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> 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. 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