hobolog :: Web Development

This small release is a fix for the “Automatically Open the Center Info Window” option. Finding the marker in the center became unreliable in recent versions of the Google Maps API, so I changed it to open a specified post marker instead, even if it’s not exactly centered. Download it, or read more.

The same fix will be in the next beta release, along with a bunch of new stuff.

Recent releases of both the Google Maps API and WordPress have broken a bunch of Geo Mashup installations. The situation required some different versions of Geo Mashup depending on your WordPress version. Thanks to willsballs.com and friendsofthepenan.com for supporting this work. Determine which release you need below, then head for the downloads.

Geo Mashup 1.0.4

• If you have Geo Mashup 1.0.x installed with a WordPress version less than 2.3.
• Should fix the problem with infowindow not showing up when a marker is clicked.

Geo Mashup 1.0.5

• If you have Geo Mashup 1.0.x installed with WordPress 2.3 (and hopefully future versions).
• Should fix the problem with infowindow not showing up when a marker is clicked.
• Fixes “Table ‘…’ does not exist” error with WP 2.3.

Geo Mashup 1.1 Beta 2

• This version works with WordPress 2.3 (removes “Table ‘…’ does not exist” error). Use Beta 1 for earlier WP versions.
• Includes a slightly nicer mixed category marker (white with a little rainbow).
• Fix for GeoRSS error with some other plugins.
• Fix for “pairs[i].split is not a function” javascript error that caused a blank grey map.
• Fix for posts from different timezones being delayed in showing up on the map.

This is a bleeding edge release of my WordPress Geo Mashup Plugin. I know some of these features are in demand, so I’m making this preview release so you can play with them and start getting some feedback to me. There are loose ends, and I plan to put in more features, but it has hit a usable point (I think). I haven’t written the documentation yet, but here are the goodies:

• Feature: category colors, connecting lines, and legend.
• Feature: position meta tags for single post view and saved ‘default’ location.
• Feature: position can be specified for pages as well as posts.
• Feature: hide markers until a specified zoom level.
• Feature: get a list of all geo-located posts.
• Feature: limit the number of markers loaded (approximate).
• Feature: Better caching. Load all markers in two passes, extended visible area then all.
• Improvement: friendlier in-post text tags.
• Improvement: better css margin and padding reset for map.
• Fix: Cookies are now used only for a particular URL, so they don’t interfere with different views of the map.

A few more bug fixes, some that appeared in recent Google Maps API versions. I’m getting close to a new beta release with some fun new toys, so don’t think that 1.0.x is the end of the line for Geo Mashup. The new goods:

• Added French translation by obagot.
• Added some corrective CSS to help with map rendering theme conflicts.
• Fixed problem with carriage returns in saved place names. (Unterminated javascript literal error).
• Fixed problem with very wide info windows.
• Removed comma from coordinates in GeoRSS feed.
• Fixed multiple posts at one location display in Safari (thanks Kate & Sigurd).

A few more bugs have been squished in the WordPress Geo Mashup Plugin. And I let one little feature in too:

• Feature: add geoRSS tags to feeds
• Fixed ‘geo_locations - invalid argument to foreach’ error.
• Fixed category map links when map page is front page.
• Fixed ‘customizeGeoMashup not defined’ error when custom.js does not exist.
• Fixed some javascript errors caused by opening the infowindow twice.

I’ve addressed a few problems with the 1.0 release of the WordPress Geo Mashup Plugin. Note that the version of WordPress required has gone up.

• Support for PHP 5.2.0. Consequences:
  • WordPress 2.0 or higher is required.
  • The Location editor has moved down in the post advanced editing area.
• Fixed the ‘customizeGeoMashup is undefined’ javascript error.
• Fixed a problem with GeoMashup::show_on_map_link() when using a static front page.

I’ve addressed all the issues I received for 1.0 BETA 2, so the time for 1.0 has come. Enjoy. Submit issues and suggestions if you have them.

Change log:

• Removed automatic zooming.
• Changed the admin map to use the full zoom control.
• Improved the javascript customization interface (custom-marker.js is now custom.js)
• Added option to use packed javascript for faster loading.
• Fixed location removal (and added instructions).
• Removed the logging option.
• Fixed problems with links when the map is on a subpage.

A couple of adjustments were needed to run under WordPress 2.1. The GeoMashup home page has been updated.

This may be the release I eventually call 1.0. There were 125 downloads of 1.0 Beta 1, and no issues reported.

It’s hard to believe, but I’ve been fiddling with a website called The Outdoor Map for almost a year now. My vision for it has changed, but I still use it all the time myself for finding places, keeping notes and links for them, and general map investigation. I had hoped that the site would support itself through advertising, but I never promoted it, and now the hosting bill is coming around. So, even though I still have many unrealized plans for it, I invite you play with the site a bit and see if you find it as useful as I do. Any comments you may have would be welcome.

A Christmas present of sorts - some bleeding edge software for you! I’ve used some of my holiday break time to start implementing a few features I’ve been eager to add to the Geo Mashup Plugin. I’ve made a lot of changes in this one that will need some testing, so I’m going to release it in beta to begin with and leave 0.5.2 available as a stable version (See the home page for links to both). Now onto the goodies:

• The plugin is now hosted on a Google Code Project Page. I’m hoping this will improve stability, and provides some new services.
• The Geo plugin is no longer required. Instead, a small searchable Google map is used to specify the location for a post. Details:
• While in beta at least, you should be able to go back to using 0.5.2 and the Geo plugin without data loss (no promises though - try it at your own risk).
• You can specify a location by entering coordinates, clicking the map, entering an address, or entering a place name.
• Your old preset locations should still be present as searchable place names.
• Markers now have titles that appear when moused over.
• The map page template is no longer required to have the <?php wp_foot(); ?> template tag. It still needs <?php wp_header(); ?> before the </head> tag.
• Lots of internal reorganization.

I have many ideas for more features, so let’s get these tested and stable!