iPhone - Google map does not slew

I

infosprt

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I am working on a site which provides Google Maps, traffic conditions, and local search (find McDonalds, Hotels, etc) capability. I noticed that the map would not move when you move your finger across it like the built in Google Maps program does. When the site is brought up with the Windows Safari browser the map moves as expected when you move the mouse with the mouse button depressed.

I understand that the touch interface with the iPhone is used for other things like moving around within a picture so I can understand why it might not work with generic Google Maps apps.

To try and solve the problem I put a pin on the map which I hope the iPhone user will be able to move with their finger which would cause the map to slew to the new position. Unfortuately I don't have an iPhone handy to test with right now and I was wondering if someone out there who has an iPhone could take a look at it and post if the map moves when you move the pin.

The site URL is www.iways.us .

Thanks in advance.
 
cdinca

cdinca

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I had to use the "centerAndZoom()" function to get google maps api to play nice with the iPhone. Just makes you rethink some things.
 
Tinman

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cdinca said:
I had to use the "centerAndZoom()" function to get google maps api to play nice with the iPhone. Just makes you rethink some things.
Click to expand...
Can you point to a working example? And how are you obtaining the coordinates to feed centerAndZoom (that works with an iPhone, naturally)?


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Mike
 
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infosprt

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Hi,

I removed the pin (for iPhone displays) and made the positioning control on the left side smaller.

I was wondering if anyone could take a look at the site with an iPhone www.iways.us and see if the map slew and zoom control works (upper left side of the display).

Thank you in advance.

-Al
 
cdinca

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Tinman said:
Can you point to a working example? And how are you obtaining the coordinates to feed centerAndZoom (that works with an iPhone, naturally)?


--
Mike
Click to expand...
I use this:

GEvent.addListener(map, 'click', function(overlay,point) {

map.centerAndZoom(point);

});
 
Tinman

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Those controls are not gonna cut it IMO (the latest are very small unless the page is zoomed in--iphone zoom--all of the way).

Before I was able to, clumsily, navigate using the positioning controls. But that was a chore. Now they are even harder to use. This is via WiFi; I can't imagine trying it with EDGE.


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Mike
 
cdinca

cdinca

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infosprt said:
Thank you for looking at it. The question I have does it work on the iPhone (If I touch the screen where I want it to slew to).

Thanks,
Al
Click to expand...
sorry...forgot you didn't have an iPhone with you.

if you tou touch your finger on california, it centers the map on california and zooms to level 6.

behaves the same as if you click it in a regular browser.
 
Tinman

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Yep it works on the iPhone. I tried it in my own test, though had gotten rid of everything 'cept the bare minimum. But cdinca's test works with it all.

MUCH better on the iPhone than having to use the nav buttons (still need 'em to zoom though).

EDIT: I didn't like it zooming back on each tap so I changed it to this:
map.setCenter(point);
(Just centers, doesn't zoom.)


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Mike
 
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infosprt

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I think I got it!

Thank you cdinca and Tinman.

I think there is something now that may work (assuming that if you touch the screen it slews).

If someone with an iPhone could go to www.iways.us and use it to see if it works. Also if the map does slew when you touch it I would appreciate comments as to its usability.

Thank you in advance.

-Al
 
cdinca

cdinca

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infosprt said:
Thank you cdinca and Tinman.

I think there is something now that may work (assuming that if you touch the screen it slews).

If someone with an iPhone could go to www.iways.us and use it to see if it works. Also if the map does slew when you touch it I would appreciate comments as to its usability.

Thank you in advance.

-Al
Click to expand...
To be totally honest, it feels like a clunky version of the built-in google maps app. That is not your fault, of course. it is just a limitation of the google maps api on iPhone.

the biggest issue, however is that it returns the exact same results as the built in app. Unless you are planning on doing a mash-up with reviews or photos, or something, I just don't see this being something people would use.
 
I

infosprt

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cdinca said:
To be totally honest, it feels like a clunky version of the built-in google maps app. That is not your fault, of course. it is just a limitation of the google maps api on iPhone.

the biggest issue, however is that it returns the exact same results as the built in app. Unless you are planning on doing a mash-up with reviews or photos, or something, I just don't see this being something people would use.
Click to expand...
The thing that I think is most valuable is the capability to find fastfood, hotels, etc in the area. It also has highway conditions which I think the built in app has but from reading some posts it works intermittently or not at all.

It is everything wrapped up on one page. However, I am sure Google will modify their built in Map program to do something similar.

Go to an area and type in McDonalds in the search box and the value jumps out at you.

BTW: I stood in line for the iPhone. When I got it I tried out a site that I had developed specifically for the iPhone iTeams.mobi. The idea being that people could upload photos in realtime during their kid's game. When I tried to upload a photo I noticed the file select widget was greyed out. I was so upset I took the iPhone back.

Thanks again,
Al
 
Tinman

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I'm not sure it's actually usable at this point, or at least I'd say one would need to be motivated to use it.

1.) Confusing to have to deal with both the zoom within Google map and the iPhone's zoom.

2.) Hard to use the nav buttons for zooming.

3.) Nav buttons cannot be seen when (iPhone) is zoomed in.


--
Mike
 
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infosprt

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Tinman said:
I'm not sure it's actually usable at this point, or at least I'd say one would need to be motivated to use it.

1.) Confusing to have to deal with both the zoom within Google map and the iPhone's zoom.

2.) Hard to use the nav buttons for zooming.

3.) Nav buttons cannot be seen when (iPhone) is zoomed in.


--
Mike
Click to expand...
Tinman,

Does the built in Google Map program have the capability to display local businessses?

Thanks,
Al
 
S

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infosprt said:
Tinman,

Does the built in Google Map program have the capability to display local businessses?

Thanks,
Al
Click to expand...
Yes it can. So I agree that, unfortunately, I don't see added value in this website.

BTW, you can actually disable the zooming in Safari on the iPhone, but I forget what the attribute to set is. You can look it up in the Apple published docs.
 
I

infosprt

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Silverado said:
Yes it can. So I agree that, unfortunately, I don't see added value in this website.

BTW, you can actually disable the zooming in Safari on the iPhone, but I forget what the attribute to set is. You can look it up in the Apple published docs.
Click to expand...
I guess I should of kept my iPhone a little longer and I would of seen that. Thanks again.

-Al
 
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