Beginning Google Maps Applications with Rails and Ajax - From Novice to Professional

Contents at a Glance

Contents

About the Authors

About the Technical Reviewer

Your First Google Maps

Google Maps and Rails

KML: Your First Map

Wayfaring: Your Second Map

Got Rails?

What’s Next?

Getting Started

On JavaScript, Helpers, and Plug- ins

Creating Your Rails Application

The First Map

Basic User Interaction

A List of Points

Summary

Interacting with the User and the Server

Adding Interactivity

Going on a Treasure Hunt

Reviewing Application Structure

Building on Your Application

Creating the Map and Marking Points

Listening to User Events

Asking for More Information with an Info Window

Implementing Ajax

Retrieving Markers from the Server

Adding Some Flair

Ajax with Prototype

Summary

Geocoding Addresses

Preparing the Address Data

Using Geocoding Web Services

Persisting Lookups

Building a Store Location Map

Summary

Beyond the Basics

Manipulating Third-Party Data

Using Downloadable Text Files

Screen Scraping

Summary

Improving the User Interface

CSS: A Touch of Style

Scripted Style

Data Point Filtering

RJS and Draggable Toolbars

Summary

Optimizing and Scaling for Large Data Sets

Understanding the Limitations

Streamlining Server- Client Communications

Optimizing Server- Side Processing

Optimizing the Client- Side User Experience

Summary

What’s Next for the Google Maps API?

Driving Directions

Integrated Google Services

KML Data

More Data Layers

Beyond the Enterprise

Interface Improvements

Summary

Advanced Map Features and Methods

Advanced Tips and Tricks

Debugging Maps

Interacting with the Map from the API

Creating Map Objects with GOverlay

Creating Custom Controls

Adding Tabs to Info Windows

Creating a Custom Info Window

Implementing Your Own Map Type, Tiles, and Projection

Summary

Lines, Lengths, and Areas

Starting Flat

Moving to Spheres

Working with Polylines

What About UTM Coordinates?

Running Afoul of the Date Line

Summary

Advanced Geocoding Topics

Where Does the Data Come From?

Geocoding Based on Postal Codes

Using the TIGER/ Line Data

Summary

Appendixes

Finding the Data You Want

Knowing What to Look For: Search Tips

The Cat Came Back: Revisiting the TIGER/ Line

Airports in TIGER/ Line

The Government Standard: The GeoNames Data

Shake, Rattle, and Roll: The NOAA Goldmine

For the Space Aficionado in You

Google Maps API

class GMap2

class GMapOptions

enum GMapPane

class GKeyboardHandler

interface GOverlay

class GInfoWindow

class GInfoWindowTab

class GInfoWindowOptions

class GMarker

class GMarkerOptions

class GPolyline

class GIcon

class GPoint

class GSize

class GBounds

class GLatLng

class GLatLngBounds

interface GControl

class GControl

class GControlPosition

enum GControlAnchor

class GMapType

class GMapTypeOptions

interface GTileLayer

class GCopyrightCollection

class GCopyright

interface GProjection

class GMercatorProjection

namespace GEvent

class GEventListener

namespace GXmlHttp

namespace GXml

class GXslt

namespace GLog

class GDraggableObject

enum GGeoStatusCode

enum GGeoAddressAccuracy

class GClientGeocoder

class GGeocodeCache

class GFactualGeocodeCache

class GMarkerManager

class GMarkerManagerOptions

Functions

Index