What's new: Enhancements and fixes
Donation? If you find Gmap4 to be useful to you please give some thought to making a donation.
Are you enjoying the new very high resolution map tiles that do not have any ads or watermarks? A developer in California by the name of Matt produced those tiles and is paying out of his pocket to have them hosted on Amazon's cloud service.
Please help me pay Gmap4's share of Matt's Amazon bill by making a donation.
Reminder: Since Gmap4 lives in the cloud (1) you never have to download or install Gmap4 and (2) you
are always automatically using the latest version of the code. But if Gmap4 does not seem to work then
please clear your browser's cache and try again. To see the version number you are using you can click
Menu ==> About on any map.
The updated Gmap4 Help file has important information for using these new features. You can quickly find the right section in the Help file by searching the table of contents on a relevant keyword. You can also visit the Examples page to see sample maps demonstrating many of these features.
January 29, 2012 Gmap4 version 3.0
1. Trip planning
You can now click the map to set draggable waypoints, routes and tracks. This feature works worldwide. A single click can save both a waypoint and routepoint. There is a running report of distance in both miles and kilometers. You can save your work as a GPX file. Many handheld GPS units can read GPX files. Gmap4 is the only general purpose map viewing tool that lets you edit all of the fields that a standard GPX file might display on the screen of a GPS. You can create a GPX file, put it online and view it with Gmap4. For more information, including tips and tricks, please see the Gmap4 Help file.
2. Extremely high resolution topographic maps for the USA and with no watermarks and no ads!
These state-of-the-art topographic maps are the result of a lot of hard work by the developer who runs http://CalTopo.com and the staff at the U.S. Geological Survey who scanned these maps at 660 pixels per inch.
To see these maps please open the drop down menu in the upper right corner and select "t4 Topo High".
You are invited to compare these maps to any other topographic maps that are available online for the USA and decide for yourself which maps are the highest quality. Some states (FL, LA, MA, MS, NH, RI, SD, VT and WY) have not yet been processed into these high resolution maps. When processing is finished for those states then Gmap4 will display high resoluton maps for those areas. For the "rest of the story" behind these new maps please search the Gmap4 Help file on 'CalTopo'.
3. Variable amount of hill shading
Do you prefer more hill shading, less, none? For the very high quality topographic maps described above (t4 Topo High), you can set the amount of hill shading by clicking Menu ==> Hillshade and choosing a setting. A hillshade URL parameter has also been added. Remember, this setting only applies to the very high quality topographic maps. As of the date of this update, Gmap4 is the only map viewing tool that lets you vary the amount of hill shading on USA topographic maps.
4. Map views renamed in dropdown list
Clicking the far upper right button opens a list of the map views. The map views that have been renamed are listed below. The first part of each name corresponds to the URL parameter setting that would display that view when the map opens on the screen.
t1 Terrain Google terrain
t2 MyTopo Medium quality topographic maps from the MyTopo (Trimble) company
t3 Topo Low Low quality topographic maps from Microsoft and the USGS.
t4 Topo High High quality topographic maps from CalTopo and the USGS.
December 21, 2011 Gmap4 version 2.3
1. Mobile users - Find yourself on the map
Locate yourself with Gmap4 on a smartphone or other mobile device. Open any Gmap4 map using your smartphone's browser and do Menu ==> Findme
To automatically start the 'Findme' feature when Gmap4 opens, include '&findme=on' in the Gmap4 URL.
If your phone has a GPS chip, please check to make sure that you have enabled it. Those GPS chips are 'off' by default.
2. Turn off coordinate display
If you are viewing Gmap4 on a phone (or other small screen) then you might want to turn off the coordinate display in the lower right corner so you can see more of the map. Click Menu ==> UTM - LatLng - Off. A window will open where you can select 'off'.
To open Gmap4 with this coordinate display already turned off, include '&coord=off' in the Gmap4 URL.
3. MyTopo maps have ad buttons - Don't shoot me!
This was not my idea. The Trimble Company now owns the MyTopo maps. As the 'price' for being allowed to continue displaying the MyTopo maps at no cost, Gmap4 must display Trimble's ad images when the MyTopo maps are on the screen. If seeing those ad buttons bothers you, then look at the map view labeled "US Topo". Those maps do not have any ads and the topographic lines are identical to the MyTopo maps.
December 4, 2011 Gmap4 version 2.2
1. Terms of Service
A Terms of Service section has been added to the updated Gmap4 Help file. Your use of Gmap4 constitutes acceptance by you of those terms of service.
2. Security
Since Gmap4 lets anyone view certain types of data files (GPX, KML, etc) that were prepared by anyone else, various internet security features have been built into Gmap4 from the start. These security features have been enhanced. If you are editing your data files to add links, images, HTML and/or CSS, then be sure to read the 'security' section of the updated Gmap4 Help file. If you are viewing a data file that displays a security-related message that you feel is a 'false positive', then please email me a link to the map that caused that message. You can get that link by clicking Menu ==> Show map URL.
3. Labels
Symbol names in the data file can appear on the map as labels. Open any file that has symbols (and not just a track) and click Menu ==> Label On/Off. (This feature is not yet supported for KMZ files.)
To start Gmap4 and open a map with labels already displayed, add &label=on to the Gmap4 URL.
GPX, KML and Google MyPlace files: Labels can be styled with inline HTML and CSS. (You have to edit your file to add any styling.) Support for global styling will be added later.
Delimited text files: Extensive support for labels has been added. Global CSS styling can be applied to groups of symbols. You can write CSS that will give labels a solid background when an aerial map view is displayed and have a transparent background when one of the non-aerial map views is being displayed. Labels for specific symbols or groups of symbols can be suppressed via commands in the data file.
Some of the code driving this new label feature is an essential component of a future update that will add a 'trip planning' feature.
4. Delimited text files
Since a number of significant improvements were made, the section in the Help file describing delimited text files has been completely re-written. This section now starts with a series of example data files. The first data file shows a very basic map and the following examples add features to that map. So even if you read this section of the Help file before, please take a second look. Some of the improvements are:
* You no longer need to start these files with pc/mac/unix and you can now specify any single character as the delimiter for your file. Gmap4 is backwards compatible with your existing delimited files. The updated Gmap4 Help file has essential related information.
* Symbols can have labels that are multi-line text, links and/or images.
* Flexible CSS styling for labels.
* Coordinates can be written either latitude, longitude or longitude, latitude.
* The settings for line width and line color are now 'sticky' until changed in your file.
5. Surfing large files and files on slow servers
If you try to view a file that exceeds size and/or timing limits set by Google, then Gmap4 now displays an error message telling you why your screen remains blank.
6. Surfing files with a '?' in their URL
You can now display these files with Gmap4. The URL to the GPX, KML, KMZ or TPO file must be one that would let you download the file without having to login anywhere. When you form a Gmap4 URL to view such a file, the &q= parameter (pointing to the file) must be the last parameter in your Gmap4 URL. See the Examples page.
7. GPX files
The symbol for all waypoints has reverted to a red paddle. It had been a blue flag for awhile but that image was too hard to see on too many maps.
8. Description balloons
When you click a symbol usually a balloon with more information will appear. The default background for that balloon is now white (instead of light yellow). Text in the balloon will use your browser's default font.
9. Cursor
The cursor is now an arrow and changes to a pointing hand over anything clickable.
10. Google Streetview
Google Streetview now works when the topographic maps are displayed.
10-2-2011 Gmap4 version 2.1.8
1. If you click a symbol on the map and see a link in the balloon that appears, then that link will be colored and/or underlined according to settings in your browser that control the appearance of links.
2. The links at the very bottom of each map now open in a new window. (You can tell your browser to open links in new tab.) Reason: If links opened in the same window as the map then when you use your 'back' button the map will reload and that will often be a different view than the map view you were looking at when you clicked the link. If you are building KML or delimited files that include links, then you should consider coding those links so they open in a new window.
3. Symbols in KML and delimited files that have very long descriptions now will display a scroll bar when needed. Previously when those symbols were clicked the text extended past the bottom of the balloon.
4. The 'name' field in delimited files can now include a link. Example: http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?q=http://bivouac.com/ssvP_Mtn_119_.ssv&t=t2&z=13&ll=52.1833,-117.9033&label=on
9-25-2011 Gmap4 version 2.1.7
This update is a fix for when Internet Explorer 9 is used in 'compatibility' mode.
IE9 will now correctly display the two drop down menus in the upper right corner of the map.
9-17-2011 Gmap4 version 2.1.6
This update fixes the 'blank screen' problem reported by some users
After the new 3D 'Earth' feature was added on September 12th, a few users reported that Gmap4 just showed them a
blank screen. Thanks to Google software engineer Josh who pointed me in the right direction to solve this
problem.
9-14-2011 Gmap4 version 2.1.5
Code tweak for 'Earth' view
After the update two days ago, a few people reported that Gmap4 no longer worked. That problem is related to
the new 'Earth' map view. That feature runs Google Earth inside your browser and lets you fly around in 3D. If you
cannot open any maps with Gmap4 then please:
A. Clear your browser's cache. (Only clear the cache. Uncheck any other items.)
B. If you are using Internet Explorer 8 or later, then go to Tools ==> Compatibility View
Settings and add mappingsupport.com
C. Try Gmap4 again.
If Gmap4 still does not work then please download the latest version of the pdf Help
file (dated September 14, 2011 or later) and search it for 'tips for flying'. Skip the first part of that section
and scroll down to a heading that starts 'Background...'. That section explains why there is a problem
and provides some easy/quick things you can try. Those suggestions have fixed the problem for most people.
And if you still have a problem then the last suggestion gives you a URL that will open the prior version of Gmap4.
9-12-2011 Gmap4 version 2.1.4
1. View Google Earth in your browser - Fly over GPS tracks in 3D
This feature requires broadband and a reasonably modern computer.
Click the map type button (far upper right) and select Earth. You might need to allow the Google Earth
browser plug-in to be added to your system. Any data on the map (including GPS tracks) should appear in Earth.
Flight school: Open the Gmap4 Help
file and search for 'Tips for flying'. Anyone can quickly learn to fly with just a mouse.
For the most fun flying use right-click-hold and shift-left-click-drag. Read the 'tips' to learn the secrets
for using those controls.
Firefox 6.0.2 and Chrome work OK.
Internet Explore 8 will let you go into earth view and fly. However, to go back to one of the other map views you will need to reload the Gmap4 map.
If there is a problem with this feature then:
A. Clear your browser's cache (Do not clear other items, just clear the cache)
B. Reload the Gmap4 map in your browser
C. Try again to do the thing that failed
2. Directions
This feature has been redesigned. To get draggable directions within Gmap4 please:
A. Place your cursor at either the start or end of your trip and right click.
B. Click 'Directions to here' or 'Directions from here'.
C. Enter an address, place name or latitude longitude in the empty 'from' or 'to' box.
For some useful tips (including the new '&directions=on' URL parameter), please search the Gmap4 Help file on 'directions'.
3. Streetview
Google streetview can now be activated by the user.
4. Menus
The two menus in the upper right have been redesigned. Now all the possible map types appear at one time just like they used to before Google changed things at their end.
5. Printing
The Menu button (upper right) and the coordinate display (lower right) no longer obsure part of the printed map.
6. Commercial use of Gmap4
A page has been added to the Gmap4 website clarifying that commercial websites using Gmap4 are required to pay a modest annual license fee. Gmap4 is still free for non-commercial use.
7. Donate
A 'donate' button has been added to the 'Menu' options and to the Gmap4 website.
5-6-2011 Gmap4 version 2.1.1
1. It is now much easier to share maps by using a delimited text file to hold your data.
These files have a much simpler format than GPX or KML files. Do you have kids in middle school
or high school? Show them how this works then turn them loose. A simple file with only 2 lines
will produce a map with a marker that displays text in a balloon when the marker is clicked.
You can also use a delimited text file to easily produce a map that shows:
* Multiple lines of any color and width.
* Any symbol images (also called markers and icons) that are hosted online.
* Symbol labels that can be turned on/off.
* Balloons that appear when symbols are clicked. The text that appears in the balloon can be
styled with html and can include links and clickable photo thumbnails.
* A map title. This can be multi-line and styled with html.
Did I mention that doing this is easy?
Homework assignment: Do you know the names of all your neighbors that live within a 10 minute stroll
of your home? Consider making a map with that info. When you turn the symbol labels 'on' then everyone's name
will be displayed by their home.
For more information about using delimited text files with Gmap4 please see the
examples and search the
help file on 'delimited'.
Also new in the 5-6-2011 update:
2. A second set of topographic maps for the USA can be displayed (US Topo). These maps are from the USGS/Microsoft
partnership that used to be called Terraserver and is now called Microsoft Research Maps.
3. The Menu button includes tips for printing the map area on your screen.
4. A "New User FAQ" has been added to the menu bar on the homepage.
5. Better error messages to help you understand what went wrong.
2-25-2011 Gmap4 version 1.9.4
The format for making tab-delimited files has changed. This change makes it easier to use Excel to make
tab-delimited files. Please see the 'Help'
file for more information. Gmap4's ability to read tab-delimited is under active development. As
additional features are added there may be some minor tweaks to the required file format.
2-16-2011 Gmap4 version 1.9.3
Gmap4 can now read and display data from tab-delimited files.
Those files have to (1) have a certain layout which is described in the Gmap4 Help file and (2) be
placed online. Excel and every other spreadsheet program can make tab-delimited files. If you can make a simple
spreadsheet file, then you can make a map. See the
'Examples' page (scroll down just a bit) and 'Help'
file for more information. Search the 'Help' file table of contents for the word 'delimited'.
For the last few weeks Gmap4 has supported comma-delimited files as a beta feature. After further testing and
review, support for comma-delimited files has been replaced with support for tab-delimited files. We apologize
for any inconvenience this change causes for anyone.
1-29-2011 Gmap4 version 1.9.2
The UTM grid now has labels along the top and along the left edge. If the labels are partially off the map or
if they are too far into the body of the map, then just drag the map a bit. In Firefox 3.6.13 and Chrome the UTM
grid displays and refreshes faster than in IE8.
1-17-2011 Gmap4 version 1.9.1
Gmap4 now supports UTM coordinates worldwide. You can toggle UTM on/off. Click: Menu ==> UTM On/Off.
The datum used for UTM support is WGS84. If UTM is 'on' then Gmap4 gives you UTM information in three ways:
1. A UTM grid is displayed.
2. The lower right corner of the screen will always show the UTM zone and UTM coordinates for both
the cursor and map center.
3. You can get the UTM zone and coordinates for any point on the map by right-clicking that point.
If you want your map to appear on the user's screen and already have the UTM grid turned on, then add this
parameter to the map URL: &coord=utm
1-11-2011 Gmap4 version 1.8.4
1. Search feature: Google did something at their end and now the search feature does not work as well
as it used to when searching on place names. It still works great when searching on coordinates and
addresses. A second search tool that is designed to search on place names will be added to Gmap4.
2. Magnetic declination for the map center has been moved to the Menu button.
3. Right click now also displays UTM coordinates for the point clicked. (More UTM support is coming.)
4. Crosshair at the map center is now easier to see.
5. A 'Beta Features' page has been added to the Gmap4 website. You can try new features that are
in the final stage of testing. Currently that page describes initial support for reading and displaying csv files.
1-1-2011 Gmap4 version 1.8.3
1. Magnetic declination for the map center is always displayed in the lower right corner. This works
worldwide. This is the current value as predicted by ongoing cooperation among scientific bodies around
the world.
12-21-2010 Gmap4 version 1.8.2
1. Copying the URL that will reproduce the map on your screen is now much easier. Menu ==> Map URL.
2. Two icons have been added. If your Gmap4 URL includes &ll= and &icon= then an icon appears at the center of your map.
prs - paddle red small
pgs - paddle green small
3. A small red paddle (instead of the flag) will now mark waypoints in GPX and TPO files.
4. You can search on latitude/longitude. All the popular formats are supported including degrees and decimal minutes which is popular for geocaching. Menu ==> Search.
5. Search is now more user friendly. This section of the Help file has been re-written.
12-8-2010 Gmap4 version 1.8.1
1. Printing. The Gmap4 code has nothing to do with this feature. Instead, this feature has been made available by Google. This feature allows maps to print from your browser. I only tested Firefox 3.6.6. Find the 'Print' feature in your browser and see if you can print the map on your screen.
2. A search feature has been added. Click Menu ==> Search. You can search
on addresses, natural features, place names and more. See the 'Help' file for more info.
3. You can now place one marker on a map just by using a URL parameter and without needing
to use any kind of GPS-related data file.
This will be useful for maps where you want to call attention to just a single feature such as a trailhead, summit,
campsite, etc. Please see the Examples page and 'Help' file for more information
about the new &icon URL parameter.
4. Added a crosshair at the map center.
5. It is now easier to copy the URL of a map you see on the screen. Click Menu ==> Map URL.
6. Fixed a bug in the coordinate display in the lower right corner. Now if you doubleclick the map
that point will be the new map center and the display of the cursor coordinates will be blank until you move
the cursor.
7. Degrees-Minutes and Degrees-Minutes-Seconds (in several formats) are now included in the display
when you right-click anywhere.
8. A few other visual improvements to the interface.
9-8-2010 Gmap4 version 1.7.4
This fix only applies when Gmap4 is running in an iframe. Links will now open in a new window
instead of opening within the iframe.
9-5-2010 Gmap4 version 1.7.3
If the user changes the size of the window containing the map, then the zoom control in the upper left corner will
now correctly change size. If the map window is less than about 700 pixels wide, then a small
zoom control will appear. Wider maps will show a larger zoom control with a sliding bar.
9-2-2010 Gmap4 version 1.7.2
GPX and TPO files will now be displayed so they fill the map area as much as possible. The default zoom
(supplied by Google) caused maps showing GPX/TPO files to be zoomed out further than needed. This
has been reported as a bug to Google.
8-31-2010 Gmap4 version 1.7.1
TPO files can now be displayed. These files are produced by various versions of the TOPO!
software from National Geographic. Please see the 'Help' file for more info on this feature.
8-15-2010 Gmap4 version 1.6.003
Fixed a run time problem that occasionally caused Gmap4 to not display either a map or an error message. Ouch!
This problem related to some KML files and the way in which Gmap4 was reading the file to obtain
the name to be used at the top of the map.
8-7-2010 Gmap4 version 1.6.002
Minor update to maintain compatibility with Google Sites. If you do not have your own
website, then Google Sites is an excellent way to place your GPX, KML and KMZ files online so they
can be viewed with Gmap4.
7-23-2010 Gmap4 version 1.6.001
1. If you are a previous user, please see the items labeled "new" in the table of contents
of the updated Gmap4 'Help' file.
2. Gmap4 can now read KMZ files. There are limits on file size.
See the Gmap4 'Help' file for details.
3. If you do not have your own website, then the recommended free
way to place KML/KMZ/GPX files online is by using Google Sites instead of Google Documents.
4. The default map view is now Google terrain instead of the MyTopo topographic maps. To override
this default so the MyTopo maps are displayed, just add &t=t2 to the URL you use to launch Gmap4.
5. The screen now continuously displays coordinates for the cursor and the center of the visible map.
6. If the amount of screen real estate available to Gmap4 is more than 700 pixels wide,
then a large pan/zoom control will appear in the upper left corner of your screen, otherwise a small
zoom control will appear.
7. Gmap4 now uses version 3 of the Google Maps API (Application Program Interface).
This change positions Gmap4 so that additional features, such trip planning, can be added.
This API supports the following browser and operating system combinations:
IE 7.0+ (Windows)
Firefox 3.0+ (Windows|Mac|Linux)
Safari 4+ (Mac|iPhone)
Chrome (Windows|Mac|Linux)
Android
No special programming has been done (yet) to support the use of Gmap4 on phones. If it works
at all, be happy.
6-26-2010 Gmap4 version 1.5.012
1. Yippee! You can once again place your KML and GPX files online as Google Documents.
Earlier this year changes were made to Google Documents which broke this feature of Gmap4. The
Gmap4 code has now been revised to work with these changes.
Did I mention that Google Documents is a free service from Google? Please review the updated Gmap4
Help file to see the recommended workflow. If you do not have your own website, then this is the recommended
way to place your KML and/or GPX files online so you can view them with Gmap4.
2. Gmap4 now avoids problems that can be caused by the cache that Google maintains on your computer.
If you update your data file, then Gmap4 will now display the most recent version of your map and not the map
produced by the prior version of your data file that is still lurking in Google's cache on your computer.
Be sure to read about the 'refresh' URL parameter in the Gmap4 'Help' file.
3. Are you making KML files that have clickable icons that display an info balloon containing
text and/or photo links?
The definition of those 'info balloons' in your KML file can now extend over multiple lines. This makes it
much easier to control the formatting of the info balloons. Also, the sample KML files have been improved to show
a better way to include clickable photos inside your info balloons. Please see the demo KML files
described in the appendix of the 'Help' file.
4. KML demo file #3 has been added to the appendix of the 'Help' file. This file includes an example and step-by-step instructions for
making a map that includes data from multiple files. For example, you could produce a KML file that
has (1) your GPS track from a hike and (2) is linked to a second KML file that displays an icon on each mountain
summit in your area. Or you could produce a KML file that is linked to several other KML files which
each contain one or more of your GPS tracks. The linked files can also be Google 'MyMaps'. (Google has now changed the name 'MyMaps' to 'MyPlaces.')
1-6-2010 Gmap4 version 1.4.065 Added an item to the Action menu to go to the new Gmap4 website.
1-1-2010 Gmap4 version 1.4.061 Fixed a bug related to saving a KML or GPX file as a Google Document
12-29-2009 Gmap4 version 1.4.048 Added the ability to read Google MyMaps. Corrected a bug in the menu action to display the URL one would use to generate the map currently on the screen. The Actions menu is now used to display the Gmap4 version number. Also the current zoom level and map center are now accessed via the Actions menu.
12-21-2009 Gmap4 version 1.3.035 Revised the onscreen interface to use drop down menus, adjusted message display to work correctly in an iframe down to 400 pixels by 400 pixels, locked in Google Maps API version 2.184
12-14-2009 Gmap4 version 1.2.084 Right click now displays both lat,lon and lon,lat
12-12-2009 Gmap4 version 1.2.083 'Help' file added
12-7-2009 Gmap4 version 1.2.074 Read gpx/txt files that are hosted online (for free) as Google documents
12-5-2009 Gmap4 version 1.2.041 hardcoded several GPSBabel options so maps from GPX files display better
12-4-2009 Gmap4 version 1.2.018 added support for gpx files
12-3-2009 Gmap4 version 1.1.150 Read kml/txt files that are hosted online (for free) as Google documents
11-26-2009 Gmap4 version 1.0 Initial release