New Posting Features - Phoogle! An interactive Google Maps mapping system.

Keywords: Phoogle, Google, Maps, BBCode

Description:
Allows for the insertion of interactive Google Maps within posts via a new BBCode. Supports point labeling as well as multiple points per map.

Details:
I became increasingly annoyed after seeing more and more links to maps being butchered when posted on forums. I had remembered seeing the nifty Phoogle Maps and figured, "why not?"

A few headaches later.. here we are.

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Usage:
[map]value[/map]
[map=Option]value[/map]

Example:
[map]1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500[/map]
[map=The White House]1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500[/map]

Multiple Locations Example:
[map]1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500;E Capitol St NE & 1st St NE, Washington, DC 20001[/map]
[map=The White House;Capitol Building]1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500;E Capitol St NE & 1st St NE, Washington, DC 20001[/map]

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Installation:

1. Download and import product-phoogle2.0Beta1.xml via the Product Manager.
2. If you do not already have one, obtain a free Google Maps API key.
3. Configure Phoogle! via the AdminCP (vBulletin Options > Phoogle Settings).
4. ???
5. Profit!

Notes:
When adding/editing a map via AJAX Quick Reply or Quick Edit, you must refresh the page to see changes.

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Comments:
As with all my hacks, this modification is provided free of charge. However, if you find this product useful and have money burning a hole in your pocket, feel free to make a small donation, I won't mind.. really.

Version History:

• 1.0.0 - Initial release, here's to hoping..
• 1.0.1 - Added check for post preview, [map] code will NOT be parsed when previewing (because it can't).
• 1.1.0
  • Eliminated need for functions_phoogle.php
  • Modified way [map] tags are parsed
  • Moved previously static html to templates
  • Changed way multiple locations per posts is defined (separated by ;)
  • Added check for cURL() if not, uses file_get_contents()
• 2.0 Beta 1
  • Proper error handling. Will now verify address (and make reccomended changes) before submitting.
  • Javascript will not be loaded on pages that do not have maps (woops!)
  • Few internal tweaks to (hopefully) speed things up.
• 2.0 Beta 2 - Plays nice with the [noparse][/noparse] tags. (thanks Tralala)

* Please note that this modification was developed on a forum with a userbase of 1 (myself). I've tested it for basic functionality but I cannot guarantee functionality or behavior on your forum. So, please -- make backups before installing this product!

[meissenation]

False lead. My header and footer are identical between the customized style and the default style and I still get the error in the customized style.

[magnus]

Originally Posted by meissenation

False lead. My header and footer are identical between the customized style and the default style and I still get the error in the customized style.

First step, run the affected page through The W3C Markup Validation Service. It will find any mismatched tags, improper usage, etc. All of which could affect proper display.

Many of the errors it will return might be for strict sake, but it will find actual table/layout/etc errors as well. For example:

# Error Line 450 column 7: end tag for "tr" omitted, but OMITTAG NO was specified.

</table>

Error Line 469 column 4: end tag for "td" omitted, but OMITTAG NO was specified.

</tr>

# Error Line 477 column 32: invalid comment declaration: found name character outside comment but inside comment declaration.

<!-- End of Ride of the Month --->

# Error Line 771 column 7: end tag for "td" omitted, but OMITTAG NO was specified.

</div>

✉
# Info Line 588 column 0: start tag was here.

<td>

# Error Line 771 column 7: end tag for "tr" omitted, but OMITTAG NO was specified.

</div>

✉
# Info Line 584 column 0: start tag was here.

<tr>

# Error Line 771 column 7: end tag for "table" omitted, but OMITTAG NO was specified.

</div>

✉
# Info Line 583 column 0: start tag was here.

<table border=0 cellpadding="6" cellspacing="1" width=100% valign="top">

✉
# Error Line 2468 column 4: end tag for element "td" which is not open.

</td>

✉
# Error Line 2469 column 7: end tag for element "table" which is not open.

</table>

Those are just a few of the more pressing ones I'd focus on first. Ideally, you'd like to pass the validator and be W3C XHTML Compliant.

My money, however, is on this one:

Error Line 607 column 8: end tag for element "script" which is not open.

</script>

[meissenation]

Hrm, I can't get line 607 to correlate to the </script> on my side.

[magnus]

When validating your page, select the "Show Source" button. It will display your page source, with line numbers.

[meissenation]

Ah. Looks like it's in my navbar, I'll take a look in a couple hours -- I have to leave work (LOL been troubleshooting this all day..) and go to class.

[meissenation]

Alright well I removed the </script> and alas the same error is still present. It definitely seems like it's only in IE7, as the people that did not heed the thread's warning title all said they use FireFox, not IE7, and they said the maps load fine for them. I myself can view it fine in FF, and then as soon as I switch over to IE7 it errors me out.

It definitely seems to fail with the Customized style that I use. If I switch over to the Default style, it loads perfectly fine with no problems. What it's not compatible with, I'm not sure. I've copied over the custom style's header, headinclude, and footer so all of that would be the same. So now the difference lies with mods that are applying to the custom style and not the default, or template changes applying to custom and not default. :shrug: I'll try and trouble shoot this more tonight and tomorrow.

[meissenation]

Just an update, I was UNABLE to replicate the Operation Aborted message on my girlfriend's laptop which runs WinXP IE6. This happens on my computer at my office, WinXP IE7 and on my laptop Windows Vista Business with IE7.

Edit: My dad was able to load the site on his WinXP computer with IE7. So it seems the issue is with my computer. I closed my browser, went into the Internet Options and cleared my cache, cookies, and browsing history for IE. Started IE and TA-EFFIN-DA the thread loads with no error messages!!!! Whether this fixes the error on all threads from now on or not, not sure... but in any case, it's now fully functional for my site on IE7, IE6, and FF2 as far as I can tell.

Magnus and Doctor Death, can you clear your cache with IE closed, then reopen IE and try the thread link to see if it works for you now too?
http://www.mifbody.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=7876

[Tralala]

Just came back to post here, as I've asked my forum members to explicitly test this plugin with MSIE 7 and all of my forum's skins... and they had no problems whatsoever.

So the issue being troubleshot above is specific to meissenation's forum, and/or it's skin, and/or MSIE 7 on his computer.

[meissenation]

From the sounds of it, seems like just need to clear cache.

[meissenation]

At work clearing my cache didn't fix it, so I cleared my cache, browsing history, and cookies and THEN it worked again.