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!

[Doctor Death]

Uninstalled (again). Once installed, got this error on NEW POST screen

Parse error: parse error, unexpected '&', expecting T_VARIABLE or '$' in /home/xxxxxxx/public_html/forums/includes/class_bbcode.php(166) : eval()'d code on line 16

Will try again next version.

[apfparadise]

Upgraded from 1.0 to 1.1 and now I get this on top of my pages:

PHP Code:

Parse error: parse error, unexpected '&', expecting T_VARIABLE or '$' in /home/aquatic/public_html/socalaquascapers/forum/includes/class_bbcode.php(166) : eval()'d code on line 16 


I took out the product completely and then reinstalled the 1.1 and still the same error, never showed up with 1.0

[magnus]

@Doctor Death & apfparadise:

Parse error: parse error, unexpected '&', expecting T_VARIABLE or '$' in /home/xxxxxxx/public_html/forums/includes/class_bbcode.php(166) : eval()'d code on line 16

This is because you're still using PHP4 (or lower). I went ahead and made it backwards compatible.

Either re-download the .xml and import it or make the following modifcation yourself:

In the Create handle_bbcode_map() for handling of [map] tags plugin:

FIND:

PHP Code:

foreach ($locations as &$location) 


REPLACE:

PHP Code:

foreach ($locations as $location) 


That will fix that error.

[Tralala]

Great work, magnus... it appears to be working for me. I deleted the older functions_phoogle.php file, and upgraded the product. Tested a few posts and the maps show up as expected. Then I tested with the [map=Point 1;Point 2]Address 1;Address 2[/map] syntax and that worked fine as well. :up:

Just curious, what did the problem turn out to be? PHP 4 vs 5?


The only thing that didn't seem to work was when I tried to include more than one (seperate) maps into one post. Say, I wanted to have one map of the White House, and a seperate one of the Grand Canyon in a single post. Only the 2nd map would display.

[magnus]

Originally Posted by Tralala

Great work, magnus... it appears to be working for me. I deleted the older functions_phoogle.php file, and upgraded the product. Tested a few posts and the maps show up as expected. Then I tested with the [map=Point 1;Point 2]Address 1;Address 2[/map] syntax and that worked fine as well. :up:

Great, glad to hear it.

Originally Posted by Tralala

Just curious, what did the problem turn out to be? PHP 4 vs 5?

No. I downgraded to PHP4 and that didn't solve anything, so I decided to sort of 're-do' the way the whole thing was processed. And, so far, it seems to be working..

Originally Posted by Tralala

The only thing that didn't seem to work was when I tried to include more than one (seperate) maps into one post. Say, I wanted to have oneap of the White House and one of the Grand Canyon in a single post. Only the 2nd map would display.

This is by design. In the original iteration of this, one would add multiple points by declaring multiple [map][/map] values. So, really, there couldn't be multiple maps per post.

With the new format (semi-colon delimeter), I can go back to allowing multiple maps per post. Once I'm confident that the framework is stable, I'll add more features.

[Tralala]

Originally Posted by magnus

With the new format (semi-colon delimeter), I can go back to allowing multiple maps per post. Once I'm confident that the framework is stable, I'll add more features.

Sounds great to me! Keep up the great work.

[Tralala]

Live on my forum, and it works for me in Safari. I'm getting reports from folks that the maps are not displaying for them though; all they're seeing is blank space. The common variable seems to be Firefox 2 (so far.) Although, some Firefox users can see the maps, some can't. I'm still gathering data.

[Chadi]

Forgive me. I'm not exactly understanding what this does. Can someone please explain its motive? Thank you

[Tralala]

Originally Posted by chadi

Forgive me. I'm not exactly understanding what this does. Can someone please explain its motive? Thank you

It allows your board members to include a navigable and zoomable Google map in their posts.

Typing [map]1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500[/map] for example, results in this showing onscreen in the thread:

[ThePiston]

Originally Posted by Tralala

Live on my forum, and it works for me in Safari. I'm getting reports from folks that the maps are not displaying for them though; all they're seeing is blank space. The common variable seems to be Firefox 2 (so far.) Although, some Firefox users can see the maps, some can't. I'm still gathering data.

works fine for me in FF 2