22

Product support

Get help in the plugin support forum.

  • Added on Mar 3, 2016
  • Current version: 1.0.7
  • Platform Compatibility
    v3.x not tested
    v2.x not tested
    v1.x use latest
  • License: Regular / Extended
  • Created by

Categories

Fencus Google Maps Widgets

An simple solution to use Google Maps on the Back-end and Front-end.

Description

  • It's a solution to manage Google Maps and Markers on the back-end with a Map Behavior to be used on the front-end.
  • This plugin it's aimed for developers by developers.
  • It aims to be as simple as possible, that's why we give you another two plugins to serve as an example of use for free: Fencus Maps and Fencus Addressbook.
  • It is used by us in our own projects, so you can expect for a continued development and maintenance.
  • We try to give you the best documentation that we can make, if you don't understand something on it, please contact us so we can help you and improve the documentation.
  • If you want to see the plugin in action you can visit our demo:
    • The demo uses two plugins that depends on this one: Fencus Maps and Fencus Addressbook.
  • You can use Fencus Maps and Fencus Addressbook as examples to build your own plugin, they are available in GitHub and in the October Marketplace for FREE (they depend on Fencus Google Maps Widgets, so you will need to buy Fencus Google Maps WIdgets in order to use them):
  • Do you need more functionality or have any idea to make this plugin better? Contact us, we want you to be happy and to make this the definitive solution to Google Maps for Developers on October.

Consideration

  • This plugin depends on Google Maps JavaScript API, for its use you need an API Key provided by Google. We are not responsable for the conditions and limitations of the service from Google, click here to know more and get a key.

Contents of this plugin

Location Selector FormWidget

Renders a map and uses a marker to indicate a given position on it, it returns the value as a google.maps.LatLngLiteral object (in string format so you can store it in your database).

  • Read the documentation for more information on how to use it.

Address Locator FormWidget

It works in conjunction with the Location Selector FormWidget. It allows you to find an address using Google Maps Geocoding Service. When an address is selected it automaticaly places the marker of the Location Selector FormWidget on it.

  • Read the documentation for more information on how to use it.

Address Finder FormWidget

It allows you to find an address using the Google Maps Geocoding Service.

  • Read the documentation for more information on how to use it.

Map Configurator FormWidget

Configure the options of a Google Map and shows a preview of it LIVE, it returns the value as a google.maps.MapOptions object (in string format so you can store it in your database):

  • Select the initial position of the map.

  • Select the initial zoom of the map.

  • Enable/disable the scrollwheel to zoom in and out.

  • Enable/disable StreetView option.

  • Enable/disable full screen option.

  • Enable/disable the Map Type selector.

  • Define the position of the Map Type selector.

  • Define the style of the Map Type selector.

  • Select witch Map Type to use by default.

  • Select the available Map Types to use.

  • Enable/disable the Zoom Control.

  • Define the position of the Zoom Control.

  • Show markers form a relation or function on the map.

  • Read the documentation for more information on how to use it.

An API Loader Component

The API Loader Component loads the Javascript API from google and initilizes all the maps on a page that use the Map Behavior.

  • The API also loads additional libraries if needed: drawing, geometry, places and visualization.
  • The HTML code generated if used on the front-end will detect if there is more than one map on the page and will manage the conflicts to avoid any problems, that means that you can show lots of maps on a single page without conflicts.

A Map Behavior

A behavior to implement in your components to show a Google Map.

  • The behavior will automaticaly use the $options, $width and $height attributes to render the map.

  • You can pass an array of Markers to be placed on the map.

  • You need to use the API Loader Component BEFORE the map on the HTML page.

  • Read the documentation for more information on how to use it.

A Geolocation Component

Sets an approximate position to the user using HTML5 Geolocation or based on the IP of the user through Google Geolocation Web Service. The data is saved to the user's session for further use.

  • Read the documentation for more information on how to use it.

Posible future developments on this plugin:

As stated before, we are users of this same plugin, in the future we will probably implement the following features to it or in a FREE Plugin compatible with this one:

  • Geolocalization.
  • Shapes on map.
  • Markers customization:
    • Custom Icons.
    • Animations.
  • Heatmap.
  • Directions and distance matrix.
  • Geocoding from latitude-longitude (marker) to formatted address.

Warnings and considerations

  • For the time being the FormWidgets are incompatible to use in the same form (the only exeption being using the Address Locator + Location Selector).
  • When using the Map Behavior, remember that the markers are passed to the client-side in JSON Format, if you are passing a model remember to use the $hidden attribute to define those fields that you don't wish to be publicly visible.
The Map Options Configurator FormWidget

First step

Google API Key and default map center.

  1. Go to your backend settings, click on Fencus Google Maps Widgets.
  2. Define your Google Maps Browser API Key.
  3. Set the default map center for the FormWidgets.
    • This will be the starting position of the maps shown by the FormWidgets.

Location selector FormWidget

Description

Indicates a given position on a map using a marker.

Usage

latlng:
    label: Location
    type: location-selector
    height: 450px
    width: 100%
  • type: Must be location-selector.
  • height: Height of the FormWidget. (Optional, format in px or %).
  • width: Width of the FormWidget. (Optional, format in px or %).
  • Returns the value as a google.maps.LatLngLiteral object (in string format so you can store it in your database).

Warnings

  • Compatible to use with Address Locator FormWidget.
  • Incompatible with Map Configurator FormWidget and Address Finder FormWidget.

Address Locator FormWidget

It works in conjunction with the Location Selector FormWidget, it allows you to find an address using Google Maps Geocoding Service, when an address is selected it automaticaly places the Marker of the Location Selector FormWidget on it.

Usage

address:
    label: Address
    type: address-locator
  • type: Must be address-locator.
  • Returns a string with the selected address.

Warnings

  • Requires Location Selector FormWidget to be used.
  • Incompatible with Map Configurator FormWidget and Address Finder FormWidget.

Address Finder FormWidget

It allows you to find an address using the Google Maps Geocoding Service.

Usage

address:
    label: Address
    type: address-finder
  • type: Must be address-locator.
  • Returns a string with the selected address.

Warnings

  • Incompatible with Location Selector FormWidget, Address Locator FormWidget and Map Configurator FormWidget.

Map Configurator FormWidget

Configure the options of a Google Map and shows a preview of it LIVE:

  • Select the initial position of the map.
  • Select the initial zoom of the map.
  • Enable/disable the scrollwheel to zoom in and out.
  • Enable/disable StreetView option.
  • Enable/disable full screen option.
  • Enable/disable the Map Type Selector.
  • Define the position of the Map Type Selector.
  • Define the Style of the Map Type Selector.
  • Select witch Map Type to use by default.
  • Select the available Map Types to use.
  • Enable/disable the Zoom Control.
  • Define the position of the Zoom Control.
  • Show markers form a relation or function on the map.

Usage

options:
    label: Options
    type: map-options
    height: 450px
    width: 100%
    markers: locations
    function: false
  • type: Must be map-options.
  • height: Height of the FormWidget. (Optional, format in px or %).
  • width: Width of the FormWidget. (Optional, format in px or %).
  • markers: Relation or function of the model used to get the markers (it allows Deferred binding), the models or results must have these attributes: $name, $latlng and optionaly $info_window. (Optional).
    • $name: String.
    • $latlng: Must be a google.maps.LatLngLiteral object in String Format.
    • $info_window: Infowindows are displayed when the marker is clicked, must be a string with html format.
  • function: Specifies if the markers variable is a relation or a function. (Optional).
  • Returns the value as a google.maps.MapOptions object (in string format so you can store it in your database)

Example using a function to get the markers:

options:
    label: Options
    type: map-options
    height: 450px
    width: 100%
    markers: getLocations
    function: true
  • The function of the model must return an array of objects with the attributes: $name, $latlng and optionaly $info_window as estated before.

Warnings

  • Incompatible with Location Selector FormWidget, Address Locator FormWidget and Address Finder FormWidget.

An API Loader Component

Usage

1- Configure your API Key on the backend settings.

2- Place the API Loader Component on your page or layout.

3- Select which additional libraries to load if needed: drawing, geometry, places and visualization.

The API Loader does two things:

  • Loads the Javascript API from Google.
  • Initilizes all the maps using the Map Behavior.

Because of that, you should place the API Loader Component BEFORE using the HTML code generated by the behavior.

A Map Behavior

Usage

1- Implement the Map Behavior on your class:

class Map extends Model
{
    public $implement = [
        'Fencus.GoogleMapsWidgets.Behaviors.Map',
    ];
}

2- Use the following function to obtain a HTML code, ready to be used on the front-end:

$html = $map->getHtmlMap($alias,$markers);
  • alias: Must be a name to identify this map to avoid conflicts with others (without whitespaces), if you are using this fuction on a component, the most recomendable thing is to pass the alias of the component ($this->alias).
  • markers: These are the markers to be shown on the map, they must have the following attributes: $name, $latlng and optionaly $info_window.
    • $name: String.
    • $latlng: Must be a google.maps.LatLngLiteral object in String Format.
    • $info_window: Infowindows are displayed when the marker is clicked, must be a string with HTML format.

Warnings

  • You need to use the API Loader Component BEFORE the HTML code generated by the Behavior.

A Geolocation Component

Just add the component to your layout, the component will get an approximate position from the user Browser using HTML5 or by its IP Address using Google Geolocation Web Service and will add three keys to the users session:

  • geolocation: A google.maps.LatLngLiteral object in String Format.
  • geolocationType: This could be 'HTML5' or 'IP'.
  • geolocationAccuracy: The approximate radius between the user and the geolocation position.

    • You need an API Key with Google Geolocation Web Service enabled to use this component.
    • Remember that we do not held responsability for the use of this component.
  • Found the plugin useful on 13 Apr, 2017

    Just an awesome plugin! Using the google api without this is so tricky placing locator pins in the exact position required. Using Google Map Widgets with the Maps plugin I got it first time! Saves me hours of work. This will definitely be a standard plugin for future projects.

  • Found the plugin useful on 5 Apr, 2016

    Great plugin & fantastic support

1.0.7

Changed HTTP to HTTPS in the API URLs

May 30, 2017

1.0.6

Fixed "Preview" mode on all the FormWidgets

Jan 14, 2017

1.0.5

Tabs Bugfix

Apr 04, 2016

1.0.4

API Loader - Library selection

Mar 08, 2016

1.0.3

API Loader implementation

Mar 05, 2016

1.0.2

Geolocalization Support

Mar 01, 2016

1.0.1

First version of GoogleMapsWidgets

Feb 27, 2016