Google Map Helper

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A handy tool to generate maps using Google Map API.

I found CakePHP to be helpful with a lot of things and I loved the fact that anyone can reuse any classes made in PHP using 'vendors' in CakePHP. We recently wrote a CakePHP helper for generating map in CakePHP application.

The helper uses Google Maps API V2 class (http://www.phpinsider.com/php/code/GoogleMapAPI/) from phpinsider.com.

To begin with, just download the class and place them inside 'vendors' folder.

Here's the code for the helper: map.php




<?php

class MapHelper extends Helper

{



    var $helpers = array('Html');



    function displaymap($locations=false,$width=500,$height=500)

    {

        vendor('GoogleMapAPI.class');

        $map = new GoogleMapAPI('map');

        if($locations)

        foreach($locations as $location)

        {

            $map->addMarkerByAddress( $location['address'],strip_tags($location['title']), $location['title']);  //adds address to showup in Map

        }

        else

        {

            $map->setCenterCoords(-96.67,40.8279);   // if no locations are passed in function, then focus on US

            $map->setZoomLevel(3);

        }



        $map->setWidth($width);

        $map->setHeight($height);

        $map_content=$map->getHeaderJS().$map->getMapJS().$map->getMap();

        return $this->output($map_content);

    }

}

?>

Here's the code for the view (index.thtml in my case): index.thtml




<? php

// initialization of $my_locations array to show in map - you can do this in your controller.

$my_locations=array();

$my_locations[1]['address']='621 N 48th St # 6 Lincoln NE 68502';

$my_locations[1]['title']='PJ Pizza';



$my_locations[2]['address']='826 P St Lincoln NE 68502';

$my_locations[2]['title']='<b>PJ Pizza</b>';



echo $map->displaymap($my_locations,500,500); ?>

<script type="text/javascript">onLoad();</script>

Author: Abhimanyu Grover
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Comments

edurocks

Posted 04/20/11 06:17:52 PM
It works but how can i change the icon from the map? I want to substitute that red icon that apears. How can i do that? Thanks.

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rgreenphoto

Posted 02/13/09 11:56:13 AM
The way vendor stuff works changes in 1.2. In the helper change 'vendor('GoogleMapAPI.class'); ' to 'App::import('Vendor', 'GoogleMapAPI', array('file' => 'GoogleMapAPI.class.php'));'

And it works fine with 1.2 :)

Happy baking.

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siva

Posted 03/12/08 08:28:13 AM
$my_locations[1]['address']='621 N 48th St # 6 Lincoln NE 68502';

I have to change the address..
How can i give in this...???
Please explain about this...

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philicious

Posted 10/03/07 04:59:53 AM
You have to point out in your controller that you wil use the helper 'Map'...

Then it should work just fine

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lbergman

Posted 03/18/07 12:02:52 AM
I get this error when trying your code:
Fatal error: Call to a member function on a non-object in /var/www/cake_1.1.13.4450/app/views/pages/home.thtml on line 10

I copied the both the GoogleMapAPI and map.php code as instructed but still get the error. Any suggestions?

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lababidi

Posted 01/02/07 04:35:17 PM
it's much more flexible. Allows you to create an html template to be embedded in the bubble infoWindow. enjoy
http://bakery.cakephp.org/articles/view/191

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