Basic documentation needed

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This is a really useful project,especially because it does (amongst lots of 
other useful things) the one thing the google parser won't - ie placemarker 
links opening in the SAME page -  but it has taken me over 8 hours to get 
on top of it due the frustrating lack of documentation or basic examples 
with explanations.

This doesn't need to be long, but the essentials needed are;

1) The simplest example showing how to parse an external kml file using 
geoxml rather than GGeoxml which most users will be replacing. The 3rd 
party samples linked to from your site are unfortunately not really 
suitable as tutorial material.

2) Details on the options that are possible. I've had had to beautify the 
compressed script (which has no copyright information by the way, you might 
want to address that for the next release) and pour over the code just to 
find out basic information on how to style infowindow names. It needn't be 
this hard!

3) Ideally you would release a version that doesn't clash with jQuery's use 
of $. I know there are workarounds, but none are very satisfactory when you 
have perhaps 20 or 30 libraries in use. jQuery is probably the most popular 
framework out there and clashing with it isn't good for uptake of geoxml.

I stress it's a GREAT piece of work, but I'm sure the author could pull 
together the documentation that is needed in less than an hour and save 
countless programmers days of frustration as a result ;-)

Original issue reported on code.google.com by roger.mo...@gmail.com on 16 Jul 2009 at 4:12

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Uncompressed code is available on the source tab file name geoxmlfull.js
http://geoxml.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/

Documentation in full... is hours and hours of work, do not underestimate.
The starting point might be emulating the EGeoXml documentation content and 
diverging it (making sure where 
all the differences are - there are certainly more than a few now). 

I could add you to the commiters list so you can add basica to the Wiki?

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 28 Jul 2009 at 7:51

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HI Roger,

I agree with your comments above regarding lack of documentation on this 
otherwise 
fine plugin. Have you come up with a simple example of how to parse an external 
KML 
file (and ideally have the KML feed items show up in a sidebar)? I'd be very 
grateful if you could point me to an example that you may have created.

Thanks in advance.

Original comment by scottbje...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 5:51

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Hi Scott

In response to your request, and to assist others, I have put a stripped down 
demonstration page online at http://www.dodadog.com/geoxml-demo.html

It demonstrates a few useful features such as parsing multiple KML files at 
once and 
shows a bit of integration with jQuery for refreshing some other data over Ajax.

Hope that helps.

Roger

Original comment by roger.mo...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 10:16

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Roger you might want to get a gmap2.css to make that sidebar look nicer. 

 the most basic page I have is the top one in the right collumn on this page..
http://www.dyasdesigns.com/geoxml

ie this one...
http://www.dyasdesigns.com/geoxml/japan.htm

here is one doing multiple Georss feeds.. 
http://www.dyasdesigns.com/geoxml/georss.htm

all formats are pretty much loaded exactly the same way.
kjson, georss, kml, gml

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 4:22

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I also meant to say cool use of JQuery... I like it but havent used it tons.. 
example
exploiting it in combo becomes handy.

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 4:24

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you may note I have been adding new things to the wiki periodically.

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 4:24

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Point taken about the sidebar ;-) As it happens I don't use it in our 
production site 
which is why I haven't done anything with it - I included it only for 
completeness as a 
code snippet.

Original comment by roger.mo...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 4:31

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I want to do a page with a completely differnt looking side bar some time...
horizontal one maybe with different or nearly no icons etc....
 well it ought to work though I havent tried it anyway
its really just a control panel  

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 4:39

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The side bar always seemed like a significant feature whats the main reason for 
using
GeoXml for you? If you dont mind me asking.

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 4:40

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HI Roger,

Thanks so much for responding to my query.

I've checked out your example, and it works quite well on your site and I'm 
sure it 
will be a big help to many. Unfortunately I am not one. I still cannot figure 
out 
how to get this to work and I think I'm just going to give up. I figured that 
there 
MUST be an example out there simple enough to show me the BASIC REQUIREMENTS to 
get 
this script to function:

1. integrate an external KML file into a Google Map, and
2. put the resulting KML feed into a sidebar next to the map

However, after 2 days of research, I have found NOT ONE EXAMPLE of this simple 
request...every author seems intent on outdoing the other: parsing this, 
j-querying 
that, creating listeners to god-knows-what, etc. etc. Very impressive I'm sure, 
but 
nothing works for me. The example I need would have about 10 lines of code, I 
would 
estimate. I'm not a programmer, but if I got the basics, I could build on 
that...I've done it many times before. No one is going to do this however, so I 
will 
have to leave this for now.

Thanks again however for being a responsive member of this community.

Best,
Scott

Original comment by scottbje...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 4:43

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Scott? The best way to get help if you have problems is post a page showing 
your 

problem this one is simpler than the one roger posted.
http://www.dyasdesigns.com/geoxml/japan.htm

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 4:48

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Dear Lance,

The following example that you cited looks pretty straightforward and is just 
what 
I'm looking to do:

http://www.dyasdesigns.com/geoxml/georss.htm

However, as a test, I copied the code of this entire page, changed the Google 
API 
key, and put it on a test page of my site:

http://turkanabasin.org/maps/geoblog/geoblog_map.html

So why doesn't it work?? The KML feed doesn't show up. If I could find 
something 
that worked, I could then use its code as a basis for my own map. However I 
cannot 
even get the example that works on your site to work on my site with the exact 
same 
code. I just do not understand it because all of the KML feeds in the example 
above 
are absolute URLs.

I have all of the required scripts on my site, in the same folder as this 
HTML...geoxml.js, etc. etc. Do I have old or outdated .js files? I downloaded 
the 
most recent ones on your site.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

Original comment by scottbje...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 4:58

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Also there probably plenty of folk once you do that on the google maps api 
group that
are willing to help make a basic effort

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 5:00

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do you have php on your site and a cgi-bin containing... proxy.php? 

var proxy = "/cgi-bin/proxy.php?"

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 5:02

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the proxy can be located anywhere on your site doesnt need to be in a cgi-bin
directory that was just what I named mine old habit.

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 5:04

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>The side bar always seemed like a significant feature 
>whats the main reason for using
>GeoXml for you? If you dont mind me asking.

Don't mind at all. My problem was having placemarker information windows with 
links 
that open in the SAME page, rather than opening a new one. At the time of the 
project, google's parser insisted on opening such links in a new window (indeed 
for 
all I know it still may do so) and this was a total deal breaker for me as 
there was 
no way of overriding that behaviour.

So the fact that geoxml opens such links in the same window was a huge godsend.

The live project, which uses a modest amount of mapping,  is at 
http://www.dodadog.com

Roger

Original comment by roger.mo...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 5:05

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Note if your site doesnt have php.. I could dig around a bit and turn up a perl 
one
... php is more common these days. (the wiki page has the text to a php one).

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 5:06

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I believe GGeoXml still indeed limits the window but I dont necessarily pay 
ultra
close attention on the group recently, enough to help out folks and I track 
messages
with references to KML or GeoXml

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 5:09

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Dear Lance,

Thanks for the info. Regarding the "Japan" example you cited...could I replace 
the "japan.kml" in the code with a KML network link? Ideally I would like to 
use a 
network link in my map so it is regularly updated.

Thanks,
Scott

Original comment by scottbje...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 5:14

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no since you are doing data feeds from an off site source? you will
need to get a proxy on your site

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 5:21

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OK Lance, I agree that the need for a proxy makes sense.

Basically my deal is that I've been using a plugin for my Joomla website 
called "Google Maps Plugin." Maybe you're familiar with it? It simplifies 
putting a 
Google Map on your web page...you just have to enter in some info like width, 
height, map type, etc. One of the things you can do with it is use KMLs. 
Doesn't 
really matter what form the KML comes in, you just enter your KML location or 
network link like this: kml[0]='http://www.xxxxxx.com' and bingo, the overlay 
is 
added to the map, and the feed appears in the sidebar next to the map, or into 
any 
DIV you specify.

The thing is, the plugin does this sidebar thing by using your geoxml.js. This 
script comes with the plugin download. So I figured I'd try to make my own map 
instead of using this plugin, because I do have some experience with the Google 
Map 
API and I've made some fairly cool maps with some basic fuctionality. I've 
added KML 
overlays to many maps, no problem using something like:

-----
var geoXml = new GGeoXml("http://www.turkanabasin.org/sample.kml");

function onLoad() {
  if (GBrowserIsCompatible()) {
    map.addOverlay(geoXml);
  }
}

-------

So I thought I would just try to use your plugin and make my own map, so I 
could 
have more control over it and maybe put in some additional cool features. But 
apparently it's much more difficult.

I don't exactly understand the need for having a proxy on my site, as this 
plugin, 
using your .js, works just fine without one.

Anyway, sorry for the long post. If you have any advice, I'd love to hear it. 
However it may be what I'm trying to do just won't work the way I thought. In 
any 
case, your geoxml script is fantastic and extremely useful.

Thanks,
Scott

Original comment by scottbje...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 5:40

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Could the joomla website be taking care of putting up the proxy?

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 6:05

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most sites have php these days.. you could give it a shot. 

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 6:06

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HI Lance,

That's a good possibility, but as your example: 
http://www.dyasdesigns.com/geoxml/georss.htm did not work when I put it on my 
site, 
that tells me that something is wrong. Would I have to change this: var proxy 
= "/cgi-bin/proxy.php?" to something else? Probably...

Original comment by scottbje...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 6:09

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the wiki here has the src for proxy.php 
make a proxy.php file post it along side
your html and point that 
var proxy="whereyouputproxy.php?";

http://code.google.com/p/geoxml/wiki/Proxy

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 6:12

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Right, I created that proxy.php file, put it on my website, which is php-based, 
and 
included the path to it in place of the reference you used for this map to see 
if it 
works: http://www.dyasdesigns.com/geoxml/georss.htm 

I still get little popup windows saying "document not found." No KML feeds 
load. 
Something is just not right. I have a suspicion that I have not explained 
myself 
well enough regarding what I want on my map, and no one imagines I need/want 
something as simple as what I am asking for. I have made many Google Maps with 
KML 
overlays, etc. without ever needing to worry about proxies or things like that. 
I 
just want to get a sidebar with my KML feed in it. I guess I will have to do 
more 
research if I feel up to trying to figure out how to integrate this script.

Thanks so much for your help with this.

Original comment by scottbje...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 9:13

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Dear Lance,

One more time...after putting that proxy script on my website AND searching 
through 
you example maps, I found one combination that works! This one:

http://www.dyasdesigns.com/geoxml/park.htm

It is a map with a Google Maps feed in it. I just replaced the GM feed with my 
feed 
and it works...must be the right combinaiton of scripting. Anyway, thanks 
again, and 
I'll send you a link of what I come up with for a map. The main functionality 
will 
come from your great geoxml script.

Original comment by scottbje...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 9:25

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Hmmm you got me wondering that might be an error  (the network link should use 
the
global proxy too not just the explicit one.).
Glad you figured it out didnt have time to look too close yet.

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 10:09

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Lance, one more question when you get a chance...can you give me a link to a 
page 
with the MOST COMPREHENSIVE list of options for geoxml?? I know there's this 
page:

http://code.google.com/p/geoxml/wiki/GeoXmlOptions

However, while doing my research, I stumbled across another page with a really 
simple, comprehensive list of options for this script...might have been 
compiled by 
another person...this would be good for someone like me, who's not as familiar 
with 
this stuff. Unfortunately I cannot find that page again.

Anyway, if there are any additional resources you can think of that might be 
helpful, I'd love to know about them.

Thanks again.

Original comment by scottbje...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 10:19

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This is the page that I was thinking of...unfortunately it's a page full of 
EGeoXml 
options, not GeoXml. Do you know if the syntax is the same for both??

http://econym.org.uk/gmap/egeoxml.htm

Original comment by scottbje...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 10:23

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they have a lot of similarities... but not identical. Atleast one method 
parseString
he added because I asked him to after I added them to GeoXml 
Many of the ones already on the wiki are the differences.

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 10:31

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So the wiki is the most complete collections for GeoXml?

Original comment by scottbje...@gmail.com on 5 Mar 2010 at 10:55

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dont have anything hiding elsewhere that is where I now put what I put.

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 6 Mar 2010 at 2:12

• Added labels: donthaveanythinghidingelsewherethatiswhereInowputwhatIput.

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Hi Lance, in there an option to hide the info window title in the placemarks?

Original comment by scottbje...@gmail.com on 7 Mar 2010 at 2:48

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That would be
titlestyle: ... 
A string controlling the style of the info window title field

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 7 Mar 2010 at 4:11

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you should be able to specify in the string  to "display:none"  

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 7 Mar 2010 at 4:19

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Lance, the hint about the titlestyle works great...thanks so much.

Original comment by scottbje...@gmail.com on 7 Mar 2010 at 5:19

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Dear Lance, regarding the titlestyle discussion above: I have successfully 
hidden the 
titles on my maps as per your suggestion. However, I'm still having a related 
info 
window size issue. When you get a chance, can you look at the map:

http://turkanabasin.org/maps/geoblog/geoblog_map.html

If you click on the feed items on the left, you'll see that most of them pop up 
nicely. However, a couple of them pop up MUCH too wide. It seems that although 
I've 
hidden the infowindow title, the feeds with longer titles are still popping up 
windows too wide...as if the title was still showing. For example, could you 
click on 
the feed item called "TBI celebrates 50 years of Zinjanthropus with symposium 
and 
workshop in Kenya." You'll see that there's so much extra spaceon the right 
side. Is 
there a geoxml setting that I need to change to fix this problem?

Thanks in advance.

Original comment by scottbje...@gmail.com on 11 Mar 2010 at 7:26

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Ahh yes very likely the hidden title is not be disregarded when it guesses what 
width to use..
it starts with iwwidth but... may expand I think I might need to have an 
absmaxiwwidth
parameter added... so you can say I know never make it wider than this. could 
you do me a favor and make a 
new feature request... 

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 11 Mar 2010 at 11:32

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HI Lance,

Glad my post makes sense to you. I thought that the "iwwidth" option would 
designate 
how wide an info window could be, but putting this into my code still didn't 
help. How 
do make a new feature request on your site? I looked but did not see a link for 
such a 
thing.

Original comment by scottbje...@gmail.com on 11 Mar 2010 at 11:55

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new issue 
choose Type-Enhancement.

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 12 Mar 2010 at 1:05

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Hi Lance

We emailed briefly before about the potential use of geoxml in google gadgets, 
I 
still have not been able to make that work, basically because I cant seem to 
get the 
parser to work with KML files hosted on other websites besides the website that 
is 
displaying the map. I am currently using a combination of code from examples on 
your 
website and my own google api key, the kml looks like it should load, flashes a 
bunch 
of coordinates then displays nothing. You can see for yourself here: 
http://www.sdmgis.net/Module/parsingdemo3
Any Input from you, or anyone else on this site as to where I went wrong in my 
code 
would be incredibly helpful.

Thank you

-Newton Tedder

Original comment by nted...@gmail.com on 24 May 2010 at 8:52

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Read about the use of a proxy for cross domain access to xml

http://code.google.com/p/geoxml/wiki/Proxy

and see the example
http://www.dyasdesigns.com/geoxml/park.htm

    We emailed briefly before about the potential use of geoxml in google gadgets, I
    still have not been able to make that work, basically because I cant seem to get the
    parser to work with KML files hosted on other websites besides the website that is
    displaying the map.

Original comment by lanceala...@gmail.com on 25 May 2010 at 2:11

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thanks for the reply. apparently its a GoDaddy hosting issue with cURL. I cant 
seem to 
figure it out but its not the parser, its GoDaddy

Original comment by nted...@gmail.com on 25 May 2010 at 2:35

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I know there is a  security feature that prevents GeoXml from directly reading 
files 
that are on other domains, but is there another workaround for this besides 
creating a 
proxy  server?

Thanks 

-Newt

Original comment by nted...@gmail.com on 26 May 2010 at 8:07