Map moves automatically while user is adding text to location input box

[Michael-Holloway]

I was using the Map on the reporting page to get location and proper spelling; but the Map moved as soon as I started typing the address of my incident. Had to open a Google map in a new window in order to create a correct placemark.

Can you adjust the Javascript so the map doesn't move until you click in another box? Better yet, allow users to plot their point with a click on the map?}

Thanks for doing this - Great work - a needed public service.

Michael Holloway Toronto

[f3ndot]

Hey @Michael-Holloway,

It's one of those "it's a feature, not a bug" sort of thing. I placed it in there by design. The marker updates every 0.5 seconds after a key is pressed. The idea is that you don't have to click away or click a button to see if the marker went into the right spot.

Is it too confusing or distracting?

[Michael-Holloway]

Hi 13ndot

"..confusing or distracting?"

Not quite that. More like - not utilitarian. Does not maximize utility.

What I was trying to describe in my post above, was that I was using the map beside the input boxes to find the precise location and spelling of my collision incident. ..So I Zoom into the minor cross-street, "Phipps St" - and I start typing Phi... and then I look back over to the map to make sure of the spelling - and all of a sudden the map moves (to Minnesota, or Baton Rouge...) - and thus I had to reposition the map in order to get the correct spelling (which is essential in mapping).

In my personal; experience - if the user can't type in their incident address without a 0.5 second pause, the feature that automatically repositioning the map the the point being typed, makes it a pain rather than a feature.

I'm a big fan of features that don't do anything without the user first asking them.

I would give the user control of the map via an Enter prompt button that allows the user to check the location of their placemark - when they're finished typing.

Other than that issue - the site worked beautifully for me. Nice work.

Best, mh

[f3ndot]

I will add a button to refresh the map display and have it not reset the zoom level.

[Michael-Holloway]

Perfect.

[Michael-Holloway]

Don't know if you've made the changes we talked about - the Get Your Location Arrow seems to be new by my memory.

If I am becoming a pain in the ass just say so and I'll go away. If you think this feedback has value - I will continue.

Changes or no - unfortunately, the map still moves before I'm finished typing in my location; making it impossible to use the map to find and then correctly input the correct spelling and location.

..Perhaps if you try it yourself.

Imagine you are a user coming to your interface for the first time. You remember a dooring collision from a month ago, but you want to be sure where it was exactly - so the incident log maintains it's veracity. And 'By Golly', you say to yourself, 'Here's a map right here! That's convenient.' And you think to yourself - I can zoom in on Toronto and find the exact block where my collision took place! ... So you zoom in find the spot, and then you start typing the road's name into the input box conveniently placed right beside the map - then you look back to the map to see of it's Avenue or Street - and the map has moved to Wyoming.

As I wrote earlier, a button beside the location input box that moves the map from the default (or from where the user has position the map) on click, might be the solution.

Perhaps an 'on-click' instruction in the Javascript related to the CSS at class="btn get-location".

As it is, the best way to find and input the exact location of a door prize is to open a new tab, click on Google Maps, zoom in reposition until you locate your dooring, type in the intersection into the Google Maps Search bar, click enter - then if the location comes up correctly - copy the text from the Google Maps Search bar, and paste it into your sites input box.

Thanks for all your work on this - your architecture and content are state of the art - nice work.

Helpfully hopefully, Michael Holloway Toronto

[f3ndot]

So I've gone ahead and implemented your suggestions in 0695181 and 4f85e47.

You can now enter a location the following ways:

• Typing in an address and watching the map update live after 500ms. This no longer resets the zoom level
• Clicking the "Detect your location" button which attempts to guess where you are and present addresses to choose from (best for mobile devices)
• Clicking anywhere on the map, and it will set the marker. It currently does not attempt to guess the address from the coordinates.

At this point I'd call it done. If you have any other problems or suggestions, I ask you open up a new issue.

Cheers!