Ability to enable auto hiding of markers

[GoogleCodeExporter]

What new or enhanced feature are you proposing?

At the moment the user has to set the zoom level that a marker should be
visible. This is something that can only be set nicely by testing - after
the marker has been placed. If the zoom level of two neighbouring markers
is set too high then the markers overlap and the map looks messy.

What goal would this enhancement help you achieve?

Instead of setting a zoom level an optional importance level could be set
and in a the general program options a crowding level could be set. This
would enable the clusters of markers be automatically made visible once the
user zooms into a region and only the important makers be visible when
zoomed out. If no priority is given the importance can be set
alphabetically to avoid overlaping.

This would enable the user to more easily manage and set new makers without
spoiling the look of the map.

Original issue reported on code.google.com by cjre...@gmail.com on 26 Dec 2009 at 1:10

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I'm a bit confused here... 

 Currently we do have a "max zoom" and is set per marker, it can be easily adjusted as 
shown in one of the attached images (markers.png), also keep in mind that the 
messy 
look is going to occur at any zoom level, high or low, if the markers are to 
close to 
each other.

 A solution could be to use a different image for the markers

Original comment by heldersepu on 26 Dec 2009 at 4:15

Attachments:

• markers.png
• messy.png

[GoogleCodeExporter]

yes, I understand how one can adjust the visibility settings with the zoom 
factor.
The key to my suggestion was the automation. First I start off with one marker 
which
points to a place of interest. Then I visit that place and add many more 
markers of
greater importance. Soon the place starts to look a mess with overlapping 
markers.
All I am saying is that I would prefer if I can avoid the overlapping as in your
example by automatically reducing the number of makers to 1 or 2, which would 
then
become visible again when you zoom in. Your markers are obscuring street names. 
Add 5
more of them and all you can see a red mass.

Automating the hiding would simple save me time from figuring out which markers
settings are cluttering my screen. If I have been un-organised and I have 
forgotten
what I called the marker this might take some time as I now have dozens of 
markers.
Probably soon hundreds. 

Alternatively if I could right click on a marker to change its zoom setting that
would also work. If you prefer this method maybe the ability to create makers by
right clicking on the map could also be introduced at the same time. The current
method of copying and pasting the coordinate into the marker window is very
cumbersome.  Sorry. :)

Original comment by cjre...@gmail.com on 26 Dec 2009 at 4:37

[GoogleCodeExporter]

"also keep in mind that the messy 
look is going to occur at any zoom level, high or low, if the markers are to 
close to 
each other." 

I don't think this is true. Unless the markers are on top of each other, which 
would
not make sense, zooming in should always separate them. Thus it only becomes
necessary to hide markers at a zoomed out level when they get so close that they
start obscuring the map behind. I always like to show one marker to remind 
myself
that I have at least one marker there...

"it can be easily adjusted as shown..." 

As I said, it is not easy if you have many markers that are badly named. 
Luckily most
of my markers I have now renamed to "India, Pune - German bakery" etc, which 
makes
finding them a lot easier. Still, it is a hassle to go back and figure out 
which zoom
level I actually want.

Original comment by cjre...@gmail.com on 26 Dec 2009 at 4:54

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Hello Hello, 
Thanks for the clarifications, Now I see your point!!
but that might be quite complex to achieve, I do not know if there is any way 
to 
detect "collision" in the markers.

 Do you know about OpenStreetMap? here are a few examples:
http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=51.51351&lon=-0.10132&zoom=17&layers=B000FTF
http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=23.13866&lon=-82.35213&zoom=17&layers=B000FTF
 This is the town where I grow up (I "mapped" almost all of it):
http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=22.7856&lon=-81.9117&zoom=13&layers=B000FTF

Original comment by heldersepu on 26 Dec 2009 at 5:12

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I think it should be possible to do based on simple geometry calculations -
calculating the distance between the markers based on their coordinates. But I 
think
that might be complex to do too in such a way that did not slow down the 
program. Oh
well. It is not on top of my wish list. The top of my wish list is a simple way 
to
calculate the distance between two points, some way of telling which marker is 
which
and a faster way to add markers. I hope you realise all your hard work is very 
much
appreciated. :)

Yes I know about openstreetmap through gmapcatcher. I have not found it helpful 
for
Indian countryside and have not had time yet to figure out how to add it it. 

Original comment by cjre...@gmail.com on 26 Dec 2009 at 6:32

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I guess this is you: http://theadventuresofsuperdoc.blogspot.com/ Right?

...after brainstorming this issue I'm close to 2 possible solutions:
 - Add a hotkey (F8) that will hide all markers (very simple solution)
 - A function that will modify the zoom in the markers file to prevent "collisions" 
(more complex)

What do you think?!?

Original comment by heldersepu on 13 Jan 2010 at 5:34

• Changed state: Accepted

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Yes that's me :) Just posted another post...

I'm not sure. The first solution would be useful mainly for taking uncluttered 
screen
shots of maps but does not help organising my markers. I'm not sure about the 
second
solution modifying my zoom levels as how would it know which marker is more 
important
that another? Perhaps it does not matter through which is set to a higher zoom
because they'd be occupying the same space. Only if at some point you add the 
feature
to have a mouse over balloon saying what the marker is would manually setting 
the
importance of a maker be useful. 

Original comment by cjre...@gmail.com on 15 Jan 2010 at 3:50

[GoogleCodeExporter]

 The first solution is something very very simple to code, and I add it a few days 
ago, see r693; Mow pressing F8 will [hide/unhide] all the markers, a quick way 
to see 
the map without markers.

 For the second my idea it was just like you said it does not matter which marker is 
set to a higher zoom since they are all on top of each other.

The "mouse over balloon", "Marker Details", "ScreenTip" or "tooltip" is 
something 
that we look into a while back but no completion, see Issue 75

Original comment by heldersepu on 15 Jan 2010 at 4:40