News!! Introducing Maps Engine Low-Cal - A Amend Tool For Customizing Maps

This article is an introduction to Google's Maps Engine Lite, which is a tool for creating custom maps.

What is Google Maps Engine Lite

In like shooting fish in a barrel March 2013, Google announced a beta (ie late-stage test) of Maps Engine Lite - as well as at i time it is available from the primary Google Maps interface, without the discussion "beta" inward sight.

This is a spider web application to permit yous "Create powerful custom maps", as well as it has to a greater extent than features than the electrical flow  "My Maps" custom-map editor inward Google Maps, which I've used until at i time to put sure as shooting maps into i of my blogs.

You tin flame access it at: https://mapsengine.google.com/

Once yous convey signed inward to a Google account, yous tin flame either view/edit an existing map that yous convey brand amongst Maps Engine Lite or which has been shared amongst yous inward MEL, or practice a novel one.

How to practice a custom map using Maps Engine Lite

Click on the New Map button from the forepart screen, or the New map link from the manage-files folder (top left side of the screen).

Use the arrow beside Base Map to select the manner that yous desire applied: this covers both what is shown, as well as the colouring cloth scheme. At the minute the options are:

• Map (ie ordinary - similar regular Google maps)
• Satellite
• Terrain
• Light Political
• Mono City
• Simple Atlas
• Light Landmass
• Dark Landmass
• Whitewater

Add places to the map by:

Drawing them - You add together things to the map amongst the Placemark as well as trouble or shape-drawing tools.  These are similar to those for Google Custom Maps, though they're at i time divide into 2 items.

or

Importing them - from either CSV/Excel files or yous existing Google Custom Maps - encounter http://support.google.com/mapsengine/?p=lite_addplaces for details virtually what is possible.

You tin flame divide the map into multiple layers, as well as yous convey access to Google Maps regular search feature: search-results are placed on non-permanent "search" layer, as well as yous tin flame select a result, correct click on it as well as Save it to the map yous are currently editing.


While editing the map, yous convey these options

• Style - lets yous select whether to exhibit private markers, or a sequence of letters/colours
• Table - Edit the listing of placemarkers as well as lines - giving each a refer or description
• Labels - lets yous select whether to exhibit marking labels on the map or non - as well as whether to purpose the refer or description field.

Sharing maps yous convey made

The map tin flame hold upwards shared using the light-green Share push clitoris inward the overstep correct corner, via gmail, G+, Facebook, Twitter or anything else which lets yous purpose a link similar this:

Putting Custom Maps on your website or blog

In Maps Engine Lite, the "embed on my website" selection is available nether the Save icon (currently at the overstep left, amongst options New map, Open as well as  Embed).  

However it alone industrial plant if yous convey start clicked the light-green Share button, as well as ready the map-visibility to Public (ie non simply "anyone amongst the link").

This gives yous a uncomplicated iframe contestation similar this:

<iframe height="480" src="http://mapsengine.google.com/map/view?mid=zV9FBQ3J7L1o.kzRGlAso0tmU" width="640"></iframe>

You tin flame easily alter the size via the superlative as well as width options, but at that topographic point is no zoom degree selection - as well as I assume that the centre of the displayed map is represented inward the coding  (this doesn't ever operate hence good for Custom Maps - I commonly recommend that people purpose the customization option).

And i time yous convey the code, yous tin flame put it into your blog inward the same means yous would add together whatever other 3rd political party HTML.   The code to a higher house gives a map similar this:

Notice that the map itself tells yous that it was made amongst Maps Engine, as well as that it says it is for non-commercial use:   commercial users tin flame purchase access to a far to a greater extent than powerful version of the Maps Engine.

Advantages as well as disadvantages of Maps Engine Lite

So far I've alone done a quick test, but initial impressions are:

Advantages:

Richer interface than custom maps - yous tin flame practice to a greater extent than things.

Layers are a specially skilful improver - it would hold upwards cracking if private layers could hold upwards turned on/off from embedded version of the map.

Alternative colouring cloth system - volition arrive easier to practice maps that are to a greater extent than suitable for sure as shooting circumstances, eg amongst a faded background.

Sequential markers - I don't convey to purpose my ain ready of custom markers whatever more.

Uses the same base of operations information equally regular Google Maps - hence the Follow Your World service tin flame hold upwards used to larn yous updates virtually changes to the image-data.

Disadvantages:

No access to Google Streetview spell yous are editing the map.

Currently if yous select sequential markers, the labels as well as colours inward the telephone substitution on the left are non ever the same equally the ones used within the map.

No Snap-to-roads selection for lines

No custom map markers:  if yous import a map from My Maps (aka Google Custom Maps), as well as hence whatever custom markers that yous convey are retained, as well as yous tin flame select to purpose them again, but at that topographic point is no means to add together novel custom markers.


What else convey yous found?

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Related Articles:

Creating a Google Custom Map

Adding a Google Custom Map to your blog

Adding 3rd political party HTML to your blog

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