User-Created Google Maps

 

 

The following links point to various Google Maps I have created.  Most of them are designed for use with a GPS after conversion to one of several supported GPS formats for point-of-interest (POI) files:

 

        Public Safety Locations

 

 

 

Long Island Maps

 

 

Weather Radio Maps

 

 

 

 

Retrieving Longitude and Latitude from Google and Bing Maps

 

During the development of the above maps, there were times when obtaining the latitude and longitude of a specific location was a necessity.  Latitude and longitude make it easy to move back and forth between Google Maps and Bing Maps.  Google and Bing each have various ways of interpreting coordinates presented to them but both respond to coordinates presented in NSEW format using positive numbers.  As such, I developed two Javascript URL’s, one for Bing and one for Google, that will present me with a prompt box containing the latitude and longitude of the center of the map.  In order to find the location of a specific point on a map, one needs to center the map on the desired point and then enter one of the following URL’s to get the location of the point:

 

For Google:

 

javascript:c=gApplication.getMap().getCenter();lat=c.lat();lon=c.lng();void(prompt('Coordinates:%20Latitude%20and%20Longitude',(lat<0?-lat+'S%20':lat+'N%20')+(lon<0?-lon+'W':lon+'E'))); 

 

For Bing:

 

javascript:c=map.GetCenter();lat=c.latitude;lon=c.longitude;void(prompt('Coordinates:%20Latitude%20and%20Longitude',(lat<0?-lat+'S%20':lat+'N%20')+(lon<0?-lon+'W':lon+'E')));

 

The easiest way to use these URL’s is to create a bookmark for each one.  Then the appropriate URL can be called when needed from the list of bookmarks.

 

For the really adventurous, a single bookmark can be setup to use the following code which will work for both Bing Maps and Google Maps:

 

javascript:if(typeof(gApplication)=="undefined"){c=map.GetCenter();lat=c.latitude;lon=c.longitude;}else{c=gApplication.getMap().getCenter();lat=c.lat();lon=c.lng();};void(prompt('Coordinates:%20Latitude%20and%20Longitude',(lat<0?-lat+'S%20':lat+'N%20')+(lon<0?-lon+'W':lon+'E')));

 

 

Search Google Maps

 

Recently, Google removed the ability to search their site for user-created maps.  The functionality is still available but there is no method on the Google web site to access the feature.  This form will allow you to search Google Maps for user-created maps.  Note that your search will open in a new window/tab.

 

NOTE: Google appears to have disabled the hidden search functionality.  This form may or may not work!

 

 

 

 

Last updated May 7, 2011