Google Maps Platform: September 2015

Always-on Android Wear apps with the Google Maps API

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Posted by Ankur Kotwal, Developer Advocate at GoogleGoogle Play Services 8.1ambient mode

Set your your targetSDKVersion to 22 or higher

Add the following dependencies to build.gradle for your app to add the wearable support library.

dependencies {
compile 'com.google.android.support:wearable:1.2.0'
provided 'com.google.android.wearable:wearable:1.0.0'
}

Add the wearable shared library entry into the wearable app manifest:

<application>
<uses-library android:name="com.google.android.wearable"
android:required="false" />
...
</application>

Add the WAKE_LOCK permission to the handheld and wearable app manifest:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WAKE_LOCK" />

Have your Activity extend WearableActivity. This will provide the overrides that notify your app when the wearable enters, exits and provides screen updates in ambient mode.

In the onCreate() method of your activity, call the setAmbientEnabled() method. This tells the framework that the app should enter ambient mode rather than returning to the watch face.

Set your map to support ambient mode. You can do this by setting the attribute map:ambientEnabled="true" in the activity's XML layout file, or programmatically by setting GoogleMapOptions.ambientEnabled(true). This informs the API to pre-load necessary map tiles for ambient mode.

When the activity switches to ambient mode, the system calls the onEnterAmbient() method in your wearable activity. Override onEnterAmbient() and call MapFragment.onEnterAmbient() or MapView.onEnterAmbient(). The map changes to a non-interactive, low-color rendering of the map.

When in ambient mode, your app can update the display every minute by overriding onUpdateAmbient(). If you need more frequent updates, check out this guide.

When the activity leaves ambient mode, the system calls the onExitAmbient() method in your wearable activity. Override onExitAmbient() and call MapFragment.onExitAmbient() or MapView.onExitAmbient(). The map returns to the normal rendering and is now ready to accept user input.

documentationsample code

Map Tips: Style maps like a wizard

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Posted by Ed Boiling, Google Maps Solution ArchitectEditor’s note: ‘Map Tips’ are designed to answer frequently asked questions about Google Maps APIs. For important tips on how to deploy Google’s mapping tools, read more from Ed Boiling, Google Maps Solution Architect at Google.Google Maps Style Wizard

style MapOptions
Screen Shot 2015-09-07 at 11.56.33.png

styleMapOptions[
{
"featureType": "water",
"elementType": "geometry.fill",
"stylers": [
{ "color": "#cc00ff" }
]
},{
"elementType": "labels",
"stylers": [
{ "visibility": "off" }
]
}
]many Maps API methods available[
{
"stylers": [
{ "visibility": "off" }
]
},{
"featureType": "landscape",
"stylers": [
{ "visibility": "on" },
{ "color": "#e5e3df" }
]
},{
"featureType": "water",
"elementType": "geometry",
"stylers": [
{ "visibility": "on" },
{ "color": "#d4d4d4" }
]
}
]
Screen Shot 2015-09-07 at 12.01.07.png

Styled MapsGoogle Maps Style Wizardsnazzymaps.com

Map Tips: Speeding up page load times with the Google Maps JavaScript API

Monday, September 21, 2015

Posted by Mark McDonald, Google Developer Relations TeamEditor’s note: ‘Map Tips’ are designed to answer frequently asked questions about Google Maps APIs. Since web performance is so hot right now, we want to provide some useful information. For important tips on how to deploy Google’s mapping tools, read more from Mark McDonald, Google Developer Relations. Also, our friends over at Wikipedia have just done something similar!
Loading JavaScript 101developer resources<script>

As a browser loads its stream of HTML content representing the page to render, it builds DOM and CSSOM trees representing the page structure and style, respectively.

JavaScript can change both the DOM and the CSSOM, for example through document.createElement() and myElement.style.backgroundColor.

Ergo, when the browser hits a <script> tag, either in-line or externally hosted, it has to pause any further processing of the script and any further HTML rendering until the script has been fetched and any CSS declared prior has been fetched and processed. Take note—this is critical as it affects the speed at which the first round of content is displayed in the browser.

asynchronously loading JavaScript
Unblocking scriptsasyncdefer<script src="https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js" async defer></script>asyncdeferInternet Explorer 5.5WHATWG specasyncasyncdeferonLoad<script src="https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js"></script>
...
<script>
function initMap() {
var map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById('map'), {
center: {lat: -34.397, lng: 150.644},
zoom: 8
});
}
google.maps.event.addDomListener(window, 'load', initMap);
</script><script>
function initMap() {
var map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById('map'), {
center: {lat: -34.397, lng: 150.644},
zoom: 8
});
}
</script>
<script src="https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?callback=initMap"
async defer></script><script>initMapDOMContentLoaded fires
The numbersChrome DevToolswindow.performance.now()initMap

I can use this everywhere, right?google.mapsmix in<script><body>

Subclassing anything in the Google Maps JavaScript API (for example, custom overlays). You must ensure your classes are defined after the callback has been executed.

LatLngs defined outside of the map initialization function. Most functions now accept LatLngLiterals, so you can simply pass { lat: 33, lng: 151 }.

Updating your own codePageSpeed tool

Maps Zen — Not lost

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Posted by Ankur Kotwal, Developer Advocate at GoogleEditor's Note:Maps Zen blog post series

Directions API

Polylines

Street ViewStreetViewPanorama

StreetViewPanorama<fragment
android:id="@+id/streetview"
android:name=
"com.google.android.gms.maps.StreetViewPanoramaFragment"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"/>streetViewPanorama.setPosition(targetLatLng);
StreetViewPanoramaCamera camera =
new StreetViewPanoramaCamera(zoom, tilt, bearing);
mStreetViewPanorama.animateTo(camera, duration);

New Controls Style for the Google Maps JavaScript API

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

ControlsGoogle Maps JavaScript APIControl optionsGoogle Maps Embed APIGoogle Maps websitesigned-in maps

Old	New

google.maps.controlStyle = 'azteca'developer documentationversioning guidePosted by Elena Kelareva, Product Manager, Google Maps APIs

Maps Zen — Visualize

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Posted by Ankur Kotwal, Developer Advocate at GoogleEditor's Note: Gone are the days when users were impressed with a marker on a map. The Maps Zen blog post series covers integrations of Google Maps APIs to help your apps provide great maps user experiences. What’s a zen pattern? Simply put, a design pattern that results in harmonious user experiences.

Markers

setIcon()mAnimHandler.post(new Runnable() {
@Override
public void run() {
marker.setIcon(mSteamFrames.nextFrame());
// Next frame in 32 ms
mAnimHandler.postDelayed(this, 32);
}
});ColorMatrixColorFilterColorMatrixColorMatrix desatMatrix = new ColorMatrix();
desatMatrix.setSaturation(restaurantRating);

ColorFilter paintColorFilter = new
ColorMatrixColorFilter(desatMatrix);
Paint paint = new Paint();

paint.setColorFilter(paintColorFilter);

Canvas canvas = new Canvas(newImage);
canvas.drawBitmap(oldImage, 0, 0, paint);

Android Maps Util librarymarker clusteringcompile 'com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils:0.3+'ClusterItempublic interface ClusterItem {
LatLng getPosition();
}mClusterManager = new ClusterManager<>(this, mMap);
mMap.setOnCameraChangeListener(mClusterManager);
mMap.setOnMarkerClickListener(mClusterManager);mClusterManager.addItem(clusterItem);

Android Maps Utils libraryheatmapscompile 'com.google.maps.android:android-maps-utils:0.3+'mHeatmapTileProvider = new HeatmapTileProvider.Builder()
.data(mLatLngCollection)
.build();mTileOverlay = mMap.addTileOverlay(
new TileOverlayOptions().tileProvider(mHeatmapTileProvider));Android Maps Utils library

Kocomojo brings beacon technology to marketers with Google Maps APIs

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Posted by Kristan Hamill, CEO, KocomojoEditor’s note: Today’s guest blogger is Kristan Hamill, CEO of the proximity-based marketing company Kocomojo. Read how Kocomojo uses Google Maps APIs to help businesses build customer loyalty.DitoKocomojoGoogle Maps APIsGoogle Developers website
Kocomojo screenshot map.png