Google Maps With Topo Maps And Aerial Photos (via Gps Visualizer)

[gpsvisualizer]

Using code borrowed (with permission) from Acme Mapper, I've rigged up GPS Visualizer so that the Google Maps it creates can now use USGS topo maps and aerial photos as the background:

 

http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/map?form=google

 

I've moved the map selector into a drop-down menu because having five choices instead of the usual three was taking up a lot of room; if people would still prefer a series of "buttons," let me know and I can add support for that as an option. By the way, note that there is also support now for "permanent" labels on the waypoints/pushpins -- before, the names of points were only available as mouseovers, and obviously that wasn't as helpful for printing!

 

Here's a screenshot of a map I just created from a Geocaching.com .loc file:

 

The live, interactive version is here: http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/misc/geocaching_google_map.html

 

Have fun, and please let me know if you run into any problems. I've tested it in both Firefox and Explorer (although I haven't tested printing from Explorer), but lord knows things might still go wrong.

[gpsvisualizer]

FYI, I've just added Canadian topo maps (from NRCan) as a sixth option; they don't have elevation labels, and they're slow, but it's worth a look...

[gpsvisualizer]

And by the way, if people know of other OGC-compliant map servers that might work as additional custom layers, please let me know!

 

(I've yet to find any that work for Australia/NZ, but a few have come tantalizingly close.)

[+PDOP's]

FYI, I've just added Canadian topo maps (from NRCan) as a sixth option; they don't have elevation labels, and they're slow, but it's worth a look...

 

Adam this is great. GPSVisualizer has always been in the lead in offering Canadian coverage. I wonder if you've looked at integrating the new Toporama mapping service (here)?

[gpsvisualizer]

I wonder if you've looked at integrating the new Toporama mapping service (here)?

I've encountered that site before... even if I could extract them, there's no way those exact maps could be used with other mapping applications; they're in some weird projection (polar?).

 

But, the NRCan maps that I am able to integrate have the same contour line resolution as on the Atlas of Canada site; the maps aren't quite as nice because there's no elevation numbers or pretty labels, but at least you're not getting screwed detail-wise.

 

Now, here's something interesting: I just checked the NRCan map server's "capabilities" document again -- to see if there's anything new there -- and I discovered that they have a "Raster Maps" layer described as "raster format layers resulting from the merging of layers extracted from other products of the CTIS data warehouse." And lo and behold, the layers used are almost identical to the dynamically generated maps I've been using for the past couple days. It's a little bit fuzzier, but a lot faster -- about 5x faster in my unscientific test, and fast enough that you can scroll around without having to wait too long before the maps appear. I think the fuzziness is a small price to pay for the performance increase, so I've gone ahead and made the change.

[gpsvisualizer]

Another "Google topo map" example, this time using geotagged photos instead of geocaches: http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/examples/google_photo_map.html

[+Bzzliteyr]

The pictures on the right side of the map are hidden behind the background when I look at them. (IE 6)

[+naviguesser74]

I couldn't figure out how to get the permanent labels to show.

[gpsvisualizer]

The pictures on the right side of the map are hidden behind the background when I look at them. (IE 6)

If you're describing what I think you are, that's expected; things in the Google Map are not allowed to go outside of their "container." Just grab the map and shove it to the left a couple inches.

[gpsvisualizer]

I couldn't figure out how to get the permanent labels to show.

Because that option only affects Google Maps, it's only available on the Google Maps input form: http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/map?form=google

 

To get permanent labels, look for the "Waypoint labels" menu in the "Waypoint options" section on the left side of the form, and change it from "mouse-over 'tooltips' only" to "permanent labels."