Google mapplets are another nifty option for creating maps in addition to a mashup using Google maps and the API key. Mapplets are basically maps + gadgets allowing for the embedding of externally hosted applications with Google maps. They are run within their own iFrame tags which provides a “boxed” environment of sorts. You can find them in the My Maps tab when you’re signed into Google.
So there are really 4 (probably more) different ways to create and run a Google map sans the API key:
1. Go to an existing mash-up and don’t re-invent the wheel;
2. Just use the new “embedded code” feature from Google;
3. Just create a KML file, host it somewhere and run the URL via Google maps; or
4. Create a mapplet (and no need to pass in an API key).
To create a mapplet just follow the following steps:
- Load two developer tools and add these to Google maps – the developer mapplet and a mapplet scratch pad for sandboxing and testing
- Create the mapplet via a text editor and save as an XML file
- Save on a public website (such as Google Page Creator) and note the URL;
- Go to the mapplets directory and use the “add by URL” option to add the mapplet. Note that this loads the mapplet to your Google account but not to the general mapplet directory.
The mapplet I created is the RFID mat locations for Ironman Australia as per previous posts [Post 003]. I created an XML file with marker locations and “nested” this file (via URL reference) within another XML file which is effectively the mapplet. Both XML files were saved to my googlepages site.
To view the mapplet:
1. Go to the Google mapplet directory and click “add by URL”
2. Add the mapplet URL reference: http://rlfinney2004.googlepages.com/Ironman_Aus_2007_RFIDLocations_BMapp.xml
3. Go to Google maps and view the mapplet on the sidebar entitled “Accessing Content From Other Websites”
Here is the link to the “nested” XML file:
http://rlfinney2004.googlepages.com/Nested_XML001.xml
Here is the link to the mapplet XML file:
http://rlfinney2004.googlepages.com/Ironman_Aus_2007_RFIDLocations_BMapp.xml
and here is a link to a screen dump of the Mapplet page as it should appear in Google Maps:
