New Google Maps for WebOS - native javascript API

[72ka]

Hi, I'd like to introduce my new map application. The Bing maps ares unusable in Europe, i prefer Google Maps. But... at this time, I think other solutions are not so good and not for all WebOS devices. So... I built my first WebOS app, using MOJO framweork for my Palm Pre Plus. It is three week old and is in very eraly stage. It is tested only on my Pre Plus.

I know about some problems on Touchpad and Pre3, but... for this time, I prefer developing of more features than tuning for all kind of devices.

What is working:
GPS and accuracy in blue circle
Map
Searching
Directions
Traffic
Streetview

ToDo...
Implement app as webos default map app - done
To Improve directions - done
Dropped pin actions - done
POI search - done
Google Latitude?
Preferences scene - done
Favorit places - done
Speed optimizations - first attempt done
(GESTURE+B shortcut that will toggle display buttons on and off, and a GESTURE+M to toggle the top menu on and off)
Cookies (remember of maptypes, ...) - done
Map follows position - done
Navit implementation - done
Prevent from sleeping/locking when is connected to external power (or as option in preferences), prevent from Exhibition on Touchstone - done
Markers list - done
If any key pressed automatically send the key to the search bar i.e., “just type” search within the app itself - done
More gestures:
- forward (or back) swipe opens the directions
- forward (or back) swipe cycles through layers
- forward (or back) swipe clears last placed POI
- panning, zooming and navigation in StreetView using physical keyboard keys
- forward swipe advances view in StreetView
UI localization - upload a translation strings - done
When moving, add direction indicator to position dot. Leave it up if you were travelling and stopped (nice to see which way you are facing when you stop at a sign/light and look down to the phone)
Add an option to SMS/Email current position to a contact, either as raw GPS coordinates, or as a google maps URL - done
recognise the coordinates in your in app search field and
change the default handler for LOC location coordinates in webOS, as you did for adresses?
Add Farenheit to the preferrences? (and miles per hour) for us USA folk.
While it is waiting to download new maps or respond to a zoom out (or in) gesture, could it display a "waiting" symbol like an hourglass or a spinning circle? - done
Pre3 compass support
UI improve:
- change the font to non-bold
- kill magnifying glass (you could replace the redundant "Google Maps" shown here with "tap me or type to search") - done
- reduce the margin to the left of the text
- move the bottom group to the left, and move the "layer/snap to" buttons to a 2 button group on the bottom right (yeah...that gives a crowded screen, but don't forget you could also implement a single tap or other gesture to make the GUI elements vanish and reappear)
Add option for metric/imperial units
While driving, move the blue dot to the bottom

Known issues:

Works on all WebOS devices, for legacy devices too (WebOS 1.4.5 and higher)
StreetView on WebOS 2.1 makes Luna restart - probably bug of this WebOS version - researched, workarounded (very basic custom streetview)
Some issues on Pre3 - panning is jerky, wrong centered map, ... need more time to fix it
Route is not rendered on map on WebOS 1.4.5 - fixed
iPhone spoof patch blocks the map events (pan, zoom,etc...) - not true since 0.1.3
Traffic is not supported in some countries, it is law issue (France, Czech Republic....)
Smapp gap between command menu buttons on Pre3 - it is WebOS scaling issue
......

Bugs:
Make a route, go halfway, and update directions. The starting point ("My location") is not where you are right now, halfway, but still the original one when you first built the route. - fixed
JustType search with special characters like Umlauts result in encodeURI characters:

Müller > M%C3%BCller - fixed

The app is in early development state.

The application is provided as is, without any warranty, use it at own risk!

Enjoy it..


DOWNLOAD it from Preware (PreCentral feed)

SOURCE CODE (for developers): http://github.com/72ka/google-maps

Wiki: http://github.com/72ka/google-maps/wiki



Donation link here:


0.2.0

New universal status/info/busy panel indicator
Disabled autocorrections and auto capitalize in search bar
New feature - Favorites: you can save the favorite places using Information scene star toggle button. The Favorite places will be visible on each app start marked by small yellow star. Favorites are stored in local system database
You can rename the place using tap and hold on the place name in Information scene
Added UI localization (thank to contributors) to Dutch, German, Polish, Chineese, Spanish
Added rating stars to standard bubbles too
Added Open hours info support in place information, at this time shows just if the shop is open/closed and Today open hours
Some minor bugfixes
Some code cleaning
Added support to set destination in Navit
Known issue: Favorites could be a little unstable, please be patient

0.1.9

Pre3 map centering fix (hope temporary workaround, visible grey flash after map move)
Map tiles caching improvement - faster app start to last map tiles
Fixed bug - Fullscreen mode works again
UI Localization to Czech, Italy
Removed obsolete magnifying glas search icon from main screen - more space in top bar
Google forced to show the powered by Google logo in suggestions, fixed the multiplying logos
Decreased sensitivity of street view pan

0.1.8
New coordinates search support, supported are all 7 world most used formats of coordinates
Here are the supported formats
40:26:46N, 79:56:55W
40:26:46.302N 79:56:55.903W
40°26′47″N 79°58′36″W
40d26′47″N 79d58′36″W
40.446195N 79.948862W
40.446195, -79.948862
40°26.7717, -79°56.93172
New possibility to add a place to the Contacts
The map remembers zoom and center and apply them on startup (then GPS fix overrides the zoom and center)
New function: Tap and hold on the map drops the pin
New Night map theme
New bicycle layer
New weather layer (automatically adjusts the zoom)
New clouds layer (automatically adjusts the zoom)
0.1.7

New Google API override language option, you can manually set API language
New swap button in directions (two arrows between text fields), you can swap origin/destination
New shortcuts (Info icon) in markers list to place info scene
New button in bottom right in place info scene, where you can share the place information via E-mail, SMS or just to copy to clipboard
Added internet connectivity check at startup
"Route from here" and "Route to here" opens the directions

0.1.6

Traffic menu item moved to the top Layers popup menu - traffic is a layer, it is more logically
New icons for map types in menu
New scene "Markers" (accesible from bottom menu) - this scene contains all markers on map, you can sort them, tap to the marker centers the map to the marker
Directions contains new button in text fields, the buttons launch Markers scene, where you can select any marker as origin or destination
Fixed bug - My Location is now updated on every route request

0.1.5

This version may contain more bugs, because is not deeply tested, but better than not working previous version caused by gAPI change from Google side
Google disabled gAPI v3.6 previously used on WebOS 2.2 devices, this caused impossibility to marker tap in app version 0.1.4
WebOS2.2 devices now use nightly build of gAPI
Fixed the marker tap problem on WebOS 2.2 devices with gAPI nightly build
Very basic (just look around), but usable and stable StreetView for WebOS 2.1 devices (better than nothing)
New search for nearby places, read the hint bottom search bar.
Nearby places has rating and distance from request position
When suggestions doesn't exists, panel contains text "No results..." - it could make problems, it's a Google autocompleter hack
Fixed when you paste an address to the search bar
New icons for markers, for Pre3 in high resolution
New HD app icon for Pre3 launcher
Error dialog if the directions request is not complete
Fixed the InfoBubble look for WebOS2.2 and newer devices (was missing background)
Fixed the low velocity when following map is active
Map rotating optimization for decreasing CPU usage

0.1.4

New Preferences scene
You can enable Fullscreen mode (usefull on small screen devices like Veer and Pixi), exit fullscreen through bottom menu
Override directions launch request as option
Map rotate to GPS heading as experimental feature... it isn't supported by Google API, it's a hard workaround, it renders some artefacts, ToDo to make it better
When Follow map function is active, the screen timeout and exhibition mode is blocked
When Follow map function is active, the top bar shows actual velocity if is higher than 0.5m/s
Fixed some not reported bugs
Moved bottom menu 10px higher for map scale visibility
New GPS blue dot - bigger than before
Opacity of blue circle is reduced to usable minimum
Improved (not revolutionary, but stable) pinch to zoom

0.1.3
"Just type" search - any key press opens the serch bar
New Place Info scene (details, rating, homepage and button for make a call)
Application remembers Map type and Traffic layers
First attempt to speed optimization in moving the map

0.1.2
Completely new search, included POI's (it needs to add the Powered by Google logo), the search result is preferred from actual map bounds, the first result is the nearest place from map center
WebOS 2.2.x tap to marker toggles the bubble - fixed
The latest search result is now displayed in top bar
Some UI changes, wider directions panel
Hope that the TP stop panning is fixed... let me know to the forum please
The switching to the Google autocompleter was a big change in code, it is possible that the app may contains new bugs. Still evolving...

0.1.1
Fixed route rendering for WebOS 1.4.x
Fixed TP orientation change (menu size, centering map)
New direction instructions in bubbles with bottom menu arrows
Compas icon activate new function "Map follows GPS" until the map is touched
The same A and B flags on route like in marker´s popup menu
Clear map clears all markers and route

0.1.0
New fancy info bubbles on markers
New actions on marker's bubble
New function "Clear map" in menu - removes all markers on map
New spinners when the app is busy
Fixed search on WebOS 1.4.x
Increased search field length
Known issue: route is not rendered on WebOS 1.4.5

0.0.9
Completely replaced the Search and Directions functions. (Still in development, it is not perfect yet.)
New Searching dialogs (I hope more comfortable UI).
The results are depending on your country
Highlithing the search terms in result list
New Directions dialog
You can show/hide the directions results anytime
Default Google infobubbles in your route - tap to the results panel row to show the bubble (horrible look, especially on TP... ToDo to make own bubbles)
The app can handle JustType search and Event directions from system in both states (launching app or to running app)
Default Google directions markers (sometimes wrong rendering on Pre3 - ToDo to make own markers)
Added scale to the bottom of map (more usable in landscape)
Fixed the spaces like "%20" from Just Type
Other things that I can't remember
Added dozens of new bugs because the changes was huge...


0.0.8
Added Just type plugin, for this time is available only the Search places (maploc). Directions will be in the next versions, because I have to rewrite directions at all. Added "walking" controls in StreetView.

0.0.7
Fixed bugs: strange top bar button behavior, top bar size and map center (not for TP, because TP has a bug and can't handle orientation change event in MOJO) after orientation change
New features: check streetview availability spinner, new bottom menu layout, swapped + and - zoom buttons, back button in Search places for Touchpad, checkmarks for map type and traffic

0.0.6
Fixed UI size for Pre3, Added splash HD icon, some cleaning of code, Google API localization based on device country format, replaced default google marker

0.0.5
Enabled Location support for Touchpad, Added Back button in About for Touchpad, Added Google traffic for Google supported countries, Fixing map paning during streetview, Added StreetView availability check

0.0.4
Improved StreetView functionality, better Touchpad support

0.0.3
Fixed map panning on WebOS 2.2.x devices

0.0.2
Added basic Google Directions, some UI improvements

0.0.1

First release, tested only on the Palm Pre Plus WebOS 2.1.​

Screenshots:

[matchqq]

Looking pretty good. Keep good works!

-- Sent from my TouchPad using Communities

[Pilotovef]

No matter what I typing in search dialog, it always displays the same map on my TP.

Also please add back buttons for more comfortable use

[Cantaffordit]

I hope you will submit this to preware and then do a version with Enyo for the pre3 and touchpad users.

[72ka]

Originally Posted by Pilotovef

No matter what I typing in search dialog, it always displays the same map on my TP.

Also please add back buttons for more comfortable use

Hi, if you tap on the search result, your map isn't refreshed to the place? On touchpad, I know about the search result makes marker on the top left corner... but your report is new for me.

[Pilotovef]

Originally Posted by 72ka

Hi, if you tap on the search result, your map isn't refreshed to the place?

Yes, tried several times. But always the same place with Lawrence in center.

[ahsirg]

Looks good, but It doesnt allow to pan the map in webos 2.2.4 pre2, or is it just me?

[TimBoch]

This app launched in less than 10 seconds and had a location and tracked my gps shortly there after. Bing Maps barely finds me ever and takes forever to track a gps and then the screen fails to update. I look forward to this app becoming even better.

[cujoq37]

Good stuff. Look forward to updates and hopefully using Latitude again.

[72ka]

Originally Posted by ahsirg

Looks good, but It doesnt allow to pan the map in webos 2.2.4 pre2, or is it just me?

Hi, now I know, this is common issue for Pre2 and Pre3, and I´m working on fix. Be patient and ready for testing next version. Thank you.

[72ka]

Originally Posted by cujoq37

Good stuff. Look forward to updates and hopefully using Latitude again.

Yes....., I forget about Latitude in ToDo... thank you, I´ll try to implement it. Thank you.

[72ka]

Hi, updated download link to version 0.0.3, I hope, that panning on WebOS 2.2.x devices is fixed now... please let me know if it works.

[cosb3541]

Application work great on PRE 1.4.5, except for Panning with the Iphone user agent spoof patch.
Removing this patch which allows most web pages to display correctly, allows panning the map left/right, up/down.

[veerar]

How are you able to get load times and gps fix so much better than Bing Maps?

Panning works great on my 2.2.4 pre3.

Thanks!

[72ka]

Originally Posted by veerar

How are you able to get load times and gps fix so much better than Bing Maps?

Panning works great on my 2.2.4 pre3.

Thanks!

Hi, I'm glad if it works on your Pre3. About the load times, my app after start downloads only small amount of data from Google. In next versions, I will continue on decreasing load times even more.. because it is important to see where am I NOW .. no after 1 minute
Location fix is supported by LBS and Google location and then, the GPS fix is very fast. I dont know, why are Bing Maps so slow...

Now... Is done the 0.0.4 version, where is StreetView fixed for 2.2.x devices.... and some fixes for Touchpad (searching, streetviev and Back button). Stay tuned and thank you for your report!

Anyway, who knows, how to convert my webosnation Account do Developer account? I am not able to upload this app to WebOS App on this web... and links to download my apps isn' t in correspondance with webosnation rules...

[sledge007]

Your request has been forwarded.

[Rockbeast]

Looks like I can try this on my 1.4.5.1 Palm Pre+ (VZW). However, I'm guessing the Big Red GPS Gremlins will interfere with my experience...has anyone with Verizon tried this on a Pre+ running 1.4.5?

Also, I've never added anything alpha or beta on my Pre+, only used Preware and app catalog. I know I'm being lazy, but if anyone has a quick link to a thread that explains how to load up 'stray' ipk files and install, I would appreciate the help. Or, you could just say "use the search feature on this forum Bozo!" which would be fine...except my name isn't really 'Bozo'...even though I do clown around...from time to time.

[spbb]

thanks for the awesome work! It would be perfect if the map can provide real time traffic info!

[60RH]

Originally Posted by Rockbeast

Looks like I can try this on my 1.4.5.1 Palm Pre+ (VZW). However, I'm guessing the Big Red GPS Gremlins will interfere with my experience...has anyone with Verizon tried this on a Pre+ running 1.4.5?

Also, I've never added anything alpha or beta on my Pre+, only used Preware and app catalog. I know I'm being lazy, but if anyone has a quick link to a thread that explains how to load up 'stray' ipk files and install, I would appreciate the help. Or, you could just say "use the search feature on this forum Bozo!" which would be fine...except my name isn't really 'Bozo'...even though I do clown around...from time to time.

Download attachment - email it to your phone - download it - make sure preware has the ipk association enabled and just click on the ipk attachment. That's all - you won't regret you've done this. This is the best map app I've ever used. I think this is more complete than anything and doesn't deserve alpha or beta label.
I just installed 0.0.2 last night and there we have the 0.0.4 with all the fixes reported. Didn't try it on the TP but will once I get home

Next thing will be to have a patch to make this the default app for maps. Hint: Navit Maps is in the list of the default map applications.
Did a quick intenlazPro visit on my phone and it seems you just need to add something like this in the appinfo:

"mimeTypes": [{"scheme": "mapto"}, {"scheme": "maploc"},{"scheme": "telenav"}],
"universalSearch":{
"search" : {
"displayName":"Navit",
"url":"org.webosinternals.navit-maps",
"launchParam":{"target":"mapto:#{searchTerms}"}
}
}

Maybe there are better and faster ways. I'm sure the dev is better in the later

[60RH]

Originally Posted by Rockbeast

Looks like I can try this on my 1.4.5.1 Palm Pre+ (VZW). However, I'm guessing the Big Red GPS Gremlins will interfere with my experience...has anyone with Verizon tried this on a Pre+ running 1.4.5?

Also, I've never added anything alpha or beta on my Pre+, only used Preware and app catalog. I know I'm being lazy, but if anyone has a quick link to a thread that explains how to load up 'stray' ipk files and install, I would appreciate the help. Or, you could just say "use the search feature on this forum Bozo!" which would be fine...except my name isn't really 'Bozo'...even though I do clown around...from time to time.

Download attachment - email it to your phone - download it - make sure preware has the ipk association enabled and just click on the ipk attachment. That's all - you won't regret you've done this. This is the best map app I've ever used. I think this is more complete than anything and doesn't deserve alpha or beta label.
I just installed 0.0.2 last night and there we have the 0.0.4 with all the fixes reported. Didn't try it on the TP but will once I get home