New Google Maps API, our cache maps are having problems

About the Opencaching Site
Post Reply
Mr.Yuck
Site Admin
Posts:2161
Joined:Wed Aug 18, 2010 2:09 pm
Location:York County, Va.
Contact:
New Google Maps API, our cache maps are having problems

Post by Mr.Yuck » Sat Nov 23, 2013 10:04 am

We are aware of this, and the final move to the new Google Maps API was made by Google on Tuesday the 19th. We knew this was coming, but Google had some text on an information page about the change saying something to the effect of "We expect most simple map applications to continue to work if they were using the V2.0 API". Well, I guess Geocaching maps are not simple applications. GPSgames.org and Terracaching.com are in the same boat.

We have reverted to an older version of our cache maps, because they are currently working "better" than the newer one. Personally, I have to zoom out when the map first pops up, or no caches are displayed. Bit caches are on the maps, but they're invisible! Seriously, if you know where a Bit cache is, move the mouse over it, and you can click it and get to the cache page.

We are obviously working on this, but I don't expect it to be a "done tomorrow" type of thing.
ImageImage

User avatar
TermiteHunter
Site Admin
Posts:1125
Joined:Sun Aug 29, 2010 7:12 pm

Re: New Google Maps API, our cache maps are having problems

Post by TermiteHunter » Sun Nov 24, 2013 1:45 am

Yes,
I was thinking of placing a virtual yesterday but the map had reverted and I was unable to use the coordinates as there are none on the current map.

User avatar
DudleyGrunt
Site Admin
Posts:2038
Joined:Wed Aug 18, 2010 1:27 pm
Location:Jessup, MD
Contact:

Re: New Google Maps API, our cache maps are having problems

Post by DudleyGrunt » Tue Nov 26, 2013 4:31 pm

Before using the OCUS maps, I used to find a cache near where I wanted to get coords for and then just play with them on Google Maps until I had the pin where I wanted it. More time consuming, but is another way to get coords remotely.
Dave, OCNA Team Member
For the smiles, not the smilies.
Maryland Geocaching Society

Image Image

caughtatwork
Posts:11
Joined:Mon Nov 15, 2010 5:13 pm

Re: New Google Maps API, our cache maps are having problems

Post by caughtatwork » Wed Nov 27, 2013 6:40 am

Geocaching Australia encountered the same sort of fun. I started on Sunday afternoon and I'm about 16 hours in to our map rewrite (it's not a migration regardless of what Google says). I have about 4 hours of testing to go before I'll be happy to republish our maps functions. So all up about 20 hours. We do some cool stuff which you may not have, bit either way this is not a small and trivial job. The worst part is trying to find the right functions to call and then discovering they're asynchronous so you get tied up in all sorts of knots.

Mr.Yuck
Site Admin
Posts:2161
Joined:Wed Aug 18, 2010 2:09 pm
Location:York County, Va.
Contact:

Re: New Google Maps API, our cache maps are having problems

Post by Mr.Yuck » Wed Nov 27, 2013 7:25 am

caughtatwork wrote:Geocaching Australia encountered the same sort of fun. I started on Sunday afternoon and I'm about 16 hours in to our map rewrite (it's not a migration regardless of what Google says). I have about 4 hours of testing to go before I'll be happy to republish our maps functions. So all up about 20 hours. We do some cool stuff which you may not have, bit either way this is not a small and trivial job. The worst part is trying to find the right functions to call and then discovering they're asynchronous so you get tied up in all sorts of knots.
Thanks for the post, caughtatwork! I forgot about your site, as one of our alternative brethren. :mrgreen: Yes, if it was simply a migration, I would have been able to figure it out myself, and I have messed around with it a little. But I'm not a developer, and we did not write the website ourselves (it's an older version of Opencaching.pl converted to English). So I'm currently reaching out for help in a couple places. It's a 4 day holiday weekend here in the U.S. starting on Thursday, so I'm hopeful we can come up with something.

Did your maps still partially work, like ours? Gpsgames.org was minimally affected, but Terracaching.com maps stopped working completely.
ImageImage

caughtatwork
Posts:11
Joined:Mon Nov 15, 2010 5:13 pm

Re: New Google Maps API, our cache maps are having problems

Post by caughtatwork » Sun Dec 01, 2013 7:27 am

We had basic functionality. Cache markers worked and that's about it. I've finished our upgrade with still one issue (travelling salesman problem) to go, but that's a real biggie.

I had to fix zones, routes, caches, points and centroids to get them working. Once I got an understanding of the new functions (and classes) it made life easier, but the documentation from Google seemed pretty lax. I ended up at Stack Overflow more often than I wanted, simply due to the lack of (easily) findable documentation.

Our code is probably a little bit leaner now than before, but because I was in a hurry try and get it all working, I'm sure I've got some ugly, ugly hacks in there that probably shouldn't be.

As I mentioned the asynchronous calls were painful. I'm a bit of an old school bloke and when I get from one function I pass to the next. Asynchronous calls do my head in :-)

caughtatwork
Posts:11
Joined:Mon Nov 15, 2010 5:13 pm

Re: New Google Maps API, our cache maps are having problems

Post by caughtatwork » Sun Dec 01, 2013 7:29 am

It looks like GC was also affected with their route not working. I don't use their site much, I find ours better for most things, except the sheer volume of caches. I doubt their basic maps have malfunctioned as I'm sure we would have all heard the screams, even from down under.

Mr.Yuck
Site Admin
Posts:2161
Joined:Wed Aug 18, 2010 2:09 pm
Location:York County, Va.
Contact:

Re: New Google Maps API, our cache maps are having problems

Post by Mr.Yuck » Sun Dec 01, 2013 3:26 pm

caughtatwork wrote:It looks like GC was also affected with their route not working. I don't use their site much, I find ours better for most things, except the sheer volume of caches. I doubt their basic maps have malfunctioned as I'm sure we would have all heard the screams, even from down under.
Not quoting the first post, but thanks for the insights. Although I definitely remember hearing it in computer logic classes in college, I had to re-look up what asynchronous means. :D

Oh yeah, we're a small time operation over here, and all three of the admins use Geocaching.com as their primary Geocaching source. Most of the users I'm sure too, although we never took a poll. I'm in tune of what's going on over there. Their "caches along a route" functionality was almost completely broken, and it totally caught them off guard. And they told the complainers that it wouldn't be fixed until after the 4 day weekend here in the U.S.
ImageImage

User avatar
TermiteHunter
Site Admin
Posts:1125
Joined:Sun Aug 29, 2010 7:12 pm

Re: New Google Maps API, our cache maps are having problems

Post by TermiteHunter » Mon Mar 10, 2014 9:48 pm

Looks like moving caches are not showing up either.

I was looking at caches along the NC outerbanks and only found a handfull.(5)
Did a search to download the GPX and several more were listed. I knew the BITS had issues but there were a few moving caches as well.

***update***
nevermind the map issue, they have been archived. Too bad I was looking forward to moving one or two.

But this means that archived caches show up in a search. Hope I don't mistakenly attempt one only to find it is archived.

Mr.Yuck
Site Admin
Posts:2161
Joined:Wed Aug 18, 2010 2:09 pm
Location:York County, Va.
Contact:

Re: New Google Maps API, our cache maps are having problems

Post by Mr.Yuck » Mon Mar 10, 2014 9:59 pm

TermiteHunter wrote:Looks like moving caches are not showing up either.

I was looking at caches along the NC outerbanks and only found a handfull.(5)
Did a search to download the GPX and several more were listed. I knew the BITS had issues but there were a few moving caches as well.

***update***
nevermind the map issue, they have been archived. Too bad I was looking forward to moving one or two.

But this means that archived caches show up in a search. Hope I don't mistakenly attempt one only to find it is archived.
How ironic, I'll be in Virginia Beach in 5 weeks with a one day day trip to the OBX, and I saw 5 OCUS caches which I was going to go for.

We do have not one, but two VOLUNTEERS looking at the maps. The key word being capitalized, they are getting to them when they can. Website traffic was way down for the Winter, but it's already starting to pick up, and I would most certainly like to see these maps fixed properly for Spring.

I'm going to guess the moving caches are on the maps, but invisible, with no icon, like the BIT caches. Like I think I said before in this thread, you can get to a BIT cache if you know it's general location; the cursor on your map will change when you're on top of it.
ImageImage

Post Reply