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What K2 Friendly Map extension are you using?
- Jack Hughes
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5 years 8 months ago #168670
by Jack Hughes
What K2 Friendly Map extension are you using? was created by Jack Hughes
I have been noticing that K2 friendly Map extensions have been dying off. DM K2 Maps at Quirky Fox Labs is nonresponsive.
This is really concerning since we use K2 for our tourism directory websites. We use K2 extra fields to store the address and then use DM K2 Maps to geocode and display the map for each listing. Auto or semi-auto geocoding listings is pretty important since we are dealing with sites that have 500 or 1000 items.
Obviously Google hasn't helped us with their unending changes to their maps API.
What map extensions are you using in your websites? Are you having any luck with non-Google map services? Mapbox, OpenStreetMap etc
This is really concerning since we use K2 for our tourism directory websites. We use K2 extra fields to store the address and then use DM K2 Maps to geocode and display the map for each listing. Auto or semi-auto geocoding listings is pretty important since we are dealing with sites that have 500 or 1000 items.
Obviously Google hasn't helped us with their unending changes to their maps API.
What map extensions are you using in your websites? Are you having any luck with non-Google map services? Mapbox, OpenStreetMap etc
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5 years 7 months ago #168856
by JoomlaWorks
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Replied by JoomlaWorks on topic What K2 Friendly Map extension are you using?
A K2 Pro Suite is in the works. If maps are important for you, lay out the basic specs for common needs and we might code it in. Feel free to contact us directly via: www.joomlaworks.net/support/contact (make sure you reference this forum post)
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5 years 7 months ago #168857
by JoomlaWorks
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Replied by JoomlaWorks on topic What K2 Friendly Map extension are you using?
As an update, seeing at the specs of this extension, I believe we could do better with separate DB tables for better performance and filtering flexibility.
As for extensions from third parties dying off, most of the times it boils down to loss of interest from the developers. And to be honest, Joomla is not making things easier for 3rd party developers. We built K2 with integrators and other devs in mind when we designed it, exactly so we don't change the damn thing every 4-5 years. Now Joomla 4 is repeating history. And this is the reason we're now re-writing K2 to be both more performant and only 1% integrated to Joomla's API/framework (to maintain our sanity for future releases of Joomla).
But still, despite Joomla's drawbacks, the advantages outweigh its disadvantages. And e.g. supporting WP down the road will only be a business decision, not a true preference.
As for extensions from third parties dying off, most of the times it boils down to loss of interest from the developers. And to be honest, Joomla is not making things easier for 3rd party developers. We built K2 with integrators and other devs in mind when we designed it, exactly so we don't change the damn thing every 4-5 years. Now Joomla 4 is repeating history. And this is the reason we're now re-writing K2 to be both more performant and only 1% integrated to Joomla's API/framework (to maintain our sanity for future releases of Joomla).
But still, despite Joomla's drawbacks, the advantages outweigh its disadvantages. And e.g. supporting WP down the road will only be a business decision, not a true preference.
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- Jack Hughes
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5 years 7 months ago #168874
by Jack Hughes
Replied by Jack Hughes on topic What K2 Friendly Map extension are you using?
Per your request I have sent more of my thoughts through your Contact Us webform.
I also think that the massive change in how Google is monetizing it's api services is affecting the desire of some of these map extension developers.
Let me know how we can help.
Thanks
I also think that the massive change in how Google is monetizing it's api services is affecting the desire of some of these map extension developers.
Let me know how we can help.
Thanks
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5 years 7 months ago #168876
by JoomlaWorks
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Replied by JoomlaWorks on topic What K2 Friendly Map extension are you using?
Yeah, responding to some forum posts here, it's like an epidemic. Lots of plugins now fail to work exactly because of these API changes. Any way to consider OpenStreetMaps or other libre/free alternatives to Google Maps?
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- Lex Thoonen
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5 years 6 months ago - 5 years 6 months ago #169475
by Lex Thoonen
Replied by Lex Thoonen on topic What K2 Friendly Map extension are you using?
My site now has "this page can't load google maps correctly" all over it. The site completely depends on DM maps, maps-wise. And DM Maps seems dead. If anyone knows of an alternative that'd be great. Thanks!
And as for coding this in a pro k2 version: I just copy the lat/long from the url of google maps, stick it in an extra field and that's it: the map appears on the site. And per category I can see all the items on one map as well if I wish, which is cool for showing all the beaches of the island that the site is about for example.
And as for coding this in a pro k2 version: I just copy the lat/long from the url of google maps, stick it in an extra field and that's it: the map appears on the site. And per category I can see all the items on one map as well if I wish, which is cool for showing all the beaches of the island that the site is about for example.
Last edit: 5 years 6 months ago by Lex Thoonen.
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5 years 6 months ago #169476
by JoomlaWorks
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Replied by JoomlaWorks on topic What K2 Friendly Map extension are you using?
Lex, indeed this is what we've built already and it's something that will be integrated in K2 Pro in the coming months.
The error message you see is related to changes in how you can use Google Maps' API. I think it's rate limited now and you have to pay for additional usage. An alternative is leaflet.js which can easily be integrated with extra fields or OpenStreetMaps API.
The error message you see is related to changes in how you can use Google Maps' API. I think it's rate limited now and you have to pay for additional usage. An alternative is leaflet.js which can easily be integrated with extra fields or OpenStreetMaps API.
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5 years 6 months ago #169478
by Lex Thoonen
Replied by Lex Thoonen on topic What K2 Friendly Map extension are you using?
I'm not against paying, but I don't see how to add the api key to the plugin now... I'll see what google comes up with if I stick leaflet.js in...
Thanks for your answer!
Thanks for your answer!
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5 years 6 months ago #169479
by Lex Thoonen
Replied by Lex Thoonen on topic What K2 Friendly Map extension are you using?
Right, leaflet.js looks very interesting.
Before I start to try to figure this all out on my own, does anyone have an example of code changes etc?
Thanks!
Before I start to try to figure this all out on my own, does anyone have an example of code changes etc?
Thanks!
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5 years 6 months ago #169483
by JoomlaWorks
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Replied by JoomlaWorks on topic What K2 Friendly Map extension are you using?
If you can build the output that leaflet.js requires, then the only thing you need to do is just load the related CSS/JS in the <head> and you're done. Of course you want have the single view to display all map points from all items, but at least it's a start.
As for the Google Maps API, my guess is that you'll have to dig deep into the plugin's code to update it and support any changes introduced recently. Probably not worth it.
As for the Google Maps API, my guess is that you'll have to dig deep into the plugin's code to update it and support any changes introduced recently. Probably not worth it.
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