Configuring Google Maps API Service

The Google Maps API service lets you embed Google Maps in your own web pages. You can add overlays to the map (including markers and polylines) and display shadowed "info windows" just like Google Maps. To be able to use the feature on your site, you need to get the Google Maps API key for your site URL.

The Google Maps API service supports the following browsers:

• Internet Explorer 6.0 and later
• Firefox 0.8 and later
• Safari 1.2.4 and later
• Netscape 7.1 and later
• Mozilla 1.4 and later

To insert a Google map into a page:

1. Go to the Edit step.
2. In the Modules area, click the Area Map module icon and keeping the left mouse button pressed drag the icon to the page.
3. Click Select Provider.

4. Select Google Maps API.
5. Enter your registration key in the Google Maps API key box and click OK.

   Note: If you get an error message saying that the key you have specified was generated for another URL, enter your web site URL in the Web site URL field to fix the problem.

   If you haven't registered this service with Google yet, click the provided link to go to the Google Web site and complete the free sign up procedure as described. When registering a Google Maps API key, be sure to specify the correct URL of your site.

6. Click Choose Location.
7. Specify the location you want to show on your map and:
   • Click Search Worldwide to search the whole map.

     or

   • Click Search Current Map Area to search only within the currently displayed map fragment.

   If there are several locations satisfying your search criterion, all of them are displayed on the map and are also listed in a small window below the search field (each is indexed with a letter). To switch between the found locations, click on required placemarks on the map or in the list. To remove the list of search results, click Clear results.

   If for some reason Google does not find the required location, or if you want to specify your own location, use the arrows and scaling functions to manually navigate to the required geographical point.

8. To save a found placemark, click on it, click Save, edit the placemark title and the address of the location as desired and click Save.

   You can also add custom placemarks - just click in a desired spot on the map, specify a title for the placemark and the address of the location in the Title and Address fields and click Save.

9. Click OK.

   

On a site page, the specified locations are marked with a red icon. Your site visitors will be able to get driving directions to your locations by clicking on a placemark, specifying a departure point, and clicking Get driving directions.

For full information on configuring driving directions and other Google Maps features, refer to Google Maps API FAQ.