Google maps for Opus locations (1 Viewer)

Hi, I don't know if this has been covered before but I think that it would be a valuable addition to the Opus Locations if they could incorporate a Google map. As I'm sure you know, the scale can be varied so a reader could see where the location was in a country, perhaps also with the tags showing where the other Opus locations are in that country, and then zoom in to see exactly where the location is and how to get there.
If you want to see examples of what I mean, I suggest that you go to:
www.xeno-canto.org/ and look up any species and you will find what sound clips are available for that species and where they are located in different countries. GlobalTwitcher has also implemented a similar mapping system so you can record the location of your twitch/record (although not everyone uses it).
I have no idea how difficult it would be to introduce this but I feel that it would be a really valuable addition to Opus locations.
Regards, Pete

Sounds like a great idea Pete and well worth considering :t:

Hi Pete

All the Uk locations have a Street Map linked as in Leighton Moss (scroll down to External Links). I've been working through Europe and got as far as Sept Isles in France.

I've got stuck on Sologne:stuck: at the moment though. The difficulty I've found with Googlemaps is that they don't seem to 'know' everywhere, or presume you mean somewhere else and you find yourself in another country altogether:eek!: That might be down to my lack of experience with searching Google Maps though.

Oh if only every country had Ordnance Survey maps and map references:-O

Any help with this part of Opus editing would be much appreciated.

D

Yes, Jim. It looks good.

D

Hi Ian, Delia and Jim
Thanks for replying to this thread.
Delia, you have obviously put a huge amount of work into this and I wasn't aware that the UK locations had a Streetmap link [I hadn't even heard of Streetmap until I followed your links]. I also followed your link for the Sept Isles NR in France, which is tagged using Google Maps.
I agree with your comments about the problems of getting to the right location with the Search Engine of Google Maps - it seems to have a definite preference for locations in the US. I guess that I am entering my own data when I am at xeno-canto or GlobalTwitcher so that I know where the location is and just zoom in to it to place the tag in the right position.
I'll just make a few final comments - they are meant to be constructive - I think that this is a great part of BF and hope to be able to contribute to it in the future.

1. Real estate agents (bless their hearts) always go on about "Location, location, location" - and I'd suggest that in the Opus Location the mapping facility, whether Streetmaps or Google maps, be given more prominence. Rather than burried in a link at the end of the article, I guess that I'd like to see it as a "thumbnail" right at the start of the article, that could be expanded if anyone was interested in finding out where the place is located.
2. It seems a rather onerous task for Delia to be adding these map locations on her own, she is calling for assistance for this and I, and no doubt others, would be prepared to help with locations that we know but we need some instructions. [It would be good if authors/editors of pages could do this when they first set up a location page.]. Perhaps this is covered somewhere and I have missed it.
Cheers, Pete

Hi Pete

Thanks for your input here.

For starters here is the Guidelines for Location articles.

Apparently it is not considered good practice to insert links in the body of an article which takes people off site - hence the section External Links for things such as maps.

Images cannot be 'embedded ' into Opus, but have to be uploaded as an image first. The Birdforum policy is that all images must be the work of members. So placing a thumbnail, like you suggest, of a Google map would not be allowed and may also infringe copyright.

It would also be limiting, as you'd only have the picture - by providing a link to the map you can zoom in for more detail and out for a broader overview of the area.

Ummmm... have I covered everything?

D

There are actually several options; I like Google Earth rather than Google maps. With GE you can make an overlay (called a kmz); this can be uploaded to the web so that anyone can use it with their own GE. You can also make a jpg from it; see Midmar; the map still needs a legend, but I put it up to show what was possible. From what I can see, this is fine according to the Google permissions as Google Earth is accredited. Where Google Maps is good enough for our use, the same probably applies.

If BF allowed us to upload kmz files we create, or allow embedded Google Earth/Maps, it would give us a tool we could use to zoom in or out (obviously the jpg option is far more limited); but I guess that's a policy decision. I personally think that we are getting left behind by the likes of xeno-canto and ibc if we limit Birdforum by preventing the use of GE or GMaps in Opus.

I think I have this about right; please correct me where I am wrong; I don't have much experience with this:eek!: