Google Maps API

Brief introduction
Maksim Golivkin www.androidaalto.org www.mobileguild.eu Twitter: MaksimGolivkin
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Plan
Intro to Google Maps API MapView & MapActivity Overlays Distances Balloons Geocoding UI update with handlers

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Intro to maps API: New Project

Target build and emulator have to use Google API for platform you have chosen. For instance, Google API for 1.6

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Intro to maps API : AndroidManifest.xml

Things to remember: uses-library declaration for runtime; permissions to access Internet and location services.

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MapView: Layout

If inappropriate API key is used, map isn't displayed. For one Google account one can generate several keys. How to generate your own:
http://code.google.com/android/add-ons/google-apis/mapkey.html

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MapActivity onCreate

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Overlays
Each overlay is information layer on the map. Google Maps has 3 overlay classes (main purpose below): Overlay - drawing complex figures on the map and capturing touch moves. ItemizedOverlay - abstract, extends Overlay, for drawing of multiple markers. MyLocationOverlay - to display user location on the map.

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Overlays: hierarchy

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Overlays: ItemizedOverlay #1

Most important thing: on every content change call protected populate method; include populate call in constructor Reference:
http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=2035

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Overlays: ItemizedOverlay #2

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Overlays: ItemizedOverlay usage

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Overlays: MyLocationOverlay
Convenient to display user location on map. Most important thing: call disableMyLocation and disableCompass (if enabled), when activity goes to background.

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Overlays: MyLocationOverlay usage

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Distance
Note: Google Maps API uses (int) micro-degrees for coordinates; Android Location package uses (double) degrees for coordinates;

microdegrees = degrees * 1000 000; or microdegrees = degress * 1E6; degrees = microdegrees / (double)1E6;

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Distance calculation

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Balloons : usage

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Balloons
Nice small existing library. Available at:
https://github.com/jgilfelt/androidmapviewballoons

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Geocoding
Geocoding - translating coordinates to address. Reverse geocoding - translating address from coordinates.

GeoCoder class.

Do geocoding in background thread!

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UI update with Handler

Nested anonymous classes are ugly!

Alternative: Handler + Message + Bundle. Note: when updating UI, be sure to instantiate Handler (or Handler child class) in UI thread. For example, in onCreate method.

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Example code can be found at: http://mobileguild.eu/code/FindHackatron.zip

Thank you!

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