Google Map Updates
NOTE: See the Original Announcement via the ITS Web Services' Blog
Usage:
- Choose one of multiple map views of campus - Map View, Satellite View, or (default) "Bird’s Eye" Hybrid View.
- Buildings are grouped by categories - Residence Halls, Classrooms, and Other (Offices and Misc.). Click on any one of those categories to see the list of building names within that category.
- Buildings now distinguished by colorful, semi-transparent overlays on the actual buildings (replacing the cluttered icons)
- Click on the building name text (on the right side list) or on the color-coded building overlay within the map display a picture and a description/details of the building. We call them "Building Profiles".
- Our OCD [Online Campus Directory], and Event Calendar now utilize direct links to these Building Profiles
- Some use these same URL to Building Profiles to e-mailing colleagues and within other web pages.
What’s New?
I. Interface and Content
A. For Users:
The Map looks better, now It’s less cluttered and easier to find specific buildings. Just click on “Classrooms” or “Residence Halls” or “Others/Offices” to see a list of all the buildings on campus. Then, click on the name of that building, which opens an “info-window/balloon” on the map with details about that building. You can also make a URL to send web users directly to that info-window/balloon. For example, we are here: http://www.nccu.edu/map/index.cfm?cat=other&num=11. More about direct links to buildings below.
B. For Us WebHead-types:
1) Added more and better content into the 3 XML files, replacing the clunky icons (representing campus buildings) with more elegant and intuitive semi-transparent color-coded polygons.
2) Added code to parse the URL and programmatically click the appropriate building link, as needed.
3) Hammered out some javascript bugs so that the apps behaves similarly in both IE and FF. This included pre-loading the images that appear within the info-window/balloon, so the info-window/balloon opens correctly.
II. Integration with other NCCU Web Apps
A. For Users:
Go to your campus profile [Yours includes a photo and updated content, right? Your Bio and Resume/Vita? How about your Publications?]. Click on the name of the building in which you work. Cool, eh? It works the same way for event within the University Events Calendar.
B. For Us WebHeads-types:
1) Created a proxy page to accommodate dynamic XML links for the OCD.
2) Utilized the pre-existing ability for automatic link to buildings within the ACD app by manually adding those links into the appropriate Admin interface.
Future Considerations/Modifications/Enhancements:
- Computer Labs locations
- Campus Parking and
Emergency Blue Lights - Bus Routes
- Directions To and From all buildings
- User generated routes
- Walking distances
Bug Fixes:
- Code now validates
- Default configurations and links now behave consistently within W3C standards-compliant browsers an IE5, 6 and 7
Known Issues:
- None - Let us know if you find some
Get more details about this and all of our applications, staying abreast of all of NCCU's latest site developments and updates via NCCU ITS Web Services' Eagle Blog.