Friday, January 22, 2010

csvMapViewer



An adobe AIR google map to view any *.cmv (lat;long;label_character;description(s) line per location encoded CSV) files.
Can be used for installation teams, planning, work assignment etc.

Download: here.

About Screenshot:
2 CMV files dragged into app(...0 and ...1 markers), 1 Geocoded result of nearby intersection(G named markers: "cnr campbell cedar fourways"). 13 search matches (green highlighted markers) found in search on existing tags. 3 user assigned links marked with blue PolyLines.

Released version info:
==============================================
v1.30 (2010.03.15):
  • Drag Manager infrastructure added with online notification service
  • Drag and drop based assignments with overlay showing assignents done
  • Timestamped updates in settings/view log
  • Custom infowindow content added
  • Settings sanity checks added with user feedback
  • Switching to/from settings visual effects
  • Settings manager populates on view load
  • Made Settings bindable
  • AutoMigrate and initialization of settings
==============================================
v1.21 (2010.03.01):
  • Added settings screen: Email address and Subject settings managed.
  • Settings management lsoding from and saving to settings.xml.
==============================================
v1.20 (2010.02.28):
  • CMV data parsing utils
  • Fix for no-header files loading
==============================================
v1.19 (2010.02.26):
  • Refactored away from Marker Arrays storing core to Array of custom POI/GMapPOI class
  • Lazy marker creation/update functionality to improve loading performance
  • Per POI HTML infowindow added containing more details for each
  • More verbose CMV format supported now with infoWindow-only vs tooltip-only data
  • Automatically filling missing headers and data as needed per POI
  • POI InfoWindow full text search, not just tooltip data
  • Geocode results now display more relevant data in infowindow than previous tooltip
  • Fix window min width for Windows clients
==============================================
v1.18 (2010.02.21):
  • Updated gmaps core from 1.17 to 1.18
  • Enabled printing
  • Deal with minimum initial window size scrolling on small screens (<=1024 wide)
==============================================
v1.17 (2010.02.03):
  • Comment format excluded from POI data, Usage updates.
==============================================
v1.16 (2010.02.01):
  • Added number of markers/POI indicator on load from any source.
  • Added search results number of POI status feedback .
==============================================
v1.15 (2010.01.31):
  • Automatically(Correctly) extend map bounds on any search result.
  • Clear Search results, status and controls on new defined load.
==============================================
v1.14 (2010.01.21):
    • App now accepts TEXT and URL drops:
    • Loads CMV formatted files from remote resource URL. Tested in Chrome browser.
    • Loads CMV formatted text drops thats not just a URL
    • Added activity log feedback feature.
    • Improved error display/tracing system.
    • Improved, less invasive parse error detection and feedback.
    • Improved debug feedback.
    • Remove unused back button.
    • Improved about, usage info.
    ==============================================
    v1.13 (2010.01.26):
    • Custom file type added(CMV), registered not loding from (yet).
    • File format change to include type string displayed on pin.
    ==============================================
    v1.12 (2010.01.21):
    • Minor updates, name change, download link added.
    ==============================================
    v1.11 (2009.11.30):
    • Focussed on improving navigation and adding search function to aid in field work.
    • Added search on map functions highlighting found results:
    • Search for matching markers, highligting found markers, or
    • multi point geocoded address marker searching with highlighting. Adding to the existing map, auto centering the map on 1st result.
    • Removed unused status bar, match map palette elsewhere.
    • Search result status display (result n of m).
    • Result status navigation (next/previous) automatically centering map on item.
    ==============================================
    v1.01 (2009.10.09):
    • The application now supports mouse wheel and smooth zoom feature.
    • The application is now drag and drop only with non-movable markers.
    • Added support for loading multiple CSV files, denoting each marker created from a file with its own file sequence number from 0...N. This enables for example importing all the MiniSubs as one file and Stubbies as another file, the markers will then visually distinguish the 2 groups.

    Wednesday, December 23, 2009

    cross platform web runtimes

    I must admit, it was fun learning a bit of AS, but one thing that always bugged me about AIR-it is basically closed, and boy getting a eclipse setup without buying the IDE from adobe (eclipse already set up with their own plug-ins) was, lets just say a challenge and made the AS seem like pun intended:

    • WYSIWYG editing of the MXML(OK),
    • Action-script with code completion(semi OK, missing look-ups of external libraries for code completion)
    Things to like about AIR is the encryption, signing and remote update of apps are well though out.

    While I was looking at getting another project going in AIR after a work induced hiatus, I found some information about Titanium. Basically whats nice is:
    • Mostly JS based, with support for PHP/Python.
    • A good (Apache style) license I can probably trust.
    A very good intro between Titanium and AIR was one not specifically aimed at exploring that angle, rather explaining the advantages of web run-times in general in for desktop apps on: "air-titanium-and-webos-10-things-you-cant-do-in-a-browser".

    Now I'm intrigued and wanna see how easy porting from AIR to Titanium will be for my simple app... Will be reporting back soon (unless work kidnaps me again a few weeks!!!)

    Edit:
    Just tried to run one of the sample apps and here's my 2c:
    • (very) few sample apps: Tweetanium,
    • a 2.3Mb download! for a Twitter webapp??
    • On Kubuntu remember to set the http_proxy environmental variable before running the "installer" (Air detects it from KDE/desktop settings automatically!) then
    • It proceeded to download (more than the 2.3Mb!?) - this seemed like the support libraries for titanium, networking, disk access etc. After getting that sorted,
    • It would not run in any way. Or be killed except to kill -9 the process.
    • There is no encrypted package, all the JS of the app is clearly visible/editable before install - security seems lacking although I don't know if its only for some of these example apps, but then why are they on the "featured" list?
    Conclusion:
    From my quick dive into titanium it seems people like the tech it provides a lot more than it is ready for production use (compared with what I've experienced with AIR). sorry.

    Monday, November 30, 2009

    JSON or XML

    To use my map view app and make it a online tool for customers and also web-integrate it, what should I use of the 2...we already have an XML server interface and is planned as significant part of roadmap...

    Nice rundown here comparing the 2: JSON vs XML

    Thursday, August 20, 2009

    First post

    Again - now going in a new direction:-)
    come to think of it, since im a great fan of opensource, changing direction 180 from north is appropriate. Not to mention being IN South Africa...

    Wednesday, August 19, 2009

    Got the key

    For google maps api, also one for my http://localhost (apparently you need that for local server testing). No I'll try a simple transparent (png?) overlay... useful for stenography or any other additional data not shown easily with google's own map markers/api

    If only I had more time:-(

    apparently that didnt work...is it AIR or me..now im trying this URL

    Other direction's First post

    Hope to post lots of interesting projects here