The GoogleMaps 2 plugin is finally ready

It has taken quite longer than I expected in order to get the new functionality ready, but there was lot of internal changes, some small ones, other big ones that required testing, adjusting, fixing bugs, then a new idea to add a little detail and all the testing was needed again.

I have already explained the main ideas behind the new version: removing some limitations, and giving more power to the user. Of course there are lots of other things that can be done with the Google Maps API, but it would requiere someone a lot of dedicated time in order to put everything in a single interface, and also make it usable by plain users (the ones that ask "the installer now says 'Next', should I press it?)

Unfortunately as this is just javascript and this version is not open source I can't provide a demo so you can test it because then it would be trivial to copy it. I don't think it's worth my time to write/use any kind of obfuscation so you'll have to judge based on the 1.97 demo and checking the new manual. (an advice to any 'smart guy': don't bother trying to guess filenames, there's no zip uploaded and if I upload the data, it will be available only under a password protection), only the install guide is available.

 

One month later...

It's funny how sometimes the events can make it look like something is pulling the strings, but it happens that version 1.3 of the SwfObject plugin was released on 26th of September. Just one month later I released the 1.4 version that made it possible to use it with any site offering the typical <object> or <embed> code.

And now, exactly one month later another version is ready.

This one is even easier to install, now you only have to install this plugin and add the line to load it in your fckconfig.js file. The swfobject libreary will be loaded by default from the Google hosted servers. You can read about it in the SwfObject wiki: http://code.google.com/p/swfobject/wiki/hosted_library

Of course, you can keep on using your own hosted version, nothing has changed about that.

The other changes are related to people trying to paste videos. Well it turns out that even easy is not enough for some of them, and instead of trying to paste the code marked as "copy this video to embed this video" they want to paste the url of the page.

Ok, no problem, now some of those servers are automatically detected (YouTube, GoogleVideo, MetaCafe and the new MTV music). It's very easy to add new urls, but I don't wanna waste the time with it, there are too many sites around, and that people should learn to copy the correct code ;-)

Lastly a CDATA wrapper has been added to make those ones using XHTML pass validation.

The demo and download page are still the same: http://martinezdelizarrondo.com/swfobject/

SWFObject, even easier to use

The new 1.4 release of the SWFObject plugin for FCKeditor does add automatic detection of typical flash embedding code:

<object width="425" height="344"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nj2hewPBQh0&hl=es&fs=1"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nj2hewPBQh0&hl=es&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed> </object>

So pasting that line in the Url field of the flash dialog will parse it and the movie will be properly embeded in your page.

It also adds two configuration options to specify the minimum flash version for your movies and the path to the Express Install movie if you want to use it. Check the documentation of the SWFObject project to use those features.

 

What's new for GoogleMaps v2

Some people might want to hear about this.

Lately I've been working on the new version of the Google Maps plugin, there are several parts that I've wanted to improve for a long time, and finally I've decided that it's the time to start coding it.

New loading system.

The maps won't stop the rest of the page, the google js files are loaded only after the rest of the page has been loaded or it can be delayed until the user really wants to use the map.

Static preview

While the full map isn't ready a static preview will be shown. This means also that the map will be visible for thos with javascript disabled.

Colors.

Yes, different markers should have different colors. Ditto for the lines or areas. Also width, opacity...

Areas

Ups, did I said that?, yes, multiple lines and multiple areas. Note: the static preview doesn't show the areas, it's a limitation of the static API.

Html comments

Embedding an instance of FCKeditor in a dialog used inside FCKeditor? are you crazy? maybe, but it works.

Selection of features.

Select the controls that you want to show: zoom standard/small, area overview, scrolling...

Loading KML files

That way you can import external data or create a complex map in Google Earth and display it online.

 

Over 60% of that is already coded, at least the most complex features, so I am optimistic that it will be ready "soon", but testing and then writing the new documentation might be a stop point, it's boring and sucks, mostly because the people doesn't read it and ask basic questions over and over again.

I guess that it sound very good, maybe too good to be true, but there is one caveat: Surely it won't be free. It will be cheap, but it will require buying a license as coding all of that means a lot of work, and you might have heard that there is some economic crisis around there. The current version will be available for free and you can use it, but if you want the advanced features you'll need to spend a little money on it.

 

EasyUpload update and integration for Rails

You can find in the demo the download for the latest version of EasyUpload.

Meanwhile, Gastón Ramos has created a plugin for Ruby on Rails that integrates FCKeditor and the EasyUpload plugin (previous version)

Updated swfobject plugin

IE, what to say about it. The browser you love to hate.

If you want the SWFObject to run in it you'll need to get the updated plugin, hopefully there are no more bad surprises hidden there.

Goodbye embed, Hello SWFObject

When I first released the GoogleMaps plugin, I did mention that it included some code that could make "easy" the task to integrate things like SWFObject in FCKeditor, and it was just a matter of someone willing to code it or sponsor such development.

Recently I've been asked to carry that task for InControl Solutions, I've included also some extra code to allow editing of Flashvars and everything is available in the demo for the new swfobject plugin for FCKeditor.

What could be improved?

• The ability to edit the alternative content
• Using the static publishing method
• Development of additional plugins for specific Flash usage based on this one (I mean, reusing most of the code)

But for the moment I don't have plans to do any of those tasks, so just check that it works for you and use it.