Mapping records on Google Maps

[Steven Cappiello]

Could someone please explain how I might publish a set records (that have zip code information) on Google (or some other) map ?

This isn't a very important project.. so I don't want to kill myself over it.. it also doesn't really /need/ to be dynamic, though that would be nice.

Are there some simple options ?

I have no clue about how to approach this.

The database is served on Filemaker Server 7 (standard version), but I could move it to Server 7 Advanced.

In any case, thanks for any advice or pointers to tutorials you can offer.

Cheers :)

[IdealData]

Do you want people from the outside world to reference records in your database, or users of your system to be able to obtain a map to the zip code?

[John Mark Osborne]

Here is a file I am posting on my web site next month which shows how to send information from FileMaker to Google Maps. It produces maps or directions. It may not be exactly what you want but it is a good start.

GoogleMapAssistant.zip

[CobaltSky]

Here is a file I am posting on my web site next month...

Hi John,

Interesting and disarmingly simple way to exploit web resources from within a neat FileMaker utility. I'm guessing that techniques of that kind will have a big future!

Kudos to Bruce Ellis for the file -- and of course to you for sharing it!

PS: I look forward to the day when the continent I live on gets 'noticed' by Google Maps... :smirk:

[John Mark Osborne]

If anyone is interested, there is also a MapQuest version of the tip on my web site in the Resources area. It is FileMaker Pro 6 format but that won't matter once you convert it.

[CobaltSky]

Thanks John. I'll check it out!

[Steven Cappiello]

whoaaa Nellie... wow, thanks John.

[Ted S]

I've done the same thing in the past but took a different approach.

Instead of creating a couple new fields (calculated) to hold the unique URL for each record in the database I calculate the URL at run time in a script variable for only the address that I'm interested in. Maybe I'm all wet but my thinking is that I am saving some resources by using this method. I figure that the stored URL does me no good until I push a button so why not create only the URL that is actually needed at run time and then release it immediately upon script termination?

Am I wrong in my thinking? Whenever I download example files I see a lot more calculated fields than I have in my typical solutions.

In this Google sceneraio I can't imagine a situation where I would ever like to see the full URL for each address in a list view for instance so I just can't see why one would clutter up the tables with a calculation like this.

Oops, I just realized that this is in the 'online' forum so I don't know if this figures into the equation or not. Also, I do realize that sample files do not necessarily indicate the best way to do something. It could simply be an easier way to explain the concept.