Google Maps API and building a radial community

[mr_vodka]

I was thinking about how to create a custom community per se and then map all locations within a particular radius of the starting address point of location where the end users would enter. I would like to build this radial community with Google Maps.

In other words, lets say we have a db of various categories of merchants in areas, such as lodging, restaurants, entertainment, shops, etc as well as the addresses.

Has anyone messed around with API enough to mark up a custom community?

What I would like to end up having is the end user putting in a location and it finding all the various mechants in the vicinity and of course be able to filter it by category.

If this is not feasible, I was thinking about having the user enter a location, and based on that location and a distance (5, 10, 25, 50 mile radius), generate a list of all the merchants that fit within that category.

Any thoughts?

I did come across the one other posting regarding the google API here.

[mr_vodka]

Guess not? :nahnah:

[JesseSFR]

Vodka, I think this is a great idea!!! I actually have played with the Google API a little bit and have mapped large collections of data using their data points and arranged them into folders.... Never gone as far as a community though. I will definitely look into it.

[Genx]

Lol, I've ventured there a couple of times but never got past the API licensing..

I'd love to see something like this too though :

Cheers.

[aholtzapfel]

I have a simple Radius search in my system. I have "scraped" the Lat and Long of about 130,000 addresses from Microsoft's TerraServer using the web viewer. With this I can calculate the distance to all other address in the database and sort them by distance. An addition of a catagory would not be a problem. Almost all this can be done within filemaker (only exception would be where to get lat and long). Furthermore you could set a webviewer to give you a map and driving directions.

[mr_vodka]

Do you have a sample that you could share and post?

[aholtzapfel]

Here is the sample.(Thank you Vaughan Bromfield for the custom function).

LatLongCheckandSearch.zip

[Fenton]

Once again, as genx said, most of these web services have very restrictive licensing. So, while it's fun to play around with, and likely no one would ever notice if you included it for a client, I am reluctant to use something that could expose me to more trouble than it's worth. The "Terms of use" for Microsoft's Terraserver, which you can click on in your file:

Unless otherwise specified, the Services are for your personal and non-commercial use. You may not modify, copy, distribute, transmit, display, perform, reproduce, publish, license, create derivative works from, transfer, or sell any information, software, products or services obtained from the Services.

Edited July 21, 2007 by Guest

[aholtzapfel]

Very, Very, True. I always read the "Terms of Use" and recomend anyone doing any web scraping does. I have very limited use of this and my use does fall within the "Terms". Your use may not.