Beginning Google Maps API 3

Author: Gabriel Svennerberg
Publisher: Apress, 2010
Pages: 328
ISBN: 978-1430228028
Aimed at: Complete beginners to Google Maps 
Rating: 4
Pros: Slow-paced, gentle introduction
Cons: Only covers the basics
Reviewed by: Ian Elliot


Google Maps is a popular topic - is this book a good way to discover about it?


Author: Gabriel Svennerberg
Publisher: Apress, 2010
Pages: 328
ISBN: 978-1430228028
Aimed at: Complete beginners to Google Maps 
Rating: 4
Pros: Slow-paced, gentle introduction
Cons: Only covers the basics
Reviewed by: Ian Elliot

 

This is a fairly basic introduction to using the Google Maps API 3 via Javascript. It doesn't cover Google Earth and it doesn't cover any wider issues of creating map-based applications.


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Chapter 1 gives the overview - history, API and basics of mapping, co-ordinates etc. This isn't rocket science in that it explains what latitude and longitude are rather than going into spherical geometry or the geode.

Chapter 2 is about upgrading to API 3 and Chapter 3 is about creating your first map. From this point the book delves deeper into the various facilities. MapOptions, Markers,.Marker icons, InfoWindow tips and tricks, polylines and polygons.

All of this is explained in a slow and steady style with lots of hints and tips on the way. What you make of the tips depends on how advanced your programming skills are. For example, "A clever way of dealing with lots of different marker icons" is to use an array. Is this clever? It might be if you didn't know about arrays - but then you probably should read a book on Javascript first. Other tips and discussions vary in their level - from using sprites to finding icons.

Chapter 9 is about managing large numbers of icons but via a third party utility library rather then from first principles and the final chapter is on using Geolocation services. The book closes with a useful API reference - but you will probably find the Google API reference just as useful.

As its title suggests this really is a "beginning" Google Maps book. While it does have an introduction to Javascript within it you would be well advised to learn some Javascript before trying to make use of Maps which is a 100% Javascript API. It is a shame that the book doesn't cover some of the more interesting topics - KML, mobile etc but if you are looking for a real 100% beginner's book then this one fits the description.

Further reading:

Getting started with Google Maps

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The Rust Programming Language, 2nd Ed

Author: Steve Klabnik and Carol Nichols
Publisher: No Starch Press
Date: June 2023
Pages: 560
ISBN: 978-1718503106
Print: 1718503105
Kindle: B0B7QTX8LL
Audience: Systems programmers
Rating: 4.8
Reviewer: Mike James

There's a new edition of what has become the standard text on Rust. Has it matured along with [ ... ]



Grokking Machine Learning

Author: Luis G. Serrano
Publisher: Manning
Date: December 2021
Pages: 512
ISBN: 978-1617295911
Print: 1617295914
Kindle: B09LK7KBSL
Audience: Python developers interested in machine learning
Rating: 5
Reviewer: Mike James
Another book on machine learning - surely we have enough by now?


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Last Updated ( Thursday, 28 October 2010 )