This week I’ve continued working on integrating AusStage data with Google Maps and Google Earth.
In response to user feedback the information displayed in the information windows in a Google Map has been refined so that it takes up less space and follows a format similar to that of the AusStage website with which users are familiar. Also, events are now listed in reverse chronological order. The name of the event is now a persistent link into the AusStage website for that event.
The new format can be seen in the screen capture below:
Revised InfoWindow display.
(Click image for larger version)
Work has also started on an page that allows users to export data in the Keyhole Markup Language (KML) format with advanced options. The first of these options is to include TimeSpan elements in the KML. Using this element an application such as Google Earth can automatically generate a slider that allows the user to view events that occurred during a particular time frame.
This can be seen in the screen capture below where Google Earth is displaying events that occurred between 2002 and 2008.
Google Earth displaying a map with a timeline.
(Click image for larger version)
Experiments are underway to expand on this advanced export functionality to include LineString elements and elevation information. When LineString elements are included it is possible to link all events together which gives a sense of where an organisation has been over time. When combined with TimeSpan elements it is possible to view the places an organisation has visited over time by following the lines drawn between events.
We’re also exploring the use of elevation information to map time as a third dimension on the map. Which when combined with LineString elements can give another way of analysing where an organisation has toured over time.
Other changes to the system have been implemented which aren’t user facing. For example refactoring JavaScript includes to make it easier to reuse code, as well as changes to the underlying Java classes and servlets to clean up the code.
Different approaches to documenting the system have also been explored, including the development of system overview diagrams. This will be the topic of a future post.