TOPIC: Multiple maps

I just purchase Hotspots. So, I'm quite new with the product.
Before, I read the reviews and test the demo.
I try it on my test server.
I don't know how to create multiple maps. When I look the configuration settings, the product seems design to support only one map.
I'd like to have multiple maps. For example, one map with the hotspots in Germany, another one for Austria,..
Thanks for help.

Well, you should create multiple categories - one for Germany, one for Austria. They will be both accessed trough the same page - the hotspots page. The user needs to click on Austria in the category, to see the hotspots there. (just like the categories in the demo)
Daniel

Thanks for your (very quick) reply.
But problems are :
1. In the Germany section, I want to display a Germany map with the Germany hotspots (not a worldwide map) and in the Austrian section, the Austrian map.
2. Hotspot is a generic name. I want to have different categories like Bars, Restaurants, Hotels, .... And, as I understand, your product don't support sub-categories (ie. Germany -> Bars, Germany->Hotels, Austria->Bars,...)

About point 1 I would say: Create the categories and when creating a menu link - select the category for germany. Then create a new menu link and select the category for austria - this way you will show different hotspots when the user clicks on your links.

Now about point 2. Yes, it is true, we currently don't support subcategories and I'm not even sure if we will ever do.
Daniel

Over diner I was thinking more about your problem and I think that you have the wrong thought process about all this

You don't need to have Germany->bar, Austria-> bar. The category Germany and Austria are actually already the map. ( I mean, they are not a category, but a location and the should stay a location)
I don't think that it will be wrong to start with the category bar - the map will display all the hotspots in germany and austria - and the user can decide if he wants to zoom on Austria or Germany.

Or am I missing something?

It's a pity. I like Hotspots very much. The product is so nice.
I'd like to duplicate Hotspots to resolve my problem.
I check the DB. You use only three tables.
And of course, the component has many files.
Can you tell me which files I have to modify to duplicate Hotspots?
Best regards.

What do you mean with duplicate?

Clone Hotspots to have a few components like Hotspots1, Hotspots2, Hotspots3 and and of course the duplicate DB tables.

Before you start anything stupid, I advise you to rethink your design. We are not talking about yet another directory component here, we are talking about map directory....

To make a copy of the component you will need to learn how components in joomla work.
folders
administrator/components/com_hotspots
components/com_hotspots
media/com_hotspots

You must be aware that if you want to duplicate the tables, you need to change every single query in the component to reflect your new databases.

Also you need to add new entries in jos_components (joomla 1.5) or jos_extensions(joomla 1.7)

Kind regards,
Daniel

Hi Daniel,

in one hand I understand Michel, it's the matter of subcategories where you replied:

Now about point 2. Yes, it is true, we currently don't support subcategories and I'm not even sure if we will ever do.

I would also like subcategories.

My categories are the Postcodes (within Germany) and within that categories I would like to create further subcategories (like camping grounds, parking places for motorhomes etc.)

It would be nice if you could think of it in one of your next major releases

About the subcategories....

I was one of the fighters against Daniel (talking about subcategories topic) but I ended up being :cool: with his concept (smart guy this Daniel) ab will give you all the possible results you are looking for. If you search for motorhomes, you will get all postcodes related with motorhomes just right there on the map, and you won't need to look after the subcategory.

Let say you wanna see the trailer from "Transformer". You go to google, or youtube and use the search tab. You are not looking for movies categories, genre subcategories, or actors subcategories, you just typed whatever you are looking for. It's the same concept Daniel is applying to hotspots, the fast way to get the information you are looking for is through the use of a search tab. You can include as many keywords you want in the "Description (Detailpage)" field in Locations(hotspots) backend menu, and the 'search tab results' will show the hotspots on the map.

About the multiple categories from different countries ...

1st solution - Considering that are different countries, we should be using different information, different banners, different designs, and probably different languages. The solution in this case could be create subdomains, and install hotspots individually in each subdomain. In this way, each subdomain will have their own database and tables. You can create a main page where people can select the country they wanna see.

2nd solution - If we are using the same language, the same information, same banners, and same design, we still can use the same map, but we will need to implement MarkerClusterer to clean the view, and we need to implement Polygons and probably KML support, to highlight, in this specific case, the countries in question. People going to your map will see Germany (yellow transparent layer on top), and Austria (red transparent layer on top), with all the MarkerClusterer on top of the countries.

Check MarkerClusters here

Polygon example #1 here
Check example #2 here
scroll down to the second example

As Dimitri was afraid I started something stupid , I rethink my design.
I don't have to duplicate Hotspots. I was wrong with this concept.
In fact, I added a new field (filter) in jos_hotspots_marker (this field linked to menu Itemid).
I modify a few Hotspots files so I can filter according to this field.
It works pretty fine.
Thanks for your help.