TOPIC: Zoom start level

Is there a way to make hotspots only display hotspots when you get to a certain zoom level?

At the low zoom levels it creates a lot of clutter with a lot of hotspots to the extent that map itself can become obscured. I realize that 'clusters' is on its way soon, but I would still like to have the ability to switch off the display of hotspots until a certain zoom level is reached.
Ideally this should be in the 'categories' config.

Any chance of incorporating this in the next release?

That will be available with clusters... Up until then you can't do anything.
I'm sorry,
Daniel

Is Clusters on its way soon?

Bruce Hatton wrote: reached

Also me have the same request!

I guess clusters are coming with the next release, but Daniel is the guy to confirm it.

Yes, clusterer will come in the next version. I'm just banging my head right now how to best solve the problems that it creates... And they are soooooooo much!!!

Daniel

=)
I am sure - but I have to say that I am very excited about it!

I want to make hotspots more like maps.google.com

When you search for something or visit a category you'll see 5 big markers and everything else will be with small points. When you move around another 5 markers will be shown, when you zoom you will get another markers etc. This will also change the hotspots that you see in the menu. When you are zoomed out - it will say "2000 hotspots". When you zoom, the hotspots in the menu will change and then it will say - 200 hotspots, when you zoom further the menu will show only 10 for example...

I need also to change big part of the way we serve hotspots right now. I'll just put the coordinates on the map, and then when the user wants to see a hotspot an ajax request will be started...

Anyway, I'm not even sure why I'm telling this - I guess I'm too stressed with this

:cool:

Get back to work!

You say that you want Hotspots to be like maps.google.com... Well, if you achieve what's on your to-do list - it will be better.

Hi Daniel,

What kind of problems clusterer are creating?

About the big markers and the small points....
Let's say that I have 245 restaurants inside the Restaurants category, and only 35 restaurants have paid me to be noticeable on the map. With this system, any of the restaurants will get the big marker, and the guys that actually paid me will call me asking "WTF, I paid you to be noticeable on the map, and another restaurant is getting the credit?"

I like the big markers and small points system you have in mind, but clusters look awesome in front of my eyes, specially if we can assign a different color for each category, and match this color with the color of the marker used for that category.

Also, with clusters you get all the information on the map (you can see the total of restaurants in an specific area). With the big markers & small points system, you are losing information on the map, because the markers are showing depending of how close you are from the map.

You see - exactly that kind of problems! Now the question is - did he pay you to be noticed all the time or just when someone has zoomed over his area...

And when you talk about clustering I'm sure that you have in mind the js clusterer. But I'm talking about server clustering - this way the map won't return all markers (which absolutely unpractical once you have more than few thousand markers). The category will most probably get a new option - cluster image...

If you guys want I can gather all the information at one place. Write down my plans and we can discuss them. You are my most active users, so I would consider your opinions when coding the clusterer.

Hi Daniel,
About the customer wanting to be noticeable on the map.... I was just recreating a problem that could happen. None has paid me to be noticeable on the map 'yet'.

Yes, I was talking about js clusterer ---> example

We can discuss your plans anytime, just let me know.

Hi Dan and Eliecer,

There is a lot to think about ( and a lot for Dan to do), but yes, I am also talking about the js clusterer.

In another post somewhere I read that we will have the option to choose an individual marker for an individual hotspot - I like this idea a lot. In many/most cases, you might just choose the same marker for every hotspot within the category, but I would really like the option to choose a marker for EVERY hotspot. Eliecer - you might want to have grey markers (for example) for the cheapskates and a coloured version for those that have paid a bit more. I would probably have a a 'logo-ized' marker for a hotel group or corporation so that their products stand out in a circuit of many other hotels.

At the lower zoom levels I suspect all the hotels in an area will be bound into a cluster image, so the high payers will not stand out until you zoom in.

So, I am thinking that it might be cool to have a way of excluding the 'high paying markers' from a cluster so that they stand out right from the start? I suppose this means another 'tick' when creating a hotspot.

But... bear in mind how this thread started - I would personally still like to have the option to have NO markers or clusters on display until you get to a chosen start zoom level. In the case of Namibia, it would make sense to only start showing them at about zoom level 7. Does this help the cause of not showing thousands of markers? Not sure.

I do realize that with all these options it means a lot more ticking and choosing, but if it's easy to choose/tick the default, that will be fine.

Think think...

I have just realized the danger of setting a start zoom level too low - you choose a category and nothing shows... doesn't help.

Cluster images are a must!

Hi Bruce,

I like the idea to apply grayscale marker to a whole category, and a coloured version for those who have paid.

Also, I like the idea to clusterer the whole category, taking out those ones that already paid, and showing them with their regular coloured markers on top of the clusterer.

Not sure if anybody has seen MarkerClustererPlus?

code.google.com/p/google-maps-utility-library-v3/wiki/Libraries

and MarkerManager on the same page.