TOPIC: Only Content is The Map?

First of all, I have to say that what you have built with HotSpots is very very good. I am impressed with what you have done and am very fond of some the functionality that the current version has. I think you are building a great product for the future and will more than likely purchase from you in the future if some of the issues I have personally experienced have been worked out.

I am so very disappointed about the dramatic limitations of how I can utilize the map on my site. Since I cannot place one of these maps anywhere except on a menu link, that means I can have no other content on the page except the map and whatever modules are loading on the same page. All of the content of my site becomes the map and I am unable to use it in any other way. The map should be able to be an accessory to my site content and not define the content of the entire page (site).

I have tried everything to make this work within the confines of the extension with absolutely no luck. I have tried a number of 3rd party apps that force inclusion of the component but it looks like something is stripping out the scripts and it crashes the site.

My frustration is further expanded by the fact that in the forum as far as 16 months ago there is mention of a module/plugin being developed and yet there is nothing in the new build that even resembles it. Is there really such a thing planned or is it still in the drawing board phase? For the $50 price tag, you should be a little more upfront with the actual development and delivery of updates. Such blatant honesty (good or bad) will only attract more devoted followers – myself included.

Another frustrating issue is that there are a number of posts asking how other people have integrated it into their site and the response is "look around the forum. There are many people that are using it." Where? The forum section Sites made with our extensions has not had a post in it in over a year.......?

I have a tourism based destination site with over 400 local and regional advertisers and this type of application/component is something I would be very happy spending twice your current price, if it allowed me to integrate it into my site, versus replace what I have as content. It is something I desperately want for my site, my visitors, and my advertisers, but unless I can get it loaded in a module, it does not work for me at all.

Please do not think I am bashing you or what you have done. Again, I am very impressed with where it is so far. I am just not able to see how it fits – as currently developed – into a site where it does not dominate the content. At this point I am considering asking for my money back but I wanted send all of this to you and get your comments/thoughts/suggestions before doing so.

Sincerely,

Corky M.

Did you check this topic?

https://compojoom.com/forum/52-newbie-area/16018-2-sites-1-hotspot

Sorry - didn't see that one and unfortunately, it didn't work for me.

Only loads the article(s) from my front page. Didn't work in article or custom html module (which is what I need it to do)

Not that it matters but just in case... I am running Joomla 2.5.6

??

Hey Charles,
Well, I'll try to work on a plugin for this tomorrow and include it in the dev. release (eventually RC1). (I want to see how good the new javascript engine works when putted to the test)

Now the thing is - Hotspots is not the perfect extension for every task. And I realized that I cannot make it the perfect tool for every job no matter how hard I try.

The perfect example is Eliecer who hates(or at least doesn't like) the marker manager in the new version. And I have other users that think that it is an adequate solution for the time being. So now my task is to find the perfect balance between everything because I don't like to be boohooed

Anyway, if you think that the current version of hotspots doesn't meet your goals then request your money and I'll refund you.

Cheers,
Daniel

Hi Charles,

Can you be more specific in what you want?

Do you want to integrate a marker, category or the whole component to an article?

Hi Daniel,

if you use the MarkerClusterer in any of the following ways:

http://google-maps-utility-library-v3.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/markerclusterer/examples/simple_example.html

http://google-maps-utility-library-v3.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/markerclusterer/examples/speed_test_example.html

http://gmaps-utility-library.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/markerclusterer/1.0/examples/simple_example.html

http://gmaps-utility-library.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/markerclusterer/1.0/examples/advanced_example.html

You will be showing the customer that there are more markers in the area. The system you are implementing is hiding markers, and it's showing random markers - ( and you called that perfect? ) .I don't want people to assume that there are more markers, I want them to see that there are more markers on that area.

Thanks to both of you for your prompt reply and comments.

It’s not that I am “unhappy” with the product, it is just that I am not able to place it where I need it to be. 99% of my issue is strictly about the placement and positioning within my site and not with the functionality. With just a little tweaking I was able to get it (for the most part) what I wanted it to do. I just can’t get it WHERE I need it to be.

My primary goal is to have a map appear at the top on the front page of each section (hotels, shops, restaurants, etc…) and the corresponding toggles be set for that section. Again, I got the functionality, just not the position - below the nav & above the content area. I HAVE to have the regular content below the map, as that is by and large paid content, as well as a number of banner ads for those same sections. Not doing so would crush my pre-existing business model.

I REALY want to get this happening and would only look to a refund if we determine that it ain't gonna happen. Also - please don’t read anything into my post(s). Although I may be frustrated, I am in awe of what you (and your team) have put together as I have spent many moons trying to build it out by hand (damn java… ) . I truly hope I have not offended!

Thanks again for your help!

Hi Charles,

If you are not clear in what you want, there is not much I can do.

So, you will have a page related with hotels, and you want a map on that page showing the hotels. Also, you will have a page about restaurants and you want a map on that page showing the restaurants. Is that what you want?

What part of…

“...to have a map appear at the top on the front page of each section (hotels, shops, restaurants, etc…) and the corresponding toggles be set for that section. Again, I got the functionality, just not the position - below the nav & above the content area. “

…..is not clear about what I want?

I will assume that you wanna show a map containing the category related with the page: your restaurant page will show all the restaurants. And in base of that I will give you a workaround.

Just to be clear in one more aspect, I am not a developer, and I am not related with compojoom team at all, I am like you, just one more user using this component, and trying to help you.

I just need some time to put all the pieces together and give you a clear solution of your current problem.

try this:

https://compojoom.com/forum/138-tricks/16483-how-to-add-a-map-to-an-article#16483

I tested, and it works.

Charles McCollum wrote: What part of…

“...to have a map appear at the top on the front page of each section (hotels, shops, restaurants, etc…) and the corresponding toggles be set for that section. Again, I got the functionality, just not the position - below the nav & above the content area. “

…..is not clear about what I want?

Hey Charles,
I'm afraid that a content plugin won't fully answer your needs. You want to have a map on the frontpage of each section - to my knowledge right now it is impossible to do that. Unless you have a specific article that is always published first for that.

Regards,
Daniel