The Realtors and
Archaeologists
Toolkit
S
ometimes the maps you create are less about information, statistics, or
features that are on the map and more about the features that are not
on the map. A good example of this is maps for the typical Realtor or
property developer. Their needs are not necessarily centered on what ele-
ments are already on a map but instead on what can be achieved within a
particular space, such as planning a new building, redevelopment, or other
project. In this respect, the focus of the map they are using is how their
property integrates with other elements in the area. Archaeologists’ interest
lies at the other end of the scale. They are not interested in what might hap-
pen, but what has happened in the past and comparing that to the current
lay of the land.Both change the way you interact with Google Maps. Instead of overlaying
routes, markers, and other elements, you need to embed or overlay informa-
tion on the map on a larger and much more visual scale. For example, with a
Realtor you might overlay the plans for a new set of buildings for an exist-
ing plot. For an archaeologist, you might want to provide an image of a dis-
covered object or an overlay of the dig on top of a map or satellite images to
provide a context for the specifics of the dig.This chapter examines solutions for both these situations, and in the process
looks at alternative ways of representing information and different ways of
interacting with the Google Maps application.Alternative Markers
Previous chapters used custom markers to represent different pieces of
information on a Google Map. You’ve even looked at generating your own
custom icons using different images. One of the issues with the Google
Maps marker system is that the markers themselves are not very flexible.̨Use alternative
marker technology̨Embed photos and
icons as highlights̨Overlay images and
drawings̨Identify locations
from clickschapter
in this chapter