Open Layer API V4.0.1 & Google Map : Policy usage - google-maps

1) We are using Google Tiles as Source for Open layer API. Can we use Google map tiles Directly? Checked bunch of threads but don’t see clear picture on this. Looks like there was some communication between OL team & Google map API team and OL team received some written permission as well on this.
2) we are using Google Place Autocomplete with Open Layer Map. Are we allowed to do this?
https://developers.google.com/places/web-service/autocomplete
- “Note: You can use Place Autocomplete even without a map. If you do show a map, it must be a Google map. When you display predictions from the Place Autocomplete service without a map, you must include the 'Powered by Google' logo.”
http://osgeo-org.1560.x6.nabble.com/Google-Maps-API-Terms-of-Use-changes-td4910013.html#a4911981
https://github.com/openlayers/openlayers/issues/2205
Openlayers v4.0.1 support Google Maps Javascript API?
https://github.com/tombatossals/angular-openlayers-directive/issues/25

OpenLayers 2 had a Google layer implementation which used the Google Maps API. The written permission from Google was for that only. OpenLayers 3+ does not support that any more, because the implementation was too fragile for production use.
Ad 1): Using tiles directly violates Google's terms of use.
Ad 2): Like the terms say - if you are displaying the Google Map in a legal way, you can use the Place Autocomplete service. Otherwise you cannot.

Related

Is there any api to get 3D maps from google maps Api?

Can we get the 3D maps from the Google Maps API ?
i need to get the 3d model of any particular place just like the NYC 3d modedl.
Currently, the 3D Maps feature is not yet available from the Google Maps Platform - Maps JavaScript API.
But, we do have an existing feature request for this in our Google Issue Tracker. To express your interest and to subscribe you to its latest updates, I suggest that you star this entry: https://issuetracker.google.com/35821626
In the mean time, you may want to consider checking out the 45° Imagery and see if this will fit your use case. You could also find a code sample of this service here.

Is there a traffic API for desktop apps?

I help develop a desktop app that displays map information with various layers on top. Now we want to add the Google Maps traffic layer. We do have a developer API key.
How can I use the Google API without a website, to generate just the data layer I need and download it in KML or GeoRSS or any other format so I can use it in the desktop app on top of my own map?
We already use the distance matrix, geocode, and directions API. Is there a traffic API as well, or are traffic data only available for embedding on a website?
Traffic data is not available as separate API. You can only use TrafficLayer of Maps JavaScript API or Android SDK.
There is a feature request in Google issue tracker to expose these data as an API:
https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/36537583
However, it looks like Google didn't set high priority on this task. Feel free to star the feature request to add your vote and subscribe to notifications from Google.
I hope my answer clarifies your doubt.

Google Maps JS API - Google My Maps tools

I am working on a project where an user could draw on a google map a polyline, polygon, walking, driving an cycling route.
All of those tools are available in Google My Maps app (link)
Here is a picture:
On google Maps API documentation I found library called Drawing tools (link to sample), but this is not what I am looking for. You can add to parameter drawingModes polyline and polygon, but there is no options for drawing a route.
Another picture:
So my questions are:
Is there a code or library or anything for tools from Google My Maps app (if there is, it could save me a lot of time - I need exactly what there is) (yes/no) (if yes, where? Ignore other two questions)
If not, are tools from My Maps (at least polyline and polygon) builded from library Drawing tools? (yes/no)
If yes, how can I add functionality to add routes? (please provide a simple sample or hint how to add one of the routes driving/cycling/walking)
I will try to address your question
Google MyMaps and Google Maps JavaScript API are different products managed by different teams at Google. I'm not aware about any third party library or tool that allows to use MyMaps functionality via Google Maps JavaScript API.
MyMaps tools are not related to drawing library of Google Maps JavaScript API as I mentioned before.
I can see the following feature request in the public issue tracker regarding the ability to access Google MyMaps via Google Maps JavaScript API. However, it doesn't look like the API team has set a high priority on this task.

Google Maps q parameter for adding a KML with URL stopped working

On our website we have several map previews for various KML datasets. When clicking the preview button the link would go to:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://magic.lib.uconn.edu/magic_2/vector/37800/statect_37800_0000_2010_s100_census_1_kml.kmz
which would show a map with the overlaid KML file.
Support for this syntax from Google Maps apparently has stopped working recently, and I cannot find any new information about adding KML layers to a Google Map using the q parameter in a URL. Most of the resources I have found are for JavaScript or embedding maps, which hasn't been helpful. I have also found this thread from StackOverflow (Why has google maps "q" parameter stopped working?) but this is related to a specific location rather than adding a KML file. If anyone has new information or can help, that would be greatly appreciated.
See KML files on Google Maps in the documentation.
From February 2015, maps created in the classic Google Maps — https://maps.google.com/ — will no longer load KML/KMZ files from external websites. However, we know that KML files are a really useful way to work with geographic data, so we’ve added KML to Google My Maps, and continue to support this format with other Google Maps APIs. We hope that one of these options will meet your needs.
There they only list:
Google My Maps
Google Maps JavaScript API
So if you can't use Google My Maps or the Google Maps Javascript API v3, you may be out of luck.
Another reference from "support" is:
KML content isn't available in Google Maps
While using Google Maps, you might have received a notification saying "Some custom on-map content could not be displayed."
That’s because a certain type of content isn’t available anymore in the classic version of Google Maps or in maps embedded on other websites from the classic version of Maps. The content type that’s no longer available is KML, the file format Google Earth uses for the exchange of geographic information.
If you're the owner of a custom map with KML content, you need to update your content. Or, you can import your KML content into My Maps.

How can I link to a Google Maps directions url with the user's location already plugged in?

I was browsing Foursquare recently and they have this neat feature where you can click "Bigger Map" on their map, and it plugs your location in to Google Maps directions to the venue. I was wondering how I could replicate the functionality. (A high level overview is sufficient, I just can't seem to find it in the docs.)
It's not in the docs because it's not a Maps function. If you're talking about the Google Maps API, which is what Foursquare uses, they're detecting position using your device. I'm guessing for browser operations, they're using HTML5 geolocation. Here's a demo of just plain geolocation: http://html5demos.com/geo. That will ask the user to share their location with the app. Once you have that, you plug it into the Google Maps API Directions Service.