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Note: Google Maps now supports direct importing of KML and map sharing, making this toolkit somewhat obsolete. It's still good for incorporating into your own website though!

About This Toolkit

This is an online toolkit for viewing GPS data on Google Maps. It was primarily developed so that I can map trips that I've taken and view them over the satellite images provided by Google Maps. I use Garmin Mapsource software, so it is tailored to data exported from that software in text format. I did add in the XML data option, so you should be able to hack up an XML file of your data if you don't have Garmin Mapsource. Also, it will generate a KML file that you can download to view the results in Google Earth.

The output uses Version 2 of the Google Maps API.

All data is expected in the Grid Format Lat/Lon hddd.ddddd and uses Map Datum to WGS84

Instructions

1. Upload your GPS data into Mapsource

2. In Mapsource, change your Grid to Lat/Lon hddd.ddddd (Preferences, Position Tab)

3. In Mapsource, change your Map Datum to WGS84 (Preferences, Position Tab)

4. Export the data ("Save As") as text (Tab Delimited) to a file on disk.

5. Go to the Upload Form and upload the file you just saved, while setting any other parameters

Use The Toolkit

Data Upload Form: This form is where you enter the parameters for your map and upload your data file.

Data View: This table contains links to all of the maps with data that have been uploaded to this site.

The Source Code

If you would like to set this up on your own site, you can grab the source and tweak it to run for you. I've removed some of the path information and noted with "TODO" most of the areas you will need to change for your own host.

Remember:

You MUST change the Google Maps API Key in order for it to work from your site.

(All links open in new browser to facilitate easier cross reference)

maps2.pl : Perl Script that process the Mapsource text file (or XML) and produces the resulting html and xml. Can also be used stand alone on the command line.

maps2.js: Javascript routines that parse the XML and populate the Google Maps object
up.html: Form submission
mapsup.cgi: CGI Script for accepting upload file and parameters set in up.html, then passes them off to maps2.pl to produce the output.
mapsedit.cgi: CGI Script for the self-modifying maps index

For clarification, View the Process Flow Diagram

Sample Output

View a sample Mapsource Tab Delimited Text file

View the XML format in a sample XML file

View the HTML used in a sample HTML File