Introducing gMaps
gMaps is by far the most advanced and featured-rich geo-tagging system available for WordPress 2.9.2 (WPMU 2.9.2), and the only theme of its kind for BuddyPress 1.1.3 – allowing you to create your very own geo-tagged community with full-screen Google powered maps and individual markers for each component of the platform it runs on; gMaps will automatically detect whether it is being used by WordPress, WordPress MU or BuddyPress and will configure itself accordingly.
Main Features
- WordPress, WordPress MU and BuddyPress Compatible with Auto-Configuration for Either Platform
- Google Maps API 2 and API 3 Compatible (with default as API 3, which does not require an API Key)
- Widgetised Facebook Style Footer (Widget Titles as Links with Widget Content Rising from Footer)
- Configurable Animation Settings (None, Slow, Normal and Fast) for Widgets and Sidebars
- Post, Page, Comment, User, Blog, Group, Topic, Forum Posts, and Profile and Group Wire Markers
- 2 Map Marker Styles (Flags and Plates) for each User and Blog to Choose From
- Live Filtered Map Markers relevant to Markers Displayed for Each Individual Page
- Configurable Sliding Sidebar for Main Content (such as Comment Forms and BuddyPress Pages)
- Archives and Searches Provide Relevant Markers as Per Category or Search Term
- Full geoRSS Functionality Inserted into Main Feed, Comment Feed and BP Activity Feeds
- Fully Integrated with Foursquare API for Users and Friends
Other Features
- Independent Map Options for Every Page include Map Type, Zoom Level and Location
- Friendly Forms for Every Geo-Component with Search Box and Drag and Dropped Coordinate Picking
- Ability to Select Pagination Levels for Every Pagination BP Component from Theme Options
- Ability to Display Sitewide Posts, Pages and Comment Markers on Homepage
- Ability to Add Advertisements to Maps (468 X 60 or 200 X 200)
- Choice of Header Styles (Renaming BP Terms, Auto-Adjusting Menu Widths and Including Categories)
- Options for Copyright Text and Dates
- Ability to Add Tracking Code
- Theme Options Utilize the TPPO Framework
- Page Templates for Non-Mapped Pages
- Page Templates for Adding External geoRSS Markers
- Options for Initial Pop-Up Splash Screen
- Ability to Cluster Markers
- Choice of Styles for Theme
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gMaps features default blue styling with default flag-based markers, widgetized Facebook-like footers and user-friendly multi-level drop-down navigation
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Here we showcase the group page, with plate-based markers (one of twelve marker types available for BuddyPress) and also show you the sidebar, which is used for text-based content
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Here we showcase our Dark Noir alternative style whilst also demonstrating how to easily integrate FlickR images using an external geoRSS page template
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By default, gMaps uses Google Maps API 3, but to use the Google Bar and Google AD Unit features, you will need to use Google Maps API 2
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Integrated Foursquare (GET) API for user and friend locations (BuddyPress only) whilst also allowing you to showcase your Foursquare badges and use present location to center maps!
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gMaps features over 100 theme options, which are easily managed via the new Theme Options panel, which has been built using our
TPPO Framework - making customization easy
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Easy to use Geo-Location Forms!
Version 1.0.3
- Enhanced and Optimized TPPO for better performance
Version 1.0.2
- PHP 4.x support
- Gracefully degrade google.maps.Geocoder if service not available
- Optimized and packed images, CSS and JS files
Version 1.0.1
After all beta-testing 1.0, gMaps 1.0.1 was the first version available for subscription.
- Integrated Foursquare (GET) API for User and Friend Locations
Version 1.0
gMaps version 1.0 was the first branch under the newly branded wing of ThePremiumPress and was the first version to see BuddyPress integrated.
- Compatible with WordPress, WordPress MU and BuddyPress
- Compatible with both Google Maps API 3 and API 2
Versions 0.1 to 0.9
All versions prior to gMaps 1.0 took place under management of WPMU Premium.
- Compatible with WordPress and WordPress MU
- Compatible with Google Maps API 2
Although we have thoroughly tested gMaps on several browsers and platforms, and have done everything in our power to ensure that everything runs smoothly, there are several known issues we have encountered that we have not yet resolved. However, please be assured that these are several other minor and major tweaks, bugs and changes have all been documented in our internal TRAC systems and are in the midst of being actively developed for the next releases…
Internet Explorer 7
Internet Explorer 7 and Google Maps do not play nicely together at the best of times, and when you start getting into complicated map marker filtering and clustering along with multiple InfoWindows, things get crazy-slow. At this stage, our TPPO Options are not fully Internet Explorer 7 compatible, and when you have multiple maps on the same page (in IE7), as you do in the theme options, things come to a screaming halt. The front-end works as well as it can for Internet Explorer 7
As for Internet Explorer 8, this works fine, as does Firefox, where Safari and Chrome are super smooth…
WordPress / WordPress MU
The majority of the WP work done on this initial release was specifically targeted for WordPress MU installations, where we developed using WPMU 2.9.2 as our environment. The theme will work using WordPress or WordPress MU, so long as the version number is between 2.7 to 2.9+ – It WILL NOT work with WordPress 3.0+ at this stage, but the next version will.
BuddyPress
The majority of the BP work done on this initial release was specifically targeted for BuddyPress 1.1+ installations, where we developed using BP 1.1.3 as our environment. The theme will work using BuddyPress, so long as the version number is between 1 to 1.1.3 – It WILL NOT work with BuddyPress 1.2+ at this stage, but the next version will.
Our Theme
WordPress Search Widget – This has been removed, but an alternative solution will be added in later versions. WordPress RSS Widget – This has been removed, but an alternative solution will be added in later versions. WordPress Links Widget – This widget can cause problems, but remains intact, and will be improved upon in later versions. However, please note that if a user selects to display ALL categories of links, and there are more than one category, there will be problems.
Our Community is only available to paying Subcribers
Although our products are 100% GPL based, we choose to distribute the code with a multi-tiered subscription based business model. We offer premium subscription services for each of our products, and also offer a VIP subscription service that gives full-access to everything we do.
The service not only covers you for upgrades and other add-ons, but also provides you with full-access to our community forums and hands-on support from our premium team. If you are supporting commercial products or are serious about your projects, this support is invaluable.