MapQuest Devblog

We are pleased to announce the release of version 5.3 of the MapQuest Platform! This update focuses on enhancements to our 3 client-side APIs: JavaScript, AS3, and FUJAX.

Some of the big changes include:

• Collections: Support for multiple and remote collections (KML and GeoRSS); easier handling of shape collections
• Custom Tile Layer support
• Add real-time traffic to your map
• Globe view enhancements
• All 3rd party JavaScript libraries removed (decreases JS footprint)

For the server-side APIs, .NET works with 2.0 and 3.5 on 32 and 64-bit; C++ now has been upgraded to support Visual Studio 2008 and 32 and 64-bit libraries are available.

Here's the full list of release notes:

As we get closer to the final release of version 5.3 of the MapQuest Platform, we've just added Release Candidate 5 of our JavaScript and FUJAX APIs to the Beta page.

The highlight in this release is the ability to define specific packages to be included in the code. With all of the new features we've been adding to the Platform, we recognized the need to optimize the size of your download with only the code necessary for your application.

From the RC5 notes:

If you want your application to have a traffic control, you can specify to include this package via the '&ipkg=controls1,traffic' URL name/value pair. However, if your application does not need the traffic control, simply use '&ipkg=controls1' and you'll save about 12k of download. This concept will be used going forward in order to optimize download sizes/speed.

NOTE: We have separated out the map controls as a modular package - if you are using our default controls (Zoom Control, View Control, etc), you will want '&ipkg=controls1' on the string. If you are using fully customized map controls, you can now eliminate ours from the script download.

The "ipkg" parameter

controls1 - will bring down all 4 controls (largezoom, zoom, pan, and view).
traffic - will bring down the traffic package. For example:

• &ipkg=controls1 - will bring down just the controls package
• &ipkg=traffic - will bring down just the traffic package
• &ipkg=controls1,traffic - will bring down both the controls and traffic packages
• &ipkg=controls1,traffic,package1,etc. - will bring down all packages listed by commas

Also a reminder: If your a Free Edition developer, you will also need to sign-up for a Developer License for developing with MapQuest Platform Beta code.

Shazou (Japanese for "mapping") is a great Firefox plug-in developed by Seisan to map and geolocate any web site currently being viewed. It's another helpful tool against phishing scams.

Shazou is powered by the MapQuest Platform: Free Edition AS3 API. Download it from the Shazou page on the Official Mozilla Firefox Add Ons site.

As we get closer to the final 5.3 release, we just rolled-out Release Candidate 4 of our 5.3 JavaScript, AS3, and FUJAX APIs. The major update this time: the addition of more features for adding traffic information into your application. We've also added traffic documentation and code samples for those of you who like that sort of thing.

More details on the Developer Network Beta page, but here's a quick rundown of the updates:

• You can now set minimum and maximum zoom levels on POIs. The POI would then only be visible on the map between the specified zoom levels.
• You can now add traffic incident POIs to your map.
• You can now add traffic flow to your map.
• Retrieve item by key from collection or map: You can now get a shape back out of the map, or any collection, by using it's Key property.
• Get reference to a Shape's parent collection: You can now ask a shape to tell you all the different ShapeCollections it is in

Happy trafficking!
Hrmm... that didn't come out quite the way I intended.

Continuing our string of weekly trade show announcements, we'd like to let you know that MapQuest is a Platinum Sponsor of and will be attending the annual Where 2.0 Conference being held next week in Burlingame, CA from May 12^th to the 14^th. (For those of you not familiar with the Valley, the show is right outside the San Francisco Airport.)

If you're attending the show, stop by and tell us what you're working on and how MapQuest can help.

MapQuest will be in attendance at JavaOne being held next week at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA. You can visit us in the Pavilion at booth #1124; a number of the MapQuest Developers will also be running around and attending sessions. Feel free to stop and talk with us.

MapQuest will be out in Santa Clara, CA this week attending the Location Intelligence conference. We have a booth set-up and will be happy to demo and discuss the MapQuest Platform with you.

Hope to see you there!

Developer David Bello has written a great plug-in for AIM called "Share-a-Map." That clever name may have something to do with why we're covering it here.

Right from the copy in the AIM Gallery:

Share-a-map is an AOL AIM plugin that let you share maps with a friend via AIM in an interactive way. This plugin can be extremely useful when you want to share a location, route or place with a friend or relative, plus other features like add images and hand drawing overlays, find an address or point, save your map, among others.

We've been playing with it here in the office and it is a really sweet way to do some map collaboration.

The Share-a-Map plug-in is Windows only and available in the AIM Plugin Gallery.

Earlier this month we told you about a "Great Mashup using APIs from Ribbit, Kayak, and MapQuest" by Andrew Powell, shamelessly plugging it to help him win a Wii.

Well, not only did Andrew win the 306|Flex API Contest and the Wii, he also won some help restyling the UI.

Check out the restyled and award-winning Ribbit, Kayak, MapQuest Hotel Search Mashup. Congrats Andy!

"Ribbit / MapQuest / Kayak Mashup" is the title of a post by Andrew Powell from Universal Mind, introducing a great hotel search app he built using APIs from (big surprise!) Kayak, Ribbit, and our very own AS3 API.

Give it a read and check out Andrew's hotel search app. We also support shameless promotion, so help Andrew win a Wii by voting for his application on the 360|Flex Contest Page.