Thursday, October 27, 2011

MapAgenda's Widget

Do you want a list of events or your website or blog for a given geographic area? With MapAgenda's Widget it is vey easy.


The widget, which you can see in action on the right menu, is a miniature MapAgenda. It has three tabs corresponding to the main sections in the web:
  • the events list
  • the map
  • the search filters or criteria

 ¿How does it work?

If you play around with the widget for a while you will notice it is very easy.

When loading the page, the widget shows automatically the events for the area and activity chosen by the webmaster.

If you change tabs, any change you do on the map, the activity or date, will be automatically reflected on the list or on the map itself.

If you are on the map, positioning the mouse over an icon, a description of the event will be shown on the top so you don't need to go to the list.

Intelligent link to MapAgenda

If you find the widget small, at any moment you can click on the MapAgenda logo and you will be carried to the main MapAgenda website on another page.

¿Why intelligent? because MapAgenda will show you exactly the area and activity presently chosen on the widget. You can try it by changing some parameters and clicking on the logo.

¿How do I install the widget?

On the MapAgenda map page you will find a link that will enable you to create it, configure it and edit it.


In order to do that you have to log in with your user credentials ¿Why?

Because the widget operation is fully controlled by you. You can edit it and change its size, the map area or the activity as many times as you like. And to achieve that, the system needs to recognize that the widget is associated to your account.

In the widget edition page you will also find the html code you must insert on your website.

¿What if the map on the widget is too small?

If you have a very small widget, probably the map on the second tab will not fit the area you want to cover.

Don't panic. When configuring the widget you can choose "another" map that  can effectively be adjusted to the area you want. This area is used for the initial loading of the widget events. This would be, let's say, the default behavior.

But, be aware that if the user changes to the map tab and moves or zooms the map, then the displayed events will be only those that are covered by this map, even if it is small, because doing otherwise would be counterintuitive for the user. He would not understand seeing events that are ouside the limits of the map.


I hope you find the widget useful. If you have any doubt about its operation, please, write it in a comment and I will update the post.

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