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Google Maps Overlays


Google Maps - Overlays

Overlays are objects on the map that are bound to latitude/longitude coordinates.

Google Maps has several types of overlays:

  • Marker - Single locations on a map. Markers can also display custom icon images
  • Polyline - Series of straight lines on a map
  • Polygon - Series of straight lines on a map, and the shape is "closed"
  • Circle and Rectangle
  • Info Windows - Displays content within a popup balloon on top of a map
  • Custom overlays

Google Maps - Add a Marker

The Marker constructor creates a marker. Note that the position property must be set for the marker to display.

Add the marker to the map by using the setMap() method:

Example

var marker = new google.maps.Marker({position: myCenter});

marker.setMap(map);


Google Maps - Animate the Marker

The example below shows how to animate the marker with the animation property:

Example

var marker = new google.maps.Marker({
  position:myCenter,
  animation:google.maps.Animation.BOUNCE
});

marker.setMap(map);

Google Maps - Icon Instead of Marker

The example below specifies an image (icon) to use instead of the default marker:

Example

var marker = new google.maps.Marker({
  position:myCenter,
  icon:'pinkball.png'
});

marker.setMap(map);

Google Maps - Polyline

A Polyline is a line that is drawn through a series of coordinates in an ordered sequence.

A polyline supports the following properties:

  • path - specifies several latitude/longitude coordinates for the line
  • strokeColor - specifies a hexadecimal color for the line (format: "#FFFFFF")
  • strokeOpacity - specifies the opacity of the line (a value between 0.0 and 1.0)
  • strokeWeight - specifies the weight of the line's stroke in pixels
  • editable - defines whether the line is editable by users (true/false)

Example

var myTrip = [stavanger,amsterdam,london];
var flightPath = new google.maps.Polyline({
  path:myTrip,
  strokeColor:"#0000FF",
  strokeOpacity:0.8,
  strokeWeight:2
});

Google Maps - Polygon

A Polygon is similar to a Polyline in that it consists of a series of coordinates in an ordered sequence. However, polygons are designed to define regions within a closed loop.

Polygons are made of straight lines, and the shape is "closed" (all the lines connect up).

A polygon supports the following properties:

  • path - specifies several LatLng coordinates for the line (first and last coordinate are equal)
  • strokeColor - specifies a hexadecimal color for the line (format: "#FFFFFF")
  • strokeOpacity - specifies the opacity of the line (a value between 0.0 and 1.0)
  • strokeWeight - specifies the weight of the line's stroke in pixels
  • fillColor - specifies a hexadecimal color for the area within the enclosed region (format: "#FFFFFF")
  • fillOpacity - specifies the opacity of the fill color (a value between 0.0 and 1.0)
  • editable - defines whether the line is editable by users (true/false)

Example

var myTrip = [stavanger,amsterdam,london,stavanger];
var flightPath = new google.maps.Polygon({
  path:myTrip,
  strokeColor:"#0000FF",
  strokeOpacity:0.8,
  strokeWeight:2,
  fillColor:"#0000FF",
  fillOpacity:0.4
});

Google Maps - Circle

A circle supports the following properties:

  • center - specifies the google.maps.LatLng of the center of the circle
  • radius - specifies the radius of the circle, in meters
  • strokeColor - specifies a hexadecimal color for the line around the circle (format: "#FFFFFF")
  • strokeOpacity - specifies the opacity of the stroke color (a value between 0.0 and 1.0)
  • strokeWeight - specifies the weight of the line's stroke in pixels
  • fillColor - specifies a hexadecimal color for the area within the circle (format: "#FFFFFF")
  • fillOpacity - specifies the opacity of the fill color (a value between 0.0 and 1.0)
  • editable - defines whether the circle is editable by users (true/false)

Example

var myCity = new google.maps.Circle({
  center:amsterdam,
  radius:20000,
  strokeColor:"#0000FF",
  strokeOpacity:0.8,
  strokeWeight:2,
  fillColor:"#0000FF",
  fillOpacity:0.4
});

Google Maps - InfoWindow

Show an InfoWindow with some text content for a marker:

Example

var infowindow = new google.maps.InfoWindow({
  content:"Hello World!"
});

infowindow.open(map,marker);