IntroGoogleMaps

Navigating Around a Map
We'll start the workshop by learning to navigate around Google maps and use some of the cool features in it. The best source of help using Google Maps is the Help Site which can be accessed by clicking Help at the top of the page.



Here are some quick navigation tips for you, taken directly from the Google Help pages Follow the links to learn more about each topic.

 * 1) ** Get directions **- Click this to [|get directions].
 * 2) **My Maps** - Use this to view and create [|custom maps].
 * 3) **Search** - Use this to [|search for places and businesses]. Click the grey button to the right of the seach box to use, view or edit your [|saved locations].
 * 4) **Left panel** - Click this to hide or show the left panel.
 * 5) **Views** - Click these to display [|different views], including aerial images and street level imagery.
 * 6) **My Profile** - Click this to [|create and edit a profile] that is visible to other Google Maps users.
 * 7) **Print/Send** - Click these to [|print] or [|send] maps.
 * 8) **Link to this page** - Click this to create a map web address (URL) in your browser that you can share with others. [|Learn more].
 * 9) **Search results** - This panel shows [|search results]. Click any result to view more information.
 * 10) **Navigation controls** - Use this to [|navigate].
 * 11) **Map** - This area displays the map, [|search results], [|My Maps] and much more.
 * 12) **Street View** - Click this to view and navigate [|street-level imagery].
 * 13) **Info window** - [|This window] displays additional information when you click a [|marker] or search result.

Navigating in Google Maps
You can navigate (move your view) in two dimensions in any Google Map. To pan (move the map), do one of the following: Additionally, you can zoom in or out pressing the + or - keys. Move the cursor over a location and use the mouse scroll button to zoom in or out on that location. To center and zoom in on a location, double click the location.
 * Click and drag the map
 * Press the up arrow on your keyboard to move north
 * Press the down arrow on your keyboard to move south
 * Press the right arrow on your keyboard to move east
 * Press the left arrow on your keyboard to move west

Using the Navigation Controls
Other web pages with embedded Google Maps may not have all or any of these navigation controls. For example, embedded maps may show navigation controls that look like those below: ||
 * [[image:http://maps.google.com/help/hc/images/maps_nav_controls.png width="150" height="306" align="left"]] || The navigation controls you see at [|maps.google.com] are shown on the left. Navigation controls include:
 * 1) **Arrows** - Click the appropriate arrow buttons to move the view north, south, east or west.
 * 2) **Street View** - Click to view [|street-level imagery]
 * 3) **Zoom** - Click + to zoom in on the center of the map. Click - to zoom out.
 * 4) **Zoom slider** - Drag the zoom slider up or down to zoom in or out incrementally.
 * ^  || [[image:http://www.google.com/help/hc/images/maps_small_nav.png width="38" height="96"]] [[image:http://www.google.com/help/hc/images/maps_small_nav2.png width="20" height="37"]] ||

About the Left Panel
The left panel shows [|search results], [|My Maps] and additional information about items on the map. To hide this panel, click on the border of this panel. To display a hidden left panel, click.

About Markers
Markers appear in Google Maps to signify an important location. For example, when you search for an address, Google Maps shows you the address location with a marker. Types of markers include: You can see other custom markers in Google Maps that others have created or even create your own ([|learn more]).
 * || [[image:http://www.google.com/help/hc/images/maps_marker_business.png width="23" height="37" align="right"]] ||  || After you search for [|an address] or [|business], this marker shows the location of a business. ||
 * || [[image:http://www.google.com/help/hc/images/maps_marker_approximate.png width="23" height="37" align="right"]] ||  || After you search for [|an address] or [|business], this marker shows the //approximate// location of a business. ||
 * || [[image:http://www.google.com/help/hc/images/marker_sponsored.png width="32" height="26" align="right"]] ||  || After you [|search for a business], this marker shows the location of a sponsored business (advertisement). ||
 * || [[image:http://www.google.com/help/hc/images/maps_marker_directions_begin.png width="23" height="37" align="right"]] ||  || When you [|get directions], this marker shows a destination point within your route. ||
 * || [[image:http://www.google.com/help/hc/images/maps_exit_icon.png width="30" height="14"]] ||  || This marker shows the number and location of a highway exit. ||
 * || [[image:http://www.google.com/help/hc/images/maps_marker_kml.png width="23" height="37" align="right"]] ||  || After you [|search for and display user-created content], this marker shows the location of this content ([|learn more]). ||

Viewing Info Windows
Info windows can contain great information such as photos of businesses, descriptions, restaurant reviews, links to driving directions and much more. You can expand some info windows to display even more information. In certain locations, you can view and navigate street-level imagery by clicking **Street view** in the info window ([|learn more]). If available, click or **more info>>** in an info window to expand it. To close an info window, click. To resize an expanded info window, click. Note that you can create your own review of businesses by clicking **Write a review**. ||
 * [[image:http://www.google.com/help/hc/images/maps_info_balloon.png width="164" height="161"]] ||  || Info windows appear when you click a [|marker] and display additional information about the location. To view the info window for a marker, do one of the following:
 * Click the marker
 * Click the marker in the Search results tab
 * Click the appropriate link in the Search results tab

Using the Overview Map
As you pan or zoom in the map, the overview map view changes accordingly. You can change the existing view in the map by doing one of the following:
 * [[image:http://www.google.com/help/hc/images/maps_overview_map.png width="128" height="128" align="left"]] ||  || The overview map (shown left here) appears in the bottom right corner of the map. It helps orient you by showing the location of current map view in the context of a larger geographical area. The area currently displayed in the map is show as a purple box in the overview map. At any time, click [[image:http://www.google.com/help/hc/images/maps_overview_map_hide.png width="15" height="15"]] to hide the overview map or click [[image:http://www.google.com/help/hc/images/maps_overview_map_show.png width="15" height="15"]] to display it again.
 * Drag and drop the purple box in the overview map.
 * Drag and drop the area outside the purple box to pan the map. ||

Choosing a Default Location
The default view that Google Maps displays is determined by your location. However, if you'd like to use a different location, enter an appropriate address in the search box and click **Search Maps**. You can also [|use one of your saved locations]. Once your address appears, click **Make this my default location** in the information window. Thereafter, this address appears as the default location.