Google Maps Lite

Easily embed, customize and use Google maps on your WordPress site – in posts, pages or as an easy to use widget. The lite version of our powerful ‘WordPress Google Maps’ plugin.

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Detail

If you have a business site, are planning an event, or need to show directions or a location anywhere on earth on your site, then this plugin is for you!

You can now create and display a map directly from the page or post editor in literally just a few seconds.

Want to see screenshots or learn more about how to get the full version of this plugin?

Visit the WPMU DEV Maps project page here.

See the installation instructions for this plugin to get mapping now!

Usage

Start by reading Installing plugins section in our comprehensive
WordPress and WordPress Multisite Manual if you are new to WordPress.

To install:

1. Download the plugin file
2. Unzip the file into a folder on your hard drive
3. Upload /wpmu_dev_maps_plugin/ folder to /wp-content/plugins/ folder on your site
4. Login to your admin panel for WordPress or Multisite and activate the plugin:

  • On regular WordPress installs – visit Plugins and Activate the plugin.
  • For WordPress Multisite installs – Activate it blog-by-blog (say if you wanted to make it a Supporter premium plugin), or visit Network Admin -> Plugins and Network Activate the plugin.

To Use:

The Google Map plugin adds a “Add Map” icon to your visual editor.
Once you’ve created your new map it is inserted into write Post / Page
area as shortcode which looks like this: [map id="1"].

It also includes a Google Maps widget for displaying maps in your
site’s sidebar as well as the ability to create mashups from your maps.

You’ll find detailed instructions for using this plugin by going to Settings > Google Maps plugin where you can also configure your preferred Google Maps defaults.

Configuring your default Google Maps options

1. Go to Settings > Google Maps plugin

Settings >  Google Maps

2. Select your preferred Google Maps defaults from the options available.

Default Google Maps options

3. Click Save Changes.

The default map type controls which type of Google Map is embedded.
Changes to Default map type applies to newly created maps only; not
previously created maps.

Examples of Google map types

Panoramio image Default image size and limits controls the Panoramio images for your
map location. This can be pretty nice for locations that don’t have
Street View option in Google Maps.

You control whether a map does or doesn’t display the Panoramio images widget below the map using the Map Options in the Add Map window.

Adding a Google Map to a Post or Page

1. Click on the Add Map icon.

Add Map icon

2. Add the address of the location you want to add and then click Add. This adds a place marker to your map and displays the location at the bottom of the map.
3. To add more location(s), just add the address(es) and then click Add.
4. Alternatively you can add a location(s) by zooming in on your map, click on Drop Marker to add a Marker to your Map and then drag/drop it to the desired location.
5. Next give your map a name.

Creating a new map

6. Now zoom in on your place marker(s) so your readers have the best map view of your location.
7. Click on the Place Marker if you want to change the Title of location or Information about the location. You can also click on the Icon to change the Marker’s icon.

Add extra information to your marker

8. Next click Save changes to this map.

Click Save Changes to this map

9. Finally click on Map Options, select your preferences , click OK to close the Map Options window and then click Insert this map. Select “Associate map with this post” if you want to be able to create mashups with your maps.

Click Save Changes to this map
10. You should now see your map shortcode displayed and your Google map embedded in your Post or Page when published.

Google Maps shortcode

On load on the public facing pages, maps are always centered to the last existing marker location.

Adding your Google Map(s) to your sidebar

The Google Maps widget can be used to add an existing map, create a new map or add a mashup of maps to your site’s sidebar.

1. Go to Appearance > Widgets

2. Add the Google Maps Widget to the desired sidebar or widget area and configure the widget.

Google Maps widget

Creating mashups of your maps

Mashups can be easily created by either using Map Query shortcode
(for posts) or by setting them up in Widget Options (for widgets).

You need to have selected “Associate map with this post” in the Map Options window when creating a map for that map to be displayed using Map Query tag shortcode.

Associate map with this post

The following shortcode can be used for the custom query in the Google Maps widget to create mashups:

[map query="tag=tagname"] – This shows all maps associated with any
posts tagged with that tag on the site. For example, [map
query="tag=New York"] displays all maps associated with posts tagged New
York.

Create map query

The following shortcodes can be used in posts to create mashups:

[map query="all posts"] – This shows all maps associated with any posts on the site.

[map query="current posts"] – This shows all maps associated with posts currently on the site.

[map query="random"] – This shows a random existing map. It always displays a single map.

[map query="tag=tagname"] – This shows all maps associated with any
posts tagged with that tag on the site. For example, [map
query="tag=New York"] displays all maps associated with posts tagged New
York.

Creating a map query for a post or page

 

 

 

 


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