Skip to main content

Different map for a different browser!

            The title simply implies that detect the client's browser and then display the map accordingly! This is basically important when you are developing a map application for mobiles. Mobiles usually have a small screen and the maps that look brilliant on the desktops don't look the same on the mobile screens!

            Well, in my example, I am considering only two of the most popular browsers in use - Mozilla and IE. The application detects whether the client's browser is one of the two and then renders the map accordingly! If you are viewing the example in Mozilla, then you will see a 600 X 800px map, whereas if you are viewing it in IE, you will see a smaller 500 X 500px map! Here is the code...

<html>
<title>Basic Google Map Example - Detect browser and render map accordingly
</title>
<head>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/api/js?sensor=false">
</script>
<script type="text/javascript">
var map;
function load()
{
    var useragent = navigator.userAgent;
    map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById("map_area"),
    {
        zoom: 6,
        mapTypeId: google.maps.MapTypeId.ROADMAP,
        center: new google.maps.LatLng(21.698265,79.035645)
    });
    if (useragent.indexOf('MSIE') != -1)
    {
        map_area.style.height = '500px';
        map_area.style.width = '500px';
    }
    else if (useragent.indexOf('Mozilla') != -1)
    {
        map_area.style.height = '600px';
        map_area.style.width = '800px';
    }
}
</script>
</head>
<body onload="load()">
<div id="map_area">
</div>
</body>
</html>

             The key focus point in this code is "navigator.userAgent". This detects the type, version, etc. of the current browser being used! The output of the above code will appear as seen in the images below!

Output - Browser used IE

 Output - Browser used Mozilla

            Please try on other browsers as well. Please leave a comment about the results you observe. Hope you like the post. Please leave your feedback here!

Comments

Recommended for You

Playing with the markers and info window bubbles...

    In the last few posts, we have seen some marker examples and some information window examples. Now, lets do something interesting combining these two things. Just writing that "This is an info window" in the information bubble is not very interesting! And I know this...Have gone through the same phase!     So, today we will do something interesting! We will display the latitude- longitude co-ordinates of the point that the user clicks on the map! Doing this is not at all complex! Copy paste the following code and you will see for yourself a map coming to life!     The output of the above code looks as seen in the result section above! If you have any queries regarding the above code please comment on the blog post or feel free to contact me at my mail ID .

Four maps on the same page - Playing with events

    In today's example we will see how to add 4 maps on the same web page and then play a bit around with some events in Google Maps API. Lets have a look at the code. All that you have to do to get the code working is copy the code in a text file and save it with .html extension. Open this html file in your browser and you will see the four maps in action!     Adding the four maps on a webpage should not be a challenge anymore, and all the more after the example Two Google Maps - Side by side that I shared a few weeks back! All you need to pay attention is to the events. There are two events "drag" and "zoom_changed". As the event names suggest, when you will drag or zoom the first map (upper left map), the remaining three maps will also zoom and pan accordingly! Try it out and leave a comment of what you think of it! You can also drop your queries or doubts about the same here!     The output of the above code appears as seen in th...

Where does Google get it's live traffic data from?

Referring to a post that I wrote earlier, Google’s - Live traffic Layer , ever wondered how Google collected this data? I was wondering the other day, how Google received live data to display it on their maps as a layer! I looked up the web and found something very interesting and am sharing the same with you all. As we all know, the traffic layer is available most accurately in several states in USA. Most major metro areas in the US have sensors embedded in their highways. These sensors track real time traffic data. Easy to miss at high speeds (hopefully anyway, traffic permitting), more commonly noticed may be the similar sensors that often exist at many busy intersections that help the traffic lights most efficiently let the most amount of people through. The information from these tracking sensors is reported back to the Department of Transportation (DOT). The DOT uses this data to update some of the digital signs that report traffic conditions in many metro areas. They als...

Rail Radar - Map your Train Live!

    Rail Radar - An interactive map that allows users to watch the movements of trains that are currently running in India. This means that you can now know the status of your trains live! Rail Radar is a real time tracker of the Indian Railways passenger trains. This live tracker is shown on our very own Google Maps and this long awaited system is a result of a collaboration between the CRIS - Center for Railway Information System and RailYatri.in.     Since this is a live tracking system of the Indian Railways, a few questions that will pop up in the minds who have ever travelled by railways will be - "Is this system really reliable? Is the data accurate? Can I trust the Rail Radar ?" Well, the system is reliable and you can trust the data since the information and intelligence behind the Rail Radar is extracted and harnessed from volumes of data from the official Indian Railway's train running operational data. With regards to accuracy – this...

Web based GIS for polling booths in West Bengal...

         The election commission of India will install web-based GIS in West Bengal's polling booths to help the State Chief Electoral Officer track them on their web site. The system will provide a map showing the exact spatial location of all 51919 polling booths and nearby landmarks, with their latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates. Boundaries of the parliamentary and assembly constituencies of the booths, along with all the administrative boundaries will also be provided in the GIS-based map.          The software will give a 360-degree view of the entire area falling within the 200-meter radius of each polling booth, including approach roads and nearby installations. It will show every detail of the polling station, such as the number of voters, number of polling and security personnel deployed, details about the current law and order situation and reports of past violence or disturbance in the are...