Synopses & Reviews
Truly revolutionary: now you can write geolocation applications directly in the browser, rather than develop native apps for particular devices. This concise book demonstrates the W3C Geolocation API in action, with code and examples to help you build HTML5 apps using the "write once, deploy everywhere" model. Along the way, you get a crash course in geolocation, browser support, and ways to integrate the API with common geo tools like Google Maps. Ideal for experienced JavaScript developers.
- Learn how geo information is gathered from different sources, depending on the device
- Discover how coordinate systems work, including geodetic systems and datums
- Use the API to collect location information from a users browser with JavaScript code
- Place geo information on a map using the Google Maps or ArcGIS JavaScript APIs
- Save geo data with databases, the Keyhole Markup Language, or the shapefile format
- Be familiar with several practical uses for geo data, such as geomarketing, geosocial, geotagging, and geo-applications
Synopsis
In 2010, Geolocation was one of the hottest trending topics on the Web, with applications such as Foursquare, SCVNGR, Gowalla, and even Facebook making headlines. The HTML5 specification outlines a Geolocation API for that uses JavaScript in the web browser. Many browsers already support this API, and once the next release cycle of all major browsers happens, geolocation will be available to most Web users both on the desktop and in mobile environments. This piece introduces geolocation and coordinate systems, then explores browser support, coding to support the API, and integrating it with common geo tools like Google Maps.
About the Author
Anthony T. Holdener III currently builds Internet/Intranet applications utilizing the latest available technologies while striving for accessibility and cross-browser compatibility. He has worked with the web in one form or another since 1997 when he helped open an Internet cafe in Fairview Heights, Illinois. A graduate of St. Louis University with a degree in Computer Science, Anthony has worked as a web architect or developer for the past eight years for a number of Fortune 500 companies in the St. Louis area. He is also the author of Ajax: The Definitive Guide. He resides in the village of Shiloh, Illinois, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri, with his wife and twin toddlers. When not on his computer, Anthony enjoys reading, painting, and spending time with his family.
Table of Contents
Preface; Audience for This Book; Conventions Used in This Book; Using Code Examples; Safari® Books Online; How to Contact Us; Acknowledgments; Chapter 1: Finding Our Way; 1.1 Geolocation in the Past; 1.2 Public Availability of GPS; 1.3 Geolocation Now; 1.4 The Basics; 1.5 Ways to Locate; 1.6 Location and Location-Based Services (LBS); 1.7 Geolocation Today; Chapter 2: Geolocation: Latitude, Longitude, and More; 2.1 What Are Coordinate Systems?; 2.2 Geodetic Systems and Datums; 2.3 Altitude, Course, and Speed; 2.4 Accuracy; Chapter 3: Geolocation API in Code; 3.1 W3C Geolocation API; 3.2 The W3C Geolocation API Does More; 3.3 The Geolocation Object; 3.4 Get the User's Position; 3.5 Update the User's Position; 3.6 Handling a Successful Request; 3.7 Handling an Error from the Request; 3.8 Privacy; Chapter 4: Geolocation and Mapping APIs; 4.1 A Google Maps Example; 4.2 An ArcGIS JavaScript API Example; Chapter 5: Saving Geographic Information; 5.1 KML; 5.2 Shapefiles; 5.3 Databases; Chapter 6: What You Can Do with Geolocation; 6.1 Geomarketing; 6.2 Geosocial; 6.3 Geotagging; 6.4 Geo-applications; 6.5 HTML5 and Geolocation;