Map API

New Map API
Project state	Proposal/Development in progress
Tracker issue	MDL-42522
Discussion	https://moodle.org/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=245569
Assignee	{{{assignee}}}

Moodle 2.7 This page is for collecting feature requests for a possible new API to enable easy use of geographical maps.

Current status

Moodle + contrib has three separate map implementations:

1. The built-in map in the IP address lookup (under /iplookup)
2. block_online_users_map is a contrib module that shows recent users plotted on a world map.
3. block_simple_map is a contrib module that allows users to search for places specified by a CSV upload

• Additionally, the Database activity has a latlong field, which outputs as links to external mapping services.

High-level proposal

A core module to provide an easy way to add maps and mapping features:

1. Display a map with specified size, location, zoom, and tileset.
2. Display one or more markers on the map.
3. Display popups (or other display methods) with additional information when a user clicks on markers.
4. Geocoding (i.e. find lat/long from location name - should adopt existing iplookup solution).
5. Input of locations by clicking on the map.
6. Reverse geocoding (i.e. find location name from lat/long).

Existing work (2013-12-10)

An alpha level implementation is done, including all proposed features except integration of the existing geocoding system.

Map API (local module)

• The Leaflet javascript map library as a YUI module.†
• A PHP class to easily: Add maps, display markers and popups, input locations, perform reverse geocoding.

Demonstration at: http://dbtest.conted.ox.ac.uk/moodlemaps/local/map

† There are other map libs, e.g.:

• OpenLayers - older, larger, with more features than I think we need here.
• Modest Maps - fairly minimal, with fewer
• Polymap - looks interesting for data mapping, but not sure how useful that would be in Moodle.

...however, I'm most familiar with Leaflet and feel it hits the right features/weight balance (e.g. includes geoJSON, but avoids complications with projections), so think it's the right place to start.

Database activity submodules

1. A modification/fork of the latlong field to enable maps for display and input
2. A new preset (named "Infomap") to utilise the modified latlong field.

Demonstration at: http://dbtest.conted.ox.ac.uk/moodlemaps/course/view.php?id=2

Plugins

The local and database modules have been formatted into three modules:

• https://moodle.org/plugins/view.php?plugin=local_map - the API.
• https://moodle.org/plugins/view.php?plugin=datafield_latlongmap - a modified latlong field.
• https://moodle.org/plugins/view.php?plugin=datapreset_infomap_latlongmap - a preset using datafield_latlongmap.

Feedback on the plugins (or the Git branch linked in MDL-42522) would be appreciated.

Detailed propsal

TBC