Mapfacture

One of the problems that seems to be recurrent with the Google Maps application is an inability to handle XML type feeds right out of the box. While the KML editing and sharing tools are remarkable and seem to be improving constantly, I haven't been able to integrate data with Google in a manner that wasn't extremely painful.

Mapfacture is yet another application based on the Google Maps API. Mapfacture is a quasi-social site that allows users to create and share more dynamic map information than Google want's to handle. Additionally Mapfacture will convert a dynamic XML feed (geoRSS and other formats are also supported) into a KML file that can be incorporated into your Google My Maps. Mapfacture can be used as a completely independent mapping interface in and of itself, but needs more work in my opinion. When attempting to use a KML file that originated as an ESRI shapefile as a sort of base for my Mapfacture map I was surprised to find my polygons converted to polylines. My formatting information had also mysteriously disappeared.


My goal as I progress through this project will be to utilize Mapfacture to create KMLs from any XML data that I wish to incorporate into the My Maps interface.