Google My Maps vs. BatchGeo.com
Google My Maps has some great features, but when you really want to get serious about making maps… we think BatchGeo still has a leg up. Watch our video to see why.
Google My Maps has some great features, but when you really want to get serious about making maps… we think BatchGeo still has a leg up. Watch our video to see why.
Comments
Awesome work, keep the videos coming!
Question – is there any way to quickly add directions?
Like …
- how would I drive to all the locations the quickest?
- where's a central point for the locations?
Cheers
How many lines from a spreadsheet can be geocoded? I seem to be holding up at 147 out of 270. Great program by the way keep up the good work.
I would check the formatting of that record
What format would be wrong, its all the same spreadsheet, just seems to always stop at 147? I thought maybe that was the limit.
Try a test list of 300 of the same item .. if one works they all should…
Very nice and easy to use tool but when unfortunately, it seems that too many addresses (french locations?) can not be resolved and then we got stuck (only option is to press stop). I’ve tried another tool with same data (http://www.batchgeocodeur.mapjmz.com), and then all locations are resolved but the map is not working:))
Is there any way to timeout and skip addresses that could not have resolved so we can get the map ?
but any way, great job !
Arnaud
Arnaud – can you email me your source data: pholmstr at gmail.com
Thanks!
I have worked out why the code kept freezing at 147, it was a bad address. All worked out cheers for the help all, and keep up the good work great program..
OK, this is the coolest thing ever. Found you guys via Lifehacker. Question – is there a way to imbed a picture in the description/pop-up box that comes up when you click on a marker?
You can if you have the image hosted somewhere online, use the “Image URL” option in advanced options.
Hi Phillip,
this looks really nice. A few questions though:
1) Instead of using a spreadsheet for its source data, is it possible for BatchGeo to read directly from an sql server database? In real time?
2) Can it also write back to an sql server e.g. so that when you drag bubbles around, the new location gets written back to the database in real time?
3) The balloons are lettered A, B, C etc. Can you provide text for that from the datasource so that e.g instead of ‘A’, the balloon could say ‘Phillip’, ‘B’ ‘Matt’ etc?
4) Is it possible to select multiple bubbles by drawing a loop around them so that you can then do something with just the selected bubbles (e.g. update a field in the source table)?
5) Is it possible to find, say every bubble within x many miles, or even better, x many minutes drive, rather than as the crow flies?
Thanks again.
Matt
Matt – I think its a great idea, but really if you want all that it probably makes sense to use the Google Maps API directly.
I need to load multiple addresses and create a route.
I can load them, create a mao, but I am not able to access the
routing of these locations
Hi There,
This has been very helpfull tool for me for creating perfect google map! I’m struggling only to get the data converted to POI’s in my navigator. I have garmin 250 and nokia n97 mini. Can you recommend any tool to convert the batchgeo.kml to CSV (garmin) or LMX (nokia) or GPX?
Any suggestions?
Million thanks in advance for any tips!!
Nice tool.
Two questions:
- How many addresses is it possible to geocode ?
- For a professional usage, what is the license of the geocoded addresses ?
When geocoding, and the result is “approximate” or “geometric center”, it’s obviously having a hard time geocoding the address. Could the system then look to the name to see if Google Local has a business listing under that name that it could target instead? I’m importing business listings into BatchGeo, and too many of them are too far off the mark.
Can the long and lat field be added for places that don’t have a true physical address?
Great tool! Thank you for making it available. I used it today to help me plan the location of a possible distributor.
Question: How can I get data geocoded? I have store locations with their sales numbers. I want to show that on their location by either a “bar” or a circle with a radius proportional to the total sales.
Keep up the good work.
-C
This is so cool, I have been struggling with making Tree maps and this is so easy.
Is it possible to replace the google teardrop with the name of the tree?
Question: if I create a map like this do the points remain private or can anyone access the info for the points that I upload? I’m thinking of using this to load info for a sales route but I’d prefer for the competition not to get the info.
I love this tool! Is it possible to get directions from place to place routed and printed out? It seems like I saw it on one of the videos but didn’t see how you brought it up.
Your homepage says the following in the “What Could I Use This For” section.
“Satellite Photos – Addresses are linked to Google Maps for satellite photos and driving directions.”
While it’s true that each address is linked to Google Maps, they are individually linked. Meaning that only one location shows up in Google Maps. It would be helpful if all locations where linked in a way that Google Maps would provide ‘Driving Directions’ to each location.
Great service by the way.
Have the similar question as Matt
Can the addresses come from a SQL database
What are the size contraints? I need to map tens of thousands of addresses
Just ran across your great looking tool and think it might be what will solve my problems but I would like a little guidance if possible.
the goal of the map(s) are to be on a website highlighting the known 60,000 blighted properties in my area. I would like to be able to do several things in an automated manner on the site.
1st is the data and mapping, NOLA does not publically release the GIS data so I am at a loss to get lat and long for known addresses (into a map) without spending thousands of dollars. Will this tool accept 60,000 plus addresses?
2nd is that I plan on promoting this tool through community organizations and churches, I would like it to be such that those who live near or pass by the known blighted properties be able to take a cell photo and uplink to the site in the listing, but I don’t want the general user to be able to edit the location address or things like that, any ideas for me?
3rd is that I would like to be able to have the same set of users who upload the photos to be able to “write a bubble” if they know the city listed owner is incorrect (our city data is about 20 years behind in updates) or if the property status has changed, such as being torn down, sold, in progress etc. but still keep its location on the map.
I realize that is a huge number of properties and I am searching for the tools to make this happen without having to first become a KML / Google earth expert.
This is strictly not for profit and I am paying the site hosting etc out of pocket so I really cannot afford to be buying expensive datasets that I have no idea how to effectively use.
any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
Mike
[...] Of course you could also use BatchGeo to host your map too. In fact we’d love to hear why you’d rather put it on Google My Maps. We even prepared a short video describing why we think BatchGeo has advantages over Google My Maps. [...]
I am using your excel_google_maps and building a map with address’s. I love it but I need to build a map in excel with my own latitude and longitude data. How can I get this to work? Thanks
Hi, I need an information, kindly. I am creating a map and I would give my points to a letter of interest only to a single color and so ‘on. now the colors of the icons I can manage but not the letters, because ‘are assigned automatically. Thanks, Massimo
Mike – check out our reverse geocoder: http://batchgeo.com/reverse/
Hi there – love this tool – thanks! For some reason when I print the batchgeo the numbers are not showing up now? It’s now a grey box? Any ideas as to why? thanks agai nfor a great tool!
For printing try using “Enable print background colors and images” in your browser.
I really appreciate this resource, especially the option to group items on the map. Can you tell me if there’s a way to increase the number of groups that you can have? It seems like 7 is the cap.
Thanks!
Dae – greater numbers of groups are available to our Custom Services users, apply here: http://www.batchgeo.com/services/
HI, Love LOVE love this tool!! I need to use somthing to identify markers. this way there is a table to match the markers… The goal is to have a document that show MARKER 1 is aaa street, MARKER B is bbbb street MARKER C is cccc street.. If I have less than 26 of them, the system automatically labels them A B C, Since I have more than 26, can I use a column in Excel to tell the system to use 1 2 3 4 as markers, that way I can get more than 26.
Love the tool(s).
I think one advantage I’ve not noticed being available on Geo and NOT on Google is that you “cluster” when there are lots of locations close to one another.
Would live the ability to have a centre of Gravity function e.g. If I want to arrange a conference for 300 delegates what would be most central to them, or if I wanted to know a good location for my client seminar a Weighted center of gravity that utilises their spend with me (giving priority to larger [spending] clients).
It is possible to save the map (with it’s functionality) to your hard drive to access it without the Internet?
great tutorial! only question i have is, how do i colour code my pointers like in the above example? i can’t seem to find anything on batchgeo that tells me how to make my pointers different colours.
Yes, but Google My Maps allow you to pick from a large set of push-pin icons, NOT just the ‘drab’ eye-drop ones. Also, with BatchGeo maps it doesn’t appear that the other features of Google Maps are available like streetview or traffic, or photos, (and so on).
So, yes, BatchGeo makes it easier to ‘bulk geocode’ the map data, but the display of the maps is still much better on Google My Maps.
BTW, the ‘Download to KML’ seems to be very well hidden on BatchGeo; has this feature been removed?
when I import my batchgeo KML file into Google MyMaps, the street address no longer appears in the record (on the newly created Google Map). Is this a change at Google, or am I doing something incorrectly?
chuck – I have battled with that problem quite a bit, the address is definitely in the KML file (just try it in Google Earth.)
Its a bug in Google Maps, I posted it to their user group some time ago.