POIEdit & Google Map API

[anarytops]

I'm getting a message "Google has disabled the use of the maps API for this application....." when selecting a POI. After momentarily displaying the POI location on the map - the map pane is then cleared.
Does anyone know if POIEdit is still being supported or better still is there a workaround for this problem ?

 

[dhn]

Yes, I get that as well now. You'll have to try contacting Poiedit to see what's going on.

Here's a link I found:
http://www.poiedit.com/contact.htm?subject=Submit Map

 

[canderson]

Google has taken a new approach to some applications that use its mapping service (specifically, the API that allows its use as an intrinsic feature of an application). In particular, they have started talking about asking developers to pony up some big one-time fees. I'm wondering if this has now begun?

 

[Andy_P]

No mention of wanting money if you follow their link on the error message:
http://code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/javascript/v2/introduction.html#Obtaining_Key

It says

Obtaining an API Key

All Maps API applications should load the Maps API using an API key. Using an API key enables you to monitor your application's Maps API usage, and ensures that Google can contact you about your application if necessary. If your application's Maps API usage by exceeds the Usage Limits, you must load the Maps API using an API key in order to purchase additional quota.
To create your API key, visit the APIs Console at https://code.google.com/apis/console and log in with your Google Account.
Click the Services link from the left-hand menu, then activate the Google Maps API v2 service.
Once the service has been activated, your API key is available from the API Access page, in the Simple API Access section. Maps API applications use the Key for browser apps.
By default a key can be used on any site. We strongly recommend that you restrict use of your key only to domains you administer, to prevent use on unauthorized sites. You can specify which domains are allowed to use your API key by clicking the Edit allowed referers... link for your key.

 

[canderson]

Try this: http://www.itproportal.com/2011/10/27/google-clarifies-maps-api-limits/ among many.

----------------
The new limits see any single API key prevented from loading more than 25,000 maps loads per day, or more than 2,500 if the maps have been modified via the Google Maps 'Styled Maps' feature.

While the new restrictions are a 'soft' limit at present, Google is keen to get as many of its users adhering to the rules as possible - and will likely make it a hard limit in the future, cutting off access when the daily quota is reached.

For those who exceed these limits, there's a cost attached: excess map loads are billed at a cost of between $4 and $10 per 1,000 loads, depending on the API access and the use of the 'Styled Maps' feature.

Those who access Google Maps via the company's Maps for Flash API are left with a less than savoury option: with no excess map loads available for that service, users are asked to either transition their service to the JavaScript Maps API v3 or to purchase a Maps API Premier licence.

This licence - available to any heavy user as a method of reducing the cost - but doesn't come cheap: starting prices are quoted at $10,000 per year, with the cost rising as the page views climb.

 

[anarytops]

Yes, I get that as well now. You'll have to try contacting Poiedit to see what's going on.

Here's a link I found:
http://www.poiedit.com/contact.htm?subject=Submit Map

I get a "404 Not Found" when trying to "Submit" a problem with this link, hence I wondered if POIEdit is still actually supported ?

 

[Andy_P]

I managed to contact the author of POIEdit a few months ago using the email contact.
I wanted to mention that I recommended his program to a lot of people on various Sat-Nav forums, but that it was now quite confusing because his home page for the program had such a large and prominent advert for a totally different (paid-for) program, and that some people were downloading the wrong thing.

He was totally uninterested, basically said it was deliberate. ;-(

 

[canderson]

This page still has the '2007' version downloads available:

http://www.poiedit.com/downloads.htm

 

[Andy_P]

Oh I know they are still available......

It's just there is now that much more obvious download link for "My POI Manager" at the top, and that's something completely different!

I've already had several people who've thought they had downloaded POIEdit but then couldn't find any of the menu items I was telling them to use, because they had got the wrong program installed.

 

[isap29]

I'm getting a message "Google has disabled the use of the maps API for this application....." when selecting a POI.

Hi,

I found that with V3 of Google API, there was no problem.
Try to modifie this file : PoiEdit2007/plugins/htmlembed/GoogleMaps.dll (I use Notepad++)
Before modifie, make a copy
Search v=2&key=abcdefg
Replace by : v=3& and 11 spaces (exactly same number of "letters")
Save.

On my computer, all is OK.

Regards.

Excuse me if errors; it's not my native language

 

[dhn]

Do you keep the 'key=abcdefg' after changing v=2&amp to v3&amp?

Not clear where the 11 spaces would go.

 

[isap29]

Do you keep the 'key=abcdefg' after changing v=2&amp to v3&amp?

Not clear where the 11 spaces would go.

Hi,

no, no, I don't keep the key. Count all the signs, you'll find 11 (3 for 'key', 1 for'=' and 7 for 'a...g'). Simply replace this 11 signs with 11 spaces; that's all.

 

[canderson]

Understood now. At first, I think we guessed you were replacing only the key itself. Now I understand you replace the entire "key=" string with blanks. Wonder how long Google will continue to allow API access without a key, though?

 

[Andy_P]

This sounds a bit tricky.....

Notepad opens the .dll with garbage, I guess Notepad++ may be cleverer?

Any chance someone could just post up the modified .dll file?

 

[dhn]

I screwed the file up with just Windows' standard Notepad.

 

[canderson]

@Andy
I used CodeWright to edit the file in binary. Took the expression key=abcdefg and replace with 11 20h characters, and changed V2 to V3. Here it is:

 

[Andy_P]

Brilliant, that worked fine. I wonder how long before they plug that gap!
(I'd worked out what to do, I just hadn't plucked up the courage to replace my beloved Notepad yet!)

For anyone else confused, the file you're looking to replace is at:
C:\Program Files\Dnote Software\PoiEdit2007\plugins\htmlembed\GoogleMaps.dll

(on Windows XP at any rate....)

... and the file dhn supplied above needs to be renamed as "GoogleMaps.dll" and to replace the existing one that's there.

 

[dhn]

It was canderson who did the work, Andy. Nice job, canderson.

 

[canderson]

We aims to please.

 

[Andy_P]

My second "oops" of the night. Thanks canderson.

Can we blame you when it stops working again?