Integrating Google Maps into Indesign

[stedem]

Hello,

I would like to send a personalized flyer to a list of persons.

In this flyer I would like to integrate a image with a Google Maps image. On this map the address of the person is visible. I know that this is possible with the Google Api key to generate a JPG file but how can i tell indesign to download a remote image with variale location (for example blabl.google.com?adress=street&nr=7 ...)

The question is how to integrate and automate such thing?

The adress and names are imported with the automation function.

 

[spamjim]

Trying to render a saved JPG file for print is probably not permitted by the license you agreed to when you obtained the API key.

 

[apepp]

...yeh, i think you could have google knocking on your door if they found out, you could always try and contact them before hand...

...google maps aren't really permitted for commercial print use, pretty strict on it:

http://www.google.com/permissions/geoguidelines.html

...even tracing is frowned upon, but to be honest you will find many designers that do trace online maps.

andrew

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http://www.apepp.info

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[apepp]

..as for automation, generally you need a spreadsheet built that includes the link to the image already in the spreadsheet, such as this use of data merge:

http://www.theindesigner.com/blog/episode-43-data-merge-video

andrew

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http://www.apepp.info

============

 

[stedem]

Hello,

I think the spreadsheet idea is the best solution.
Can I link to an online image? So instead of linking to c:// to

http://example.php?street.

Like this i don't need to save 100 different images on the harddrive.

Thanks!

 

[spamjim]

Linking to an online image or a saved image does not matter. Google licenses the map service to you freely as it allows the end user to further access Google's online services, where Google may obtain revenue. By making a dead end product (a printed map) you deny Google that possibility of further interaction with the end user.

Read the licensing for Google Maps before stressing out too much over this idea.

Google Maps' multiple image tiles (they do not serve up a single image file) make this a pretty impossible task for you, even if you choose to ignore licensing.

 

[stedem]

Hello,

Leaving the licensing topic behind, it seems that i have a problem to link the online image. In tab delimited txt file (see apepp comment concerning the indesigner) i placed the @ sign for local images (that works) but to load an online image it seems to have problems. Any experiences ?

 

[spamjim]

Leaving the licensing topic behind

You're leaving a lot more behind.

(And we cannot leave the topic of licensing behind. Tek-tips is not going to be a discussion area for illegal activity:

http://www.tek-tips.com/market.cfm

)

Have you not yet come to the realization that Google Maps does not serve a single image that you could ever link to? There's just a mess of 128x128 pixel tiles.

Give this up before you hurt yourself.

 

[stedem]

Ok Spamjim,

You're completly correct, the Google maps only gives me small tiles. Thats pretty annoying. I'm going to leave this path

But the difficult person inside me wants to find a solution concerning the import problem. How to import/link a online image with the "data merge" function.

In the CS3 help function I can't find any more info except for local images with full paths.

 

[spamjim]

You could try to create a virtual drive that maps to the web site. That could make the remote images appear to be local.

 

[stedem]

hello spamjim,

First i'm going to wish you a merry xmas!
Isn't Indesign not capable to import on a regular base instead of mapping, etc. Because we work not always on the same station, location, ...