[thelist] Dynamic Maps

[Dean Mah]

Using Perl, GD, and DBI you can take a static map and then update it
dynamically from the data within the database.  It's pretty simple.
(I did a similar thing, without using zip code, in a couple hours for
my former employer.)  You usually have to keep the maps static and
hardcode or come up with an algorithm for where to plot the
co-ordinates.  But if you are doing this by hand already, it should be
no problem to come up with plotting co-ordinates.

Dean


Paul Dewey writes:

> To all:
> I hope someone out there can help me come up with an answer to this one.  
> The current webpages I maintain have a Locator finder that is updated in a 
> daily bases.  The information about the stores (and what type of store they 
> are) and where they are located in the US.  The actual maps are static but 
> the information is dynamic.  Basically I want something like this: when the 
> store information is taken form the database the map are dynamically 
> produced and each store is plotted on the state map.  Currently I have go 
> into the source image and change it by hand and then update it to the web 
> page.  I want the maps to be able to dynamically update each night given the 
> information in the database.  the stores would be plotted on the map 
> depending on their zips.  Any idea?  I will try to explain more if this is 
> unclear.  Thanks for any help ahead of time.
> 
> -Paul