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Maps 0.7.1 and Semantic Maps 0.7.1 are now available for download. The main new feature in this release is the long awaited images as layers. It allows you to display images with OpenLayers, so users can pan and zoom around, and markers can be placed to draw attention to certain area’s and provide additional information. Check out the examples. Some issues have also been fixed, in both extensions, mainly OpenLayers related.

What’s next?

Improving the pages in the layer namespace and providing a way to group markers in different overlays in OpenLayers. For a complete overview, see the roadmap. Feel free to propose new features, or help out creating them.

Also check out the wiki version of this post.

Version 0.7 of both the Maps and Semantic Maps extensions is now available for download. This release is made after 3 beta’s and a release candidate, so should be stable.

The most notable new features in this release are tag extension support for all the Maps parser functions, more consistent error handling via Validator 0.4 and compatibility with the upcoming MediaWiki 1.17. Most changes are internal improvements, but there are also several bug fixes and minor new features.

Whats next?

There only big new feature on the roadmap for 0.7.x is the infamous images-as-layers one. This feature was supported by the now long obsolete Semantic Layers extension (example), and has been requested by dozens of people since the first releases of Maps. Next to fixing the bugs that show up, the focus will mainly be on adding new functionality. Feel free to propose new features, or help out creating them.

An early beta of the next big release of the Maps and Semantic Maps extensions is now available for download. The most notable new features in this release are tag extension support for all the Maps parser functions, more consistent error handling via Validator 0.4 and compatibility with the upcoming MediaWiki 1.17. Most changes are internal improvements, but there are also several bug fixes and minor new features.

Both extensions need some more polishing work before the 0.7 release, some testing needs to be done, and some small new features might still be added. This is a list of changes so far:

Maps

New features

Tag support for these parser hooks (which previously only had parser function support):

• Coordinates
• Distance
• Finddestination
• Geocode
• Geodistance

Bug fixes

• Fixed compatibility with the MW 1.17 resource loader.
• Fixed i18n issue with the overlays control for Google Maps v2 maps.
• Fixed default zoom level for Yahoo! Maps maps.
• Increased the maximum decimals for DMS coordinates from 2 to 20.

Removed features

• #geocodelong and #geocodelat parser functions – you can obtain their functionality using #geocode.

Internal improvements

• Rewrote the geocoding functionality. It’s now an integral part of the extension that can not be just pulled out, while the reverse is true for individual geocoders. Geocoder interaction now uses the same model as mapping service interaction.
• Use of Validator 0.4, allowing for more robust and consistent error reporting.
• Rewrote the parser hooks to use the ParserHook class provided by Validator.
• Restructured the directory structure of the extension to better match it’s architecture.

Semantic Maps

New features

• Added ‘locations’ parameter to the map query printers that allows for displaying static locations in addition to query results in queries. It behaves the same as the locations parameter in display_points.

Semantic Maps displaying the result of a query on an OpenLayers map together with a static point.

Bug fixes

• Fixed compatibility with the MW 1.17 resource loader.

Internal improvements

• Use of Validator 0.4, allowing for more robust and consistent error reporting.
• Restructured the directory structure of the extension to better match it’s architecture.

Notice

Although the big features should work, this release will probably contain multiple issues. Please report any you might find.

For the most current version of this announcement, see the original on the mapping wiki.