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Show the Details

Goal: This guide demonstrates how to display detailed information about a location when a user selects it from the search results or clicks a POI on the map. The details will include the location's name and description, and the map will navigate to and highlight the selected location.

SDK Classes and Methods Introduced:

  • Retrieving and displaying specific location properties (e.g., location.properties.name, location.properties.description) within a dedicated details panel.

  • Applying mapsIndoorsInstance.deselectLocation() to manage map state when closing the details view.

Implementation Patterns:

  • Expanding the unified click handler to show location details

  • Implementing UI state management between search and details views

  • Creating a responsive details panel UI

  • Handling transitions between different UI states

Prerequisites

  • Completion of Step 2: Create a Search Experience.

  • Your MapsIndoors API Key and Google Maps API Key should be correctly set up. We will continue using the demo API key 02c329e6777d431a88480a09 and venue ID dfea941bb3694e728df92d3d for this example.

The Code

This step involves modifications to index.html to add elements for displaying details, style.css to style these new elements, and script.js to handle the logic of fetching and displaying location details and interacting with the map.

Unified Click Handler Pattern

In Step 1, we introduced a reusable click handler (handleLocationClick) for POIs on the map. In Step 2, we reused this handler for search result clicks. In this step, we expand the handler to show a details panel with more information about the selected location, and manage the UI state.

Update index.html

Open your index.html file. We will add a new div within the existing .panel to hold the location details. This div will be hidden by default and shown when a location is selected.

<!-- index.html -->
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">

<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>MapsIndoors</title>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css">
    <script src="https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?libraries=geometry&key=YOUR_GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY"></script>
    <script src="https://app.mapsindoors.com/mapsindoors/js/sdk/4.41.0/mapsindoors-4.41.0.js.gz"
            integrity="sha384-3lk3cwVPj5MpUyo5T605mB0PMHLLisIhNrSREQsQHjD9EXkHBjz9ETgopmTbfMDc"
            crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
</head>
<body>
    <div id="map"></div>
    <div class="panel">
        <div id="search-ui" class="flex-column">
            <input type="text" id="search-input" placeholder="Search for a location...">
            <ul id="search-results"></ul>
        </div>

        <!-- New Details UI - initially hidden -->
        <div id="details-ui" class="hidden flex-column">
            <h3 id="details-name"></h3>
            <p id="details-description"></p>
            <button id="details-close" class="details-button">Close</button>
        </div>
    </div>

    <script src="script.js"></script>
</body>

</html>

Explanation of index.html updates:

  • The existing search input and results list are wrapped in a div with id="search-ui" and class flex-column. This helps in managing the visibility of the entire search section.

  • A new div with id="details-ui" is added within the .panel. This container will hold the location's name, description, and a close button.

    • It has the class hidden to be invisible by default.

    • It also has flex-column for layout consistency.

  • Inside #details-ui:

    • <h3 id="details-name"></h3>: For displaying the location name.

    • <p id="details-description"></p>: For displaying the location description.

    • <button id="details-close" class="details-button">Close</button>: A button to close the details view and return to the search results.

Update style.css

Modify your style.css file to add styles for the new location details UI elements.

/* style.css */

/* Use flexbox for the main layout */
html, body {
    height: 100%;
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
    overflow: hidden; /* Prevent scrollbars if map is full size */
    display: flex;
    flex-direction: column; /* Stack children vertically if needed later */
}

/* Style for the map container */
#map {
  /* Make map fill available space */
  flex-grow: 1;
  width: 100%; /* Make map fill width */
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
}

/* Style for the information panel container */
.panel {
    position: absolute; /* Position over the map */
    top: 10px; /* Distance from the top */
    left: 10px; /* Distance from the left */
    z-index: 10; /* Ensure it's above the map and other elements */
    background-color: white; /* White background for readability */
    padding: 10px;
    border-radius: 5px;
    box-shadow: 0 2px 5px rgba(0,0,0,0.2); /* Add a subtle shadow */
    max-height: 80%; /* Limits max-height to prevent overflow with details */
    overflow-y: auto; /* Add scroll if content exceeds max-height */
    border: 1px solid #ccc; /* Add border for clarity */
    width: 300px;
}

/* Class to apply flex display and column direction */
.flex-column {
    display: flex;
    flex-direction: column;
    gap: 10px; /* Space between elements */
}

/* Class to hide elements */
.hidden {
    display: none;
}

/* Style for the search input field */
#search-input {
    padding: 8px;
    border: 1px solid #ccc;
    border-radius: 4px;
    font-size: 1rem;
}

/* Style for the search results list */
#search-results {
    list-style: none; /* Remove default list bullets */
    padding: 0;
    margin: 0;
}

/* Style for individual search result items */
#search-results li {
    padding: 8px 0;
    cursor: pointer; /* Indicate clickable items */
    border-bottom: 1px solid #eee; /* Separator line */
}

/* Style for the last search result item (no bottom border) */
#search-results li:last-child {
    border-bottom: none;
}

/* Hover effect for search result items */
#search-results li:hover {
    background-color: #f0f0f0; /* Highlight on hover */
}

/* --- New Styles for Location Details UI elements --- */

/* Styles for the new UI wrappers within #search-container */
#search-ui,
#details-ui {
    width: 100%; /* Ensure they fill the container's width */
    /* display: flex and flex-direction are controlled by .flex-column-container class via JS */
}

/* Style for the location name in details */
#details-name {
    margin-top: 0;
    margin-bottom: 10px;
    font-size: 1.2rem;
    border-bottom: 1px solid #eee;
    padding-bottom: 5px;
}

/* Style for the location description in details */
#details-description {
    margin-bottom: 15px;
    font-size: 0.9rem;
    color: #555;
}

/* Style for general buttons within details */
.details-button {
     padding: 8px;
     border: none;
     border-radius: 4px;
     font-size: 0.9rem;
     cursor: pointer;
     margin-bottom: 8px; /* Space between buttons */
     transition: background-color 0.3s ease;
}

 .details-button:last-child {
     margin-bottom: 0;
 }

/* Specific style for the Close button */
#details-close {
    background-color: #ccc; /* Grey */
    color: #333;
}
#details-close:hover {
 background-color: #bbb;
}

Explanation of style.css updates:

  • #search-ui, #details-ui: Basic styling to ensure they take full width. The flex-column class will handle their internal layout.

  • #details-name: Styles for the location name heading (font size, margin, border).

  • #details-description: Styles for the description text (font size, color, white-space: pre-wrap to respect newlines from the data, max-height and overflow-y for scrollability).

  • .details-button: General styling for buttons in the details view (padding, border-radius, full width).

  • #details-close: Specific styling for the "Close" button (background color, text color, hover effect).

Update script.js

The script.js file will be updated to handle showing/hiding the details panel, populating it with location data, and interacting with the map.

// script.js

// Define options for the MapsIndoors Google Maps view
const mapViewOptions = {
    element: document.getElementById('map'),
    // Initial map center (MapsPeople - Austin Office example)
    center: { lng: -97.74204591828197, lat: 30.36022358949809 },
    // Initial zoom level
    zoom: 17,
    // Maximum zoom level
    maxZoom: 22
};

// Set the MapsIndoors API key
mapsindoors.MapsIndoors.setMapsIndoorsApiKey('YOUR_MAPSINDOORS_API_KEY'); // Replace with your MapsIndoors API key

// Create a new instance of the MapsIndoors Google Maps view
const mapViewInstance = new mapsindoors.mapView.GoogleMapsView(mapViewOptions);

// Create a new MapsIndoors instance, passing the map view
const mapsIndoorsInstance = new mapsindoors.MapsIndoors({
    mapView: mapViewInstance,
    // Set the venue ID to load the map for a specific venue
    venue: 'YOUR_MAPSINDOORS_VENUE_ID', // Replace with your actual venue ID
});

/** Floor Selector **/

// Create a new HTML div element to host the floor selector
const floorSelectorElement = document.createElement('div');

// Create a new FloorSelector instance, linking it to the HTML element and the main MapsIndoors instance.
new mapsindoors.FloorSelector(floorSelectorElement, mapsIndoorsInstance);

// Get the underlying Google Maps instance
const googleMapInstance = mapViewInstance.getMap();

// Add the floor selector HTML element to the Google Maps controls.
googleMapInstance.controls[google.maps.ControlPosition.TOP_RIGHT].push(floorSelectorElement);

/** Handle Location Clicks **/

// Function to handle clicks on MapsIndoors locations
function handleLocationClick(location) {
    if (location && location.id) {
        // Move the map to the selected location
        mapsIndoorsInstance.goTo(location);
        // Ensure that the map shows the correct floor
        mapsIndoorsInstance.setFloor(location.properties.floor);
        // Select the location on the map
        mapsIndoorsInstance.selectLocation(location);

        // Show the details UI for the clicked location
        showDetails(location);
    }
}

// Add an event listener to the MapsIndoors instance for click events on locations
mapsIndoorsInstance.on('click', handleLocationClick);

/** Search Functionality **/

// Get references to the search input and results list elements
const searchInputElement = document.getElementById('search-input');
const searchResultsElement = document.getElementById('search-results');

// Initially hide the search results list
searchResultsElement.classList.add('hidden');

// Add an event listener to the search input for 'input' events
// This calls the onSearch function every time the user types in the input field
searchInputElement.addEventListener('input', onSearch);

// Function to perform the search and update the results list and map highlighting
function onSearch() {
    // Get the current value from the search input
    const query = searchInputElement.value;
    // Get the current venue from the MapsIndoors instance
    const currentVenue = mapsIndoorsInstance.getVenue();

    // Clear map highlighting
    mapsIndoorsInstance.highlight();
    // Deselect any selected location
    mapsIndoorsInstance.deselectLocation();

    // Check if the query is too short (less than 3 characters) or empty
    if (query.length < 3) {
        // Hide the results list if the query is too short or empty
        searchResultsElement.classList.add('hidden');
        return; // Stop here
    }

    // Define search parameters with the current input value
    // Include the current venue name in the search parameters
    const searchParameters = { q: query, venue: currentVenue ? currentVenue.name : undefined };

    // Call the MapsIndoors LocationsService to get locations based on the search query
    mapsindoors.services.LocationsService.getLocations(searchParameters).then(locations => {
        // Clear previous search results
        searchResultsElement.innerHTML = null;

        // If no locations are found, display a "No results found" message
        if (locations.length === 0) {
            const noResultsItem = document.createElement('li');
            noResultsItem.textContent = 'No results found';
            searchResultsElement.appendChild(noResultsItem);
            // Ensure the results list is visible to show the "No results found" message
            searchResultsElement.classList.remove('hidden');
            return; // Stop here if no results
        }

        // Append new search results to the list
        locations.forEach(location => {
            const listElement = document.createElement('li');
            // Display the location name
            listElement.innerHTML = location.properties.name;
            // Store the location ID on the list item for easy access
            listElement.dataset.locationId = location.id;

            // Add a click event listener to each list item
            listElement.addEventListener('click', function () {
                // Call the handleLocationClick function when a location in the search results is clicked.
                handleLocationClick(location);
            });

            searchResultsElement.appendChild(listElement);
        });

        // Show the results list now that it has content
        searchResultsElement.classList.remove('hidden');

        // Filter map to only display search results by highlighting them
        mapsIndoorsInstance.highlight(locations.map(location => location.id));
    })
        .catch(error => {
            console.error("Error fetching locations:", error);
            const errorItem = document.createElement('li');
            errorItem.textContent = 'Error performing search.';
            searchResultsElement.appendChild(errorItem);
            searchResultsElement.classList.remove('hidden');
        });
}

/** UI state management **/

const searchUIElement = document.getElementById('search-ui');
const detailsUIElement = document.getElementById('details-ui');

function showSearchUI() {
    hideDetailsUI();
    searchUIElement.classList.remove('hidden');
    searchInputElement.focus();
}

function showDetailsUI() {
    hideSearchUI();
    detailsUIElement.classList.remove('hidden');
}

function hideSearchUI() {
    searchUIElement.classList.add('hidden');
}

function hideDetailsUI() {
    detailsUIElement.classList.add('hidden');
}

/** Location Details **/

// Get references to the static details view elements
const detailsNameElement = document.getElementById('details-name');
const detailsDescriptionElement = document.getElementById('details-description');
const detailsCloseButton = document.getElementById('details-close');

detailsCloseButton.addEventListener('click', () => {
    mapsIndoorsInstance.deselectLocation(); // Deselect any selected location
    showSearchUI();
});

// Show the details of a location
function showDetails(location) {
    detailsNameElement.textContent = location.properties.name;
    detailsDescriptionElement.textContent = location.properties.description || 'No description available.';
    showDetailsUI();
}

// Initial call to set up the search UI when the page loads
showSearchUI();

Explanation of script.js updates:

  • Unified Click Handler Implementation:

    • Building upon our approach in previous steps, we've implemented a comprehensive click handler system.

    • The handleLocationClick function manages map interactions (selecting a location, zooming, and changing floors).

    • This function then calls the showDetails function to update the UI presentation.

    • This separation of concerns makes the code more maintainable and easier to understand.

  • UI State Management Functions:

    • showSearchUI(): Shows the search interface and hides the details panel.

    • showDetailsUI(): Shows the details interface and hides the search panel.

    • hideSearchUI() and hideDetailsUI(): Helper functions to manage UI visibility.

    • showDetails(location): Updates the details UI with the location's name and description.

    • The close button in the details panel has an event listener that returns to the search UI.

  • Map Interaction Methods:

    • mapsIndoorsInstance.goTo(location): Pans and zooms the map to the selected location.

    • mapsIndoorsInstance.setFloor(location.properties.floor): Switches to the floor where the location exists.

    • mapsIndoorsInstance.selectLocation(location): Visually highlights the selected location on the map.

  • Location Properties Access:

    • We access location.properties.name and location.properties.description to display detailed information.

    • The fallback text "No description available" is shown when description is missing.

  • Search Result Click Handler:

    • Search result clicks now trigger the same handler as map POI clicks, providing a consistent experience.

    • This unified approach ensures the same behavior whether a user interacts with the map or search results.

    • The separation between handleLocationClick (for map operations) and showDetails (for UI updates) creates a cleaner architecture that's easier to maintain and extend.

  • Initial Setup:

    • showSearchUI() is called at the end to ensure the application starts with the search interface visible.

Expected Outcome

After implementing these changes:

  • When you search for locations and click on a result in the list:

    • The search input and results list will be hidden.

    • A details panel will appear showing the selected location's name and description.

    • The map will pan and zoom to the selected location.

    • The selected location will be highlighted on the map.

    • The map will switch to the correct floor of the selected location.

  • Clicking the "Close" button in the details panel will hide the details and show the search input and results list again.

  • When you click a POI on the map:

    • The details panel will appear showing the location's name and description.

    • The map will pan and zoom to the selected location.

    • The selected location will be highlighted on the map.

    • The map will switch to the correct floor of the selected location.

Troubleshooting

  • Details panel doesn't show or shows incorrect data:

    • Check browser console for errors.

    • Verify IDs in index.html match those used in script.js for getElementById.

    • Ensure location.properties.name and location.properties.description exist for the selected location or that default text is handled.

    • Confirm CSS for .hidden, #search-ui, and #details-ui is correctly applied and toggled.

  • Map doesn't navigate or select location:

    • Ensure mapsIndoorsInstance is correctly initialized.

    • Verify the location object passed to handleLocationClick is a valid object conforming to the Location interface.

    • Check for console errors when selectLocation, goTo, or setFloor are called.

  • "Close" button doesn't work:

    • Ensure the event listener is correctly attached to detailsCloseButton and that showSearchUI is called.

Next Steps

You've now enhanced your application to display detailed information about locations. Users can not only find locations but also learn more about them.

Next, you'll learn how to get and display directions between locations:

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