Updated: GeoType 1.6.8 Plugin for MovableType ReadMe
LightPole, Inc.
September 18, 2008
This plugin has been updated to v1.6.8
This plugin allows you to associate locations with blog entries using Google Maps. Each blog entry can have a location (latitude, longitude), and a map can be shown for the location. Also, a map can be shown which displays all of the locations for the entire blog. Locations can be found using addresses or by scrolling the map, so you do not need to find or lookup the coordinates for your location like many other plugins force you to do.
The plugin also allows for these blog entries to be published to mobile devices using the LightPole Publishing System.
Download the plugin click here.
A. Installation Instructions
1. Copy the contents of the folder to your MovableType directory. Make sure that the directory structure remains intact.
2. Log in to the MovableType dashboard, or refresh the dashboard if you are already logged in. You should be prompted to "Upgrade". This will create the needed database tables.
3. Go to the Google Maps website to get an API Key. Put this API Key into the GeoType Sytem Plugin Settings (System Overview - Plugins).
4. Open the Header template (Design - Templates - Template Modules) and insert the <$MTGeoTypeHeader$> tag between the <head> and </head> tags. This will allow Google Maps to work on your site on all pages (the tag includes the needed Google Maps javascript and your API Key).
5. Modifiy the templates and include the tags in the desired locations (see section B: Using The Tags).
6. Create your new blog entries, or modify your existing blog entries to use the map. Make sure that the "Include a map with this entry" checkbox is checked if you want the blog entry to have a map associated with it.
B. Using GeoType and Tags
When an entry is saved with map location data, a lot of information is stored.
Some tags are provided to make things very simple (such as including a map),
while other tags are provided to access the specific location fields.
Note that you must use the <$MTGeoTypeHeader$> tag somewhere.
Entry Tags (must be placed within <MTEntries> tags)
<$MTGeoTypeLocationURL$>
<$MTGeoTypeLocationHours$>
<$MTGeoRSS_Channel$>
<$MTGeoTypeLocation$>
<$MTGeoTypeLocationLongitude$>
<$MTGeoTypeLocationName$>
<$MTGeoRSS_Entry$>
<$MTGeoTypeLocationDescription$>
<$MTGeoTypeLocationPlaceId$>
<$MTGeoTypeLocationPhone$>
<$MTGeoRSS_Namespace$>
<$MTGeoTypeLocationId$>
<$MTGeoTypeLocationCrossStreet$>
<$MTGeoTypeLocationThumbnail$>
<$MTGeoTypeLocationLatitude$
<$MTGeoTypeMap$>
<$MTGeoTypeLocationRating$>
<$MTGeoTypeCoords$>
<MTGeoTypeIfLocation>
<MTGeoTypeIfLocationExtended>
<MTGeoTypeLocations>
For further help and documentation please reference the GeoType Documentation
C. Creating a LightPole Compatible Feed
With a LightPole feed you can now make all of your geotagged entries available to mobile device users through the LightPole Geo-Browser.LightPole needs two things to mobilize your blog: a lightpole XML feed and a sign up widget. LightPole reads this feed and creates a channel that your readers can subscribe to. To allow your readers to subscribe to your blog channel, you place a signup widget somewhere on your site that asks the reader for their mobile phone # and LightPole does the rest.
To create a LightPole Feed:
1. Create a new template under Index Templates. Make sure to name it lightpole, and make sure the filename ends with .xml (that is lightpole.xml).
2. Paste the code in templates/lightpole.tmpl and Save
3. Somewhere on your site, place the LightPole widget code below saved in templates/LightPole Embedded Widget.tmp. A good place would probably be above the subscribe widget. Do not change the code in the <div id="lightpole-id and the <script tags as this is critical in creating your LightPole Channel.
4. For blogs with columns of less than 230 pixels please use the PopUp version of the LightPole Widget saved in templates/LightPole PopUp Widget.tmpl.
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