Using Free Mapping API's for Meetinghouse Locator

Discussions around miscellaneous technologies and projects for the general membership.
andersonj
New Member
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2007 1:45 pm
Location: Kearns, UT
Contact:

Using Free Mapping API's for Meetinghouse Locator

#1

Post by andersonj »

Just curious if there has been any consideration given to using API's such as Google Maps or Virtual Earth for tools such as the meetinghouse locator. I'd love to see a tool that would allow you to browse around a map and see where meetinghouses are available.
User avatar
jeffvand
New Member
Posts: 47
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2007 2:28 pm
Location: Arlington, Texas

Taking this a little further...

#2

Post by jeffvand »

Our ward recently organized a massive Priesthood effort to go and find some "lost sheep" on our records. I was put in charge of mapping out directions to each home. I used a basic formula that google uses in their permanent mapping links and mail-merged a document together with links to all of these houses. It would be even better to be able to do this online instantly... or to have a tool built that would do this for us so we could map out locations of members all over the ward! I think the API is a great way to do this! We already have the addresses.
User avatar
johnshaw
Senior Member
Posts: 2273
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2007 1:55 pm
Location: Syracuse, UT

Ward Web Sites

#3

Post by johnshaw »

As with the additional improvements to the Unit Web Sites, this could be incorporated into these sites, or at a minimum, added to the administrator options. How great would it be to click a button and see the ward members pin cushioned to a downloadable JPG or PDF. Even have varying sizes. What about overlaying it with the boundary maps available from headquarters with locations of meetinghouseses, members, etc... I could then print to a plotter and have a very nice map available to me anytime, instead of the usually outdated torn or shredded maps currently in many buildings.
andersonj
New Member
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2007 1:45 pm
Location: Kearns, UT
Contact:

Privacy Concerns?

#4

Post by andersonj »

I can imagine that there would probably be privacy concerns with having that kind of information so easily available, but if those could be resolved something like this would be VERY useful. I would hope that plotting the locations of our meetinghouses would be a safer place to start.
HansenBK
New Member
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:18 am

Mapping Apis

#5

Post by HansenBK »

Great ideas guys. There is a pretty big effort internally to utilize mapping apis with tools such as GIS and Esri plus more public apis such as Google and Yahoo Maps.

Keep watching for some of the new things to role out in some of the new apps that are shipping soon. Sorry, I wish I could give more details.
User avatar
greenwoodkl
Member
Posts: 288
Joined: Sun Jan 21, 2007 1:59 am
Location: Orem, Utah, Utah, United States
Contact:

GIS-related jobs at Church?

#6

Post by greenwoodkl »

bh5k -

I'm interested in GIS and maps as a hobby. Is there a large group looking at these map APIs and so forth? Are they working with whatever department handles ecclesiastical boundaries? Is this a growing group, specialized group? Just curious at potential job opps... Any insights you could share would be nice ;)
User avatar
WelchTC
Senior Member
Posts: 2085
Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2006 8:51 am
Location: Kaysville, UT, USA
Contact:

#7

Post by WelchTC »

Visit our jobs page for job listings. I can't comment on specific group sizes & such.

Tom
User avatar
mkmurray
Senior Member
Posts: 3266
Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:56 pm
Location: Utah
Contact:

Tim Heuer has a few good ideas...

#8

Post by mkmurray »

The Tech Talks got me in the mood for brainstorming...:)

As I was just skimming the net with Google to see what others have already done or started, I came across an idea by Tim Heuer that has to do with this thread.

Click this link to watch a wmv video of his demonstration.
User avatar
thedqs
Community Moderators
Posts: 1042
Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:53 am
Location: Redmond, WA
Contact:

#9

Post by thedqs »

That was great and it gave me a question: Is there a way to get from LDS.org the ward bounderies?
- David
russellhltn
Community Administrator
Posts: 34418
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 2:53 pm
Location: U.S.

#10

Post by russellhltn »

mkmurray wrote:Click this link to watch a wmv video of his demonstration.
Looks like re-inventing the wheel to me. The existing meetinghouse locaterwill take an address and direct you to THE ward that you live in and give you the to option to see it on a map. While I think it would be really nice to see the ward boundaries, doesn't the existing system fulfill the basic need to locate one's ward?

I don't see the point in providing information on multiple wards in your area as the closest one may not be the one whose boundaries you live in. The way wards are handled doesn't permit "ward shopping" unless you're willing to move. Am I missing something?
Post Reply

Return to “Other Member Technologies”