Maps & Charts

GPS Tools provides interactive map visualization and comprehensive data charts. This guide covers configuration and customization options.

Map Providers

GPS Tools supports two map providers:

Provider	Cost	API Key	Best For
OpenStreetMap	Free	Not required	Most users
Google Maps	Paid tier	Required	Premium look, satellite

OpenStreetMap (Default)

OpenStreetMap is the default provider, powered by Leaflet.js:

Advantages:

• ✅ Completely free
• ✅ No API key required
• ✅ Privacy-friendly
• ✅ Extensive worldwide coverage
• ✅ Active community updates
• ✅ 15+ tile provider options

Available Tile Providers:

• OpenStreetMap Standard & Humanitarian
• OpenTopoMap (Topographic)
• Stadia Maps (Smooth, Dark, Outdoors)
• CartoDB (Positron, Dark Matter, Voyager)
• Esri (Street, Topo, Imagery)
• Thunderforest (Outdoors, Landscape, Cycle)
• Custom tile URLs

Google Maps

For a premium map experience:

Advantages:

• ✅ High-quality tiles
• ✅ Satellite and hybrid views
• ✅ 7 built-in map styles
• ✅ Custom JSON styling support
• ✅ Street View integration
• ✅ Familiar interface

Map Types:

• Roadmap (default)
• Satellite
• Terrain
• Hybrid

Considerations:

• ❗ Requires API key
• ❗ Usage costs (free tier available)
• ❗ API quotas apply

Setting Up Google Maps

Step 1: Create Google Cloud Account

1. Go to Google Cloud Console
2. Create or select a project
3. Enable billing (required, but free tier available)

Step 2: Enable Maps APIs

Enable these APIs for your project:

1. Maps JavaScript API - Required for map display
2. Geocoding API - Optional, for location search

Step 3: Create API Key

1. Go to APIs & Services → Credentials
2. Click Create Credentials → API Key
3. Copy the generated key

Step 4: Secure Your API Key

Restrict your API key for security:

1. Click on your API key
2. Under Application restrictions, select HTTP referrers
3. Add your domains:

   https://yoursite.com/*
   https://www.yoursite.com/*

4. Under API restrictions, select Restrict key
5. Choose only the APIs you need

Step 5: Configure in GPS Tools

1. Go to Components → GPS Tools → Options
2. Paste your key in Google Maps API Key
3. Set Default Map Provider to "Google Maps"
4. Save

Google Maps Pricing

Google offers a generous free tier:

Usage	Free Tier	After Free Tier
Map Loads	28,000/month	$7 per 1,000
Static Maps	100,000/month	$2 per 1,000

Most small to medium sites stay within the free tier.

Map Configuration

GPS Tools offers extensive map configuration options organized into several categories.

General Settings

Configure in Components → GPS Tools → Options:

Setting	Default	Description
Default Map Provider	OpenStreetMap	Primary map provider (OSM or Google)
Default Zoom	13	Initial zoom level (1-20)
Track Color	#3B82F6	Main track line color
Track Width	4	Line width in pixels (1-10)

OpenStreetMap Tile Providers

GPS Tools supports 15+ tile providers for OpenStreetMap:

Provider	Style	API Key
OpenStreetMap Standard	Classic OSM	No
Humanitarian (HOT)	Humanitarian focus	No
OpenTopoMap	Topographic	No
Stadia Smooth/Dark/Outdoors	Modern, clean	Yes
CartoDB Positron/Dark/Voyager	Minimal styles	No
Esri World Street/Topo/Imagery	Professional	No
Thunderforest Outdoors/Landscape/Cycle	Activity-focused	Yes
Custom	Your own tiles	Varies

Google Maps Styles

When using Google Maps, choose from built-in styles:

Style	Description
Standard	Default Google Maps
Silver	Subtle gray tones
Retro	Vintage, muted
Dark	Dark theme
Night	Night-optimized
Aubergine	Purple-tinted dark
Minimal	Clean, minimal
Custom	Your JSON style

Track Display Options

Setting	Default	Description
Opacity	0.85	Track transparency
Shadow	Yes	Drop shadow effect
Start/End Markers	Yes	Show route endpoints
Marker Size	8px	Endpoint marker size

Color Modes

Dynamic track coloring based on data:

Mode	Colors By	Gradient
Default	Fixed color	N/A
Speed	Velocity	Green → Red
Elevation	Altitude	Blue → Red
Heart Rate	BPM	Green → Red

Route Animation

Enable animated playback of your tracks:

Setting	Options
Playback	Enable/Disable
Speed	Slow, Normal, Fast, Very Fast
Marker Color	Customizable

Zoom Levels Explained

Level	View	Best For
1-4	Continent	Not useful for tracks
5-8	Country/Region	Multi-day expeditions
9-11	City/Area	Day hikes, bike tours
12-14	Neighborhood	Detailed routes
15-18	Street	Running paths, urban
19-20	Building	Very precise routes

Track Color Options

Consider activity-based colors:

Activity	Suggested Color	Hex Code
Hiking	Forest Green	#22C55E
Cycling	Blue	#3B82F6
Running	Orange	#F97316
Skiing	Ice Blue	#0EA5E9
Driving	Purple	#8B5CF6

Elevation-Based Coloring

When enabled, tracks are colored by elevation:

Elevation	Color	Example
Lowest	Green	Valley floor
Low-Mid	Yellow	Foothills
Mid-High	Orange	Mountain slopes
Highest	Red	Peaks, summits

Map Features

Interactive Controls

OpenStreetMap Controls:

Control	Configurable	Positions
Zoom +/-	Yes	4 corners
Scale Bar	Yes	Bottom left
Attribution	Yes	Bottom right

Google Maps Controls:

Control	Configurable	Positions
Zoom +/-	Yes	8 positions
Map Type	Yes	Top right
Street View	Yes	Near zoom
Scale	Yes	Bottom
Fullscreen	Yes	Top right

Map Toolbar

The map toolbar provides quick access to features:

Control	Function
Color Mode	Switch between default/speed/elevation/HR coloring
Play/Pause	Start or pause route animation
Reset	Reset animation to beginning
Fullscreen	Toggle fullscreen mode

Markers

Marker	Meaning
🟢 Green	Track start point
🔴 Red	Track end point
📍 Blue	Waypoints
🏔️ Custom	Category-specific icons

Popups

Click markers to see:

• Track/waypoint name
• Distance and elevation
• Link to full track view

Scale Bar

Shows real-world distances on the map in the selected unit system.

Charts

GPS Tools provides interactive charts for track analysis.

Available Chart Types

Chart	Data	Color
Elevation	Altitude over distance	Green (#22C55E)
Speed	Speed over distance	Blue (#3B82F6)
Heart Rate	BPM over distance	Red (#EF4444)
Cadence	RPM/SPM over distance	Purple (#8B5CF6)
Power	Watts over distance	Orange (#F97316)

Chart Features

Feature	Description
Hover	Shows exact values at cursor
Zoom	Click and drag to zoom
Pan	Shift + drag to pan
Reset	Double-click to reset view
Map Sync	Hover shows point on map

Chart Configuration

Configure in Components → GPS Tools → Options → Chart Settings:

Setting	Default	Options
Chart Height	200px	100-500px
Fill Charts	Yes	Yes/No
Show Grid	Yes	Yes/No
Show Legend	Yes	Yes/No

Data Availability

Not all tracks have all data types:

File Format	Elevation	Speed	Heart Rate	Cadence	Power
GPX	✅	Calculated	If recorded	If recorded	If recorded
KML	✅	Calculated	❌	❌	❌
TCX	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅

Reading Elevation Charts

         ▲ Elevation (m)
     2500 │      ●───● Peak
         │     ╱     ╲
     2000 │    ╱       ╲
         │   ╱         ╲
     1500 │  ╱           ╲ Descent
         │ ╱ Climb        ╲
     1000 │●               ●
         └─────────────────────▶ Distance (km)
           0   5   10   15   20

Key insights from elevation charts:

• Steep climbs = Vertical sections
• Gradual climbs = Angled sections
• Flat terrain = Horizontal sections
• Total gain = Sum of all uphill sections

Reading Speed Charts

         ▲ Speed (km/h)
      25 │    ●───●
         │   ╱     ╲     ●
      20 │  ╱       ╲   ╱
         │ ╱         ╲ ╱
      15 │╱           ●
         │            Stop
      10 │
         └─────────────────────▶ Distance (km)
           0   5   10   15   20

Key insights from speed charts:

• High peaks = Fast sections (downhill, flat)
• Valleys = Slow sections (uphill, technical)
• Drops to zero = Stops/breaks
• Consistent line = Steady pace

Statistics Panel

The statistics panel shows key track metrics:

Distance Stats

Stat	Description
Total Distance	Full track length
3D Distance	Includes elevation changes

Elevation Stats

Stat	Description
Elevation Gain	Total uphill meters
Elevation Loss	Total downhill meters
Max Elevation	Highest point
Min Elevation	Lowest point
Total Ascend	Cumulative ascent
Total Descend	Cumulative descent

Time Stats

Stat	Description
Duration	Start to end time
Moving Time	Time in motion
Stopped Time	Time at rest

Speed Stats

Stat	Description
Average Speed	Total distance / total time
Moving Average	Distance / moving time
Max Speed	Peak speed recorded

Fitness Stats (if available)

Stat	Description
Avg Heart Rate	Mean BPM
Max Heart Rate	Peak BPM
Calories	Estimated energy

Customizing Appearance

CSS Variables

GPS Tools uses CSS variables for theming:

:root {
    /* Track colors */
    --gpstools-track-color: #3B82F6;
    --gpstools-track-width: 3px;
    
    /* Chart colors */
    --gpstools-elevation-color: #22C55E;
    --gpstools-speed-color: #3B82F6;
    --gpstools-heartrate-color: #EF4444;
    
    /* UI colors */
    --gpstools-primary: #3B82F6;
    --gpstools-background: #ffffff;
    --gpstools-text: #1f2937;
}

Custom Map Styles

Override in your template CSS:

/* Map container */
.gpstools-map-container {
    border-radius: 12px;
    overflow: hidden;
    box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
}

/* Stats panel */
.gpstools-stats {
    background: linear-gradient(135deg, #f8fafc, #f1f5f9);
    padding: 1.5rem;
    display: grid;
    grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(150px, 1fr));
    gap: 1rem;
}

/* Chart container */
.gpstools-charts {
    padding: 1rem;
    background: #ffffff;
}

Responsive Design

GPS Tools is fully responsive:

/* Tablet and smaller */
@media (max-width: 768px) {
    .gpstools-map-container {
        height: 300px !important;
    }
    
    .gpstools-stats {
        grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr);
    }
}

/* Mobile */
@media (max-width: 480px) {
    .gpstools-stats {
        grid-template-columns: 1fr;
    }
}

Performance Optimization

Track Simplification

For performance, tracks are simplified for display:

• Original coordinates preserved
• Display uses Douglas-Peucker algorithm
• Configurable point limit (default: 1000)
• Shape maintained, fewer points

Lazy Loading

Enable lazy loading for embedded tracks:

• Maps load when scrolled into view
• Reduces initial page load
• Better Core Web Vitals scores

Caching

Enable caching for better performance:

• Parsed track data cached
• Default: 3600 seconds (1 hour)
• Reduces database queries

Troubleshooting Maps

Map Shows Gray/Blank

1. Check browser console for errors
2. Verify API key (for Google Maps)
3. Check API key restrictions
4. Ensure HTTPS on production

Track Not Visible

1. Verify track has coordinates
2. Check bounds calculation
3. Try "Fit to Track" button
4. Check track color vs. background

Slow Map Loading

1. Enable track simplification
2. Reduce max display points
3. Enable lazy loading
4. Use caching

Related Documentation

• Configuration - All settings
• Content Plugin - Embedding tracks
• Modules - Map module
• Troubleshooting - Common issues