ezgmaplocation: a map location datatype #

This page is for site builders who store places on content, such as offices, events or users. ezgmaplocation is a datatype that stores a latitude and longitude (decimal degrees) on an object. The editor finds the point by typing an address under a Google map. The address is stored with the coordinates and is searchable.

Set it up #

1. Get a Google Maps JavaScript API key and set it in ezgmaplocation.ini [GMapSettings] ApiKey=<key> (in settings/override/ or per siteaccess). With an empty key the edit form and the view load no Google script and show the coordinates without a map; a site that sends a Content Security Policy has to allow Google's hosts.
2. Activate the extension and regenerate the extension autoloads: php bin/php/ezpgenerateautoloads.php -e.
3. Create the table ezgmaplocation from extension/ezgmaplocation/sql/<engine>/ (a SQLite schema ships since 6.0.3).
4. Add the Google Maps Location datatype to a class.

Edit a location #

1. Type an address under the map and press Find address: the map centers on it and the latitude and longitude fields are filled in.
2. Refine by dragging the marker or clicking the map; the coordinates follow, and the address field is cleared. Restore brings back the location stored before, and My current location uses the browser's position.

Example: find objects close to a point #

The included filter fetches by distance, sorted by closeness:

{def $users_close_by = fetch( 'content', 'tree', hash(
        'parent_node_id', 12,
        'limit', 3,
        'sort_by', array( 'distance', true() ),
        'class_filter_type', 'include',
        'class_filter_array', array( 'user' ),
        'extended_attribute_filter', hash( 'id', 'ezgmlLocationFilter',
                                           'params', hash( 'latitude', 59.917,
                                                           'longitude', 10.729,
                                                           'distance', 0.5 ) ) ) )}

Limits #

• The distance filter uses a bounding box for SQL speed. classes/ezgmllocationfilter.php documents the parameters that give true "arccosine" or closer-to-true "pythagorean" circular accuracy. The sort is accurate.
• To show the distance ("2.5 km away"), use the arccosine parameter with as_object, false() to get a value from which to compute it.

What changed in the Exponential 6 releases #

Related pages #

• Extension metadata specification
• Chronicle and release notes
• Change ledger
• Behaviour changes of the extensions
• Months: 2026-04, 2026-09 (all extensions)