Static Maps API v2 Upgrade Guide

The Static Maps API version 2 is an enhanced version of the Static Maps API, and has replaced the original API. It contains all of the functionality of the original API and more.

If you are a developer that already has a website using the Static Maps API version 1, these upgrade tips should help you port your current site's functionality to the Static Maps API version 2.

• Instead of specifying maptype=mobile, specify the desired map type (like maptype=hybrid) and the parameter mobile=true. This way, we can provide mobile optimized tiles for every map type.

• The color for a path is now specified using "color", not "rgba":

  For example:
  &path=rgba:0x0000FF80,weight:5|37.40303,-122.08334|37.39471,-122.07201|37.40589,-122.06171
  becomes:
  &path=color:0x0000FF80|weight:5|37.40303,-122.08334|37.39471,-122.07201|37.40589,-122.06171
  

• Similar to how the path styles were specified before, the marker styles are now specified using key:value pairs, separated by pipes. Marker labels are now denoted using uppercase alpha characters instead of lowercase alpha characters.

  For example:
  midreda
  becomes:
  size:mid|color:red|label:A

• Instead of specifying the marker style after each marker parameter, specify the style at the beginning of the markers= parameter, and that style will apply to all of the markers proceeding. If you want to show markers with different styles, just supply a new markers= parameter for each one.

  For example:
  markers=37.400465,-122.073003,midreda|37.437328,-122.159928,midreda|37.369110,-122.096034,smallblue
  becomes:
  markers=size:mid|color:red|label:E|37.400465,-122.073003|37.437328,-122.159928&markers=size:small|color:blue|37.369110,-122.096034
  

• Marker labels now require uppercase alphanumeric characters in the label parameter. This will allow us to later supply lowercase characters if we wish.

  For example:
  markers=37.400465,-122.073003,midreda
  becomes:
  markers=size:mid|color:red|label:E|37.400465,-122.073003
  

• Instead of using the span=parameter to make sure that your static map shows a particular viewport, use the visible= parameter instead, and specify a list of coordinates that must be shown.

  For example:
  center=0,0&span=20,20
  becomes:
  visible=10,-10|-10,10

• The frame parameter is no longer supported.

After upgrading your existing functionality, you might be interested in adding some of the new API functionality to your website. New features include:

• Locations (in center, markers, or path parameters) can now be specified as addresses instead of latitude/longitude coordinates.
• Paths can be specified as encoded polylines.
• Paths can be filled and rendered as polygons.
• Colors can now be specified as any 24-bit or 32-bit color.

For more information about using those features, read through the developer's guide.