VB.NET: Using Google Maps on your application

During my college days we created a project called "Electronic Map Navigator". Its function is to locate the easiest route from Point A to Point B. Those days, creating map enabled application was still a complicated task but not anymore. Today I guess it's as easy as creating your first hello program. The task made easier by the availability of internet, Google Maps, Google Earth and Virtual Earth. On this article, I will show you how to implement google maps on your VB.NET applications (without using Maps API).

• Add "Imports System.Text" statement on your VB.NET project
• In your main form, add text boxes to hold street, city, state and zip
• Add search button for user to click when searching the map. On it's click event put the following codes:




Try
Dim streetaddr As String = ""
Dim cityaddr As String = ""
Dim stateaddr As String = ""
Dim zipaddr As String = ""
Dim AddrToSearch As New StringBuilder()
AddrToSearch.Append("http://maps.google.com/maps?q=")

' if there is street entry
If txtStreet.Text <> "" Then
streetaddr = txtStreet.Text.Replace(" ", "+")
AddrToSearch.Append(street + "," & "+")
End If

' if there is city entry
If txtCity.Text <> "" Then
cityaddr  = txtCity.Text.Replace(" ", "+")
AddrToSearch.Append(city + "," & "+")
End If

' if there is state
If txtState.Text <> "" Then
stateaddr = txtState.Text.Replace(" ", "+")
AddrToSearch.Append(state + "," & "+")
End If

' if there is zip code
If txtZipCode.Text <> "" Then
zipaddr = txtZipCode.Text.ToString()
AddrToSearch.Append(zip)
End If

' pass the AddrToSearch value to web browser control
wbrowser.Navigate(AddrToSearch.ToString())

Catch ex As Exception

MessageBox.Show(ex.Message.ToString(), "Problem encountered while retrieving google map")

End Try




• Aside from actual street address of the map, you can also search the map by latitude and longitude




Try
Dim latitude As String = ""
Dim longitude As String = ""
Dim AddrToSearch As New StringBuilder()
AddrToSearch.Append("http://maps.google.com/maps?q=")

' if there is latitude
If txtLatitude.Text <> "" Then
latitude = txtLatitude.Text
AddrToSearch.Append(latitude & "%2C")
End If

' if there is longitude
If txtLongitude .Text <> "" Then
longitude = txtLongitude .Text
AddrToSearch.Append(longitude)
End If

' pass the AddrToSearch value to web browser control
wbrowser.Navigate(AddrToSearch.ToString())

Catch ex As Exception

MessageBox.Show(ex.Message.ToString(), "Problem encountered while retrieving google map")

End Try

Since using this method does not require or needs any Google Maps API, you have little or no control on view map controls. These controls are already provided by Google Maps inside your web browser control.