# IAP Members Map Is Fixed!!



## Randy_ (Jan 19, 2008)

I used to get really pissed off at the IAP Members Map because it loaded really slowly...10 minutes.....and frequently caused my computer to lock up.  I always attributed the problem to my ancient computer and just quit trying to use the map.  I know there have been other members who have had similar problems.

Well, the other day, I tried it again just for fun and it worked like a charm.  The map came up in about 30 seconds and over the past three days of testing, it has not caused my computer to lock up, even once!!!

I asked Jeff if he had done something to the map software to improve its performance and he reported the following.  Apparently someone entered an erroneous geocode that put the member on the third moon of Saturn and that caused the map program some indigestion.  The offending geocode was corrected or removed (can't remember which) and the map program is now working very well.....at least for me.  So if you have had problems with the program in the past and have quit using it, you might want to revisit it and see if it is treating you better now.

And a big thanks to Jeff for solving this problem!!

I'm thinking he deserves a pay raise. [}][}]


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## LEAP (Jan 19, 2008)

Cool, Now all my fellow martians and I can find each other.


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## TellicoTurning (Jan 19, 2008)

Still only loads two turners in TN... My pin used to come up, but doesn't now.. just check my geo code and re-entered it.. so it still not working 100%


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## jeff (Jan 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by ozmandus_
> 
> Still only loads two turners in TN... My pin used to come up, but doesn't now.. just check my geo code and re-entered it.. so it still not working 100%


Chuck - I just looked and you're there.


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## great12b4ever (Jan 19, 2008)

I visited the map and it shows my pen but in the wrong location for where I live.  Houston is a big city and it has me about 30 miles from where I live.  I checked my geocode and it is correct, Oh well


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## TowMater (Jan 19, 2008)

I entered mine and it has me in about the same situation as Rob, at least I'm on the map though!!

Todd


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## Randy_ (Jan 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by ozmandus_
> 
> Still only loads two turners in TN... My pin used to come up, but doesn't now.. just check my geo code and re-entered it.. so it still not working 100%



Chuck:  One thing you have to remember....and this is a weakness of the map.....is that it can only display 300 member locations and those are the 300 members who have most recently visited the map.  So new visitors are continually being added to the map and folks who have been on the map for a while are continually getting bumped.  If you don't keep going back to the map on a regular basis, you will get bumped off.  Certainly not the best of systems; but better than nothing.  At some point in time, I'm sure Jeff will come up with a better system; but the guy does have a life and the time he has available to IAP is nowhere close to unlimited.


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## lwalden (Jan 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Randy__
> 
> I used to get really pissed off at the IAP Members Map because it loaded really slowly...10 minutes.....and frequently caused my computer to lock up.  I always attributed the problem to my ancient computer and just quit trying to use the map.  I know there have been other members who have had similar problems.
> 
> ...



Randy, I don't think that was an error- I think that's where banned members get sent to reflect on their communication skills[}][}].... Houston, the Eagle has landed!!!

And folks, I'm really not trying to stir anything up- just seemed like too good an opportunity to resurrect what I consider one of the most amazing moments in mankinds history- Can you imagine going back to any point in history prior to the 1850's and trying to convince people that mankind would walk on the face of the moon? And by the way, Tom Hanks is on the TV right now in "Apollo 13"- only about the 6th time I've watched it. When I grow up, I want to be a space pirate..........


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## gerryr (Jan 19, 2008)

That's pathetic, only 307 members mapped.


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## txbob (Jan 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by gerryr_
> 
> That's pathetic, only 307 members mapped.



Hi Gerry,
Well, if the map can't show everyone, shouldn't it at least show all the members from Texas? [8D]
Bob


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## lwalden (Jan 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by txbob_
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sounds like it wouldn't be able to show but 'bout half of the members from Texas.......


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## Randy_ (Jan 19, 2008)

Todd/Rob:

You said your geo codes were correct;but I'll bet they are not.  How did you get your codes?

1.  entering your full street address

2.  entering just your zip code

3.  selecting a physical location on the map??

I have always had my location just based on my zip code and it put me in the middle of Lake Ray Hubbard about 2 miles from my actual home.  Just for fun, I changed my geocode to one based on my actual street address and the map had my pin within about 100 feet of my front doorstep.  

I have been in the mapping business for a long time and have a more than passing knowledge of computer maps and GIS systems.  If you would like for me to try and get you located a little better on the members map, email me and we can chat.

And just for grins, you might want to try another geocode site to see if it will give you a better number.  Here is one that I have found to be very accurate.

http://www.travelgis.com/geocode/Default.aspx


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## TellicoTurning (Jan 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Randy__
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Jeff has a life... I though IAP was his life [}]

Good to know.. thanks for update... I'll visit more often so I can see where I live... also think I'll try the street address route instead of zip... might be closer to where I live.


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## lwalden (Jan 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by ozmandus_
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When I used just Zip, I ended up showing to be in Denton, about 15 miles from my house. When I tried again using my street address, the satellite view shows me in my next door neighbors swimming pool. Surfs up!!


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## Randy_ (Jan 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by ozmandus_
> 
> .....also think I'll try the street address route instead of zip... might be closer to where I live.



Chuck:  You can certainly try that to see how close you come; but for privacy and security reasons, you may not want to have your exact location shown.


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## Varinokid (Jan 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Randy__
> 
> Todd/Rob:
> And just for grins, you might want to try another geocode site to see if it will give you a better number.  Here is one that I have found to be very accurate.
> ...



The old numbers I had ...put me at least 20 min away from my actual house.  I tried the above link, and got new numbers...it's dead on.  Thanks for the link Randy!


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## great12b4ever (Jan 19, 2008)

Hey Randy, I went to the link and got a new Geocode, and it has me only about a 1/2 block away.  That is a big improvement.  Thanks for the help and info


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## Randy_ (Jan 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by lwalden_
> 
> .....When I used just Zip, I ended up showing to be in Denton, about 15 miles from my house. When I tried again using my street address, the satellite view shows me in my next door neighbors swimming pool. Surfs up!!



Lyle: For privacy and security reasons, you probably don't want your location to be shown quite so closely.  As an approximation, changing one unit in the hundredths place of your geocode will move you about a mile North and South or East and West.  You might wan't to change your geocode in the third decimal place and beyond to fuzzy up your location a little otherwise me and some others might be camped in your back yard next time you fire up the barbie!!

Same comment for Varinokid:  you probably don't want to be advertising your precise location.


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## Aderhammer (Jan 19, 2008)

Where is this so called members map?


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## NavyDiver (Jan 19, 2008)

Look in the drop down box under "Member Tools" at the top of the page.


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## airrat (Jan 19, 2008)

Anthony when did you move to South Mountain?


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## TellicoTurning (Jan 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Randy__
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I tried it, but since I live in a mountain hollow somewhere in the edge of the Smokey mountains, the geo code said, " Darn, we can't geocode that location" .. guess I'm safe for now... just have to watch out for the bears.


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## dalemcginnis (Jan 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by gerryr_
> 
> That's pathetic, only 307 members mapped.



Not only that, some of the pins are on old visits.  I clicked on the profile for someone the map said lives near me and he hasn't posted on the site since last May.


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## rhahnfl (Jan 19, 2008)

I've had my geocode in for a long time and still have never seen my pin on the map.


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## Randy_ (Jan 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by rhahnfl_
> 
> I've had my geocode in for a long time and still have never seen my pin on the map.



Chris:  When is the last time you visited the map?  And are you using Windows and IE or something else?  I put your geocode in a reverse lookup and it pointed to Orange Park so the code seems to be good.  Try visiting the map again and see if it will recognize you.  

Just for fun, I am going to enter your geocode in my profile and see what happens.


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## Randy_ (Jan 19, 2008)

Chris:  Using your geocode, I was able to place a pin with my profile in your front yard so the system seems to be working for me.  Don't have a clue why it is not working for you??  All i can suggest is to try it again and see what happens.  If you still don't have success, check with Jeff and see what he has to say.


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## Randy_ (Jan 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by dalemcginnis_
> 
> .....Not only that, some of the pins are on old visits.  I clicked on the profile for someone the map said lives near me and he hasn't posted on the site since last May.



The guy could be a lurker.  May not be posting on the forum; but may have visited the map recently??


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## Randy_ (Jan 20, 2008)

> _Originally posted by ozmandus_
> 
> .....I tried it, but since I live in a mountain hollow somewhere in the edge of the Smokey mountains, the geo code said, " Darn, we can't geocode that location" .. guess I'm safe for now... just have to watch out for the bears.



Chuck:  I see 6 members listed in Tennessee including yourself.  Don't know exactly how precise your current pin location is; but it can't be too bad as it does show you on the road to Belltown.

Try the following geocode and see if it puts your pin closer to home?

35.429023, -84.250681

You can just copy/paste these numbers into your profile.  It will save a few seconds and eliminate the possibilite of a typo.


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## Poppy (Jan 20, 2008)

> _Originally posted by rhahnfl_
> 
> I've had my geocode in for a long time and still have never seen my pin on the map.



I'm having the same problem As Chris.[?]


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## IPD_Mrs (Jan 20, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Poppy_
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Ours has been in since we started and it is there.  Took a little maneuvering of the map to find it, (zoom) otherwise there are too many little yellow blips to fight through.  Of course when you are a lonesome little rat living in the UK all by yourself I guess it isn't too hard to locate your yellow blip. I'm so sorry for ya Skippers. 





No one is showing in Hawaii - I would love to move the Mr. and I there or Aruba .. any where with some great 


 and 


 but alas it would still be only a yellow blip on a map and I would be freezing my rear off in the fridgid tundra of Indy. 

Come on folks the map is working great... post your geocodes so those of us stuck inside on the subzero days have something to do when the games are over!!!

[:X] Mrs.


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## simomatra (Jan 20, 2008)

I have taken two sites on GPS and they match, have entered same but map still has me north west but about 50 miles


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## Randy_ (Jan 20, 2008)

Sam:

Did you try determining a geocode from the IAP site and use that?  Did it give you a better location than your GPS device??


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## simomatra (Jan 20, 2008)

Randy the geocode could not find Brisbane let alone Camira and the zoom feature would not let me zoom in far enough to get a fix that way. Used Goggle earth and it matched both GPS units


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## Randy_ (Jan 20, 2008)

Sam:

I have no idea what is going on but there wasn't much on TV tonight so I decided to play with your problem a little.  I plugged your geocode into the geolocator site mentioned earlier and it put you about 30 miles NE of Brisbane out in the ocean.  Really surprising since the site uses Google maps??

Anyway, I generated a geocode for Camira from the map on that site and used an address of 298 Old Logan Road which is right at the intersection of Old Logan Road and Addison Road.  (map names, I have no idea if they are in current use, locally??).  Do you know the intersection?  Is it anywhere close to your actual location??

The geocode is: -27.6325, 152.916   

I tested the geocode on the IAP map and it places a pin exactly where it is supposed to be!!!!!

If this location is close enough for you, copy/paste the code into your personal profile and you should be set.  If you would like a more precise location, visit the link I posted earlier and enter your exact street address and see what you get.  

This surely is a puzzle for which I have no explanation; but at least we can get you on the map in a pretty good location so I guess that is all that counts.


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## jeff (Jan 20, 2008)

I increased the pin count to 500. Let me know if it's too slow. 

You'll notice that it shows 467 pins. I ask the database for 500, and it returns that many, but then the "bad geocode" filter throws some (33 now) out. So if you don't see your pin on the map, check that your geocode in your profile is correct. 25 of those are people who have entered their ZIP code.


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## jeff (Jan 20, 2008)

> _Originally posted by dalemcginnis_
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It's not last POST time, it's last VISIT time.


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## Randy_ (Jan 20, 2008)

Jeff:  I'll try it again later; but I just loaded the new map and it only displayed "THREE" pins?????  It loaded pretty quick!!   

I  wonder if the data base has been lost and we will have to wait for 500 new visits before the map is back up to full strength??

Also note that the text displayed just above the map still says that the map will only display 300 members.

I went back a few minutes later and it is now displaying 14 members.  Looks like it is developing a new data base.

OK, I just went back again and there are now only 6 members displayed??  We lost 8 members in the last five minutes.  I'll bet Jeff is doing some work on the map as we speak??


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## TellicoTurning (Jan 20, 2008)

Randy,
I just check the map.. it only shows 2 in Tennessee right now, but probably didn't wait for it to finish loading... shows only 307 in the text above the map... but I am one of the 2 shown, so I'm happy... you know small things amuse small minds!!


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## rhahnfl (Jan 20, 2008)

I just checked it again and only had one pin in Florida... England 14. I logged onto the wifes computer and had two pins... the afore mentioned and mine. Go figure. Think it could Internet Explorer settings?

Yesterday I had 5 pins in Florida... GaryMcg, England14, a palm coast one? and a couple others I can't remember their names.


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## Randy_ (Jan 20, 2008)

That's weird!!  I only see one or two pins in England.  I don't recall ever seeing 14 pins in that little island.


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## rhahnfl (Jan 20, 2008)

I logged off...closed my browser...re-started the browser and logged back into the site and my pin is a stones throw from the actual location.


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## simomatra (Jan 20, 2008)

Randy , thanks for all your help. You were but a few blocks out and as that worked I started my own search and finally got a code from www.travelgis.com. It is now spot on my lot. Its funny how it does not match the GPS and Goggle earth code.

Thanks again


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