February 14, 2007

Book: Yahoo! Maps Mashups

My new book "Yahoo! Maps Mashups" is in stores and started shipping this week. The 350 page book spends 5 distinct chapters on each maps API including Ajax, JavaScript-Flash and ActionScript-Flash. Already recognized as the most complete documentation available on the maps APIs, the first and only book on Yahoo! Maps features over 50 code samples, all of which are download-able at the book’s companion site: www.mashupexperts.com.

The book was written to be the most comprehensive manual to the popular maps APIs possible. From the industrial-grade Ajax API to the highly creative Flash APIs, most map classes and methods are explored and sampled. For the beginner, special focus is put on zooming, panning and adding markers, overlays and tools. The advanced Yahoo! Maps mashup developer will enjoy working with custom overlays, tools and markers, live traffic and Yahoo! Local data.

As a testament to the incredible API offering from YDN (Yahoo! Developer Network), the book details one mashup for each API type using (what else but?) another Yahoo! API. For the Ajax API, you will mashup maps with Flickr using JSON. The JS-Flash API, working again with JSON, leverages trip planner data from Yahoo! Travel. The diverse Hot Jobs API is mashed up with the AS-Flash API component.

You may be missing the Flex API from the list – well, you’re not exactly missing it. Instead, you will learn how to bring the AS-Flash API into the next generation of RIA’s by coding an ActionScript 3 Local Connection class and working with Flex 2. This solution only begins to demonstrate the accelerated speed Adobe’s latest Flash technology brings to maps. In the 5 chapters dedicated to working with Flex 2, you will learn how to compile your own high quality Flash video and display it on your own Yahoo! Maps mashup.

Having spoken several times on Yahoo! maps at conferences last year, I knew the Yahoo! development community was hungry for a solid book on Yahoo! Maps. I was delighted to take advantage of the opportunity Wrox (my publisher) gave me to do the maps API, and other Yahoo! APIs justice. You’ll be happy to know, Wrox didn’t stop with Yahoo! Maps. Also available now are the following books: "Flickr Mashups" by David Wilkinson and "Del.icio.us Mashups" by Brett O’Connor. Additionally, "Amazon.com Mashups" by Franics Shanahan features mashups with Yahoo! Maps. All books carry on the fine tradition Wrox has of delivering quality technical books to real programmers. As I learned last year at many conferences, our developer community deserves and expects nothing less.

Enjoy the book and once you master each Yahoo! Maps API, I encourage you to explore the other exciting Yahoo! APIs featured right here on the Yahoo! Developer Network. You will find all the code for the book at the companion site “www.mashupexperts.com”. There, you can learn more about each Wrox Mashup book as well as post the mashups you go on to develop.

Thanks,
- Charles (Chuck) Freedman
Author of "Yahoo! Maps Mashups" and Sr. Flash Platform Engineer at Yahoo!

Posted at February 14, 2007 4:07 PM | Permalink

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Comments

Posted by: Doug Joyce at March 3, 2007 11:06 AM

Posted by: jos at April 25, 2007 9:00 AM