MapView and MapActivity

Using the Google Maps library, you can create your own map-viewing Activity.



By default the Android SDK includes the Google APIs add-on, which in turn includes the Maps external library. The Google APIs add-on requires Android 1.5 SDK or later release.

Create a Android project with build target called "Google APIs".

Modify AndroidManifest.xml to include uses-library "com.google.android.maps", and grant permission of "android.permission.INTERNET".

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.AndroidMapView"
    android:versionCode="1"
    android:versionName="1.0">
  <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="4" />

  <application android:icon="@drawable/icon" android:label="@string/app_name">
   <uses-library android:name="com.google.android.maps" />
      <activity android:name=".AndroidMapViewActivity"
                android:label="@string/app_name">
          <intent-filter>
              <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
              <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
          </intent-filter>
      </activity>
  </application>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"/>
</manifest>

To embed a MapView in your app, you have to obtain a Maps API key, refer to this post.

Modify main.xml to add com.google.android.maps.MapView, with your own Maps API Key.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
  android:orientation="vertical"
  android:layout_width="fill_parent"
  android:layout_height="fill_parent"
  >
<TextView
  android:layout_width="fill_parent"
  android:layout_height="wrap_content"
  android:text="@string/hello"
  />
<com.google.android.maps.MapView
android:id="@+id/mapview"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:clickable="true"
android:apiKey="Your Maps API key here" />
</LinearLayout>

Main activity, extends MapActivity.

package com.AndroidMapView;

import com.google.android.maps.MapActivity;
import com.google.android.maps.MapView;

import android.os.Bundle;

public class AndroidMapViewActivity extends MapActivity {
  /** Called when the activity is first created. */
  @Override
  public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
      super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
      setContentView(R.layout.main);
      MapView mapView = (MapView) findViewById(R.id.mapview);
      mapView.setBuiltInZoomControls(true);
  }

@Override
protected boolean isRouteDisplayed() {
 // TODO Auto-generated method stub
 return false;
}
}

next:
- Using ItemizedOverlay to add marker on MapView