google maps: use directly on google server?

Usually u have to set 开发者_如何学JAVAup a little script + htmlpage on your server to run google maps, but i was wondering - is it possible to use google maps directly? i mean by just calling an url with parameters (gpoint coordinates, zoomfactor ..) and it loads the map fullscreen without having to use my own server?

Sounds like you might be after the static maps api. You can build a URL specifying the properties of the map like:

• zoom
• position
• markers (including custom markers)
• image size
• etc

and you will get back a rendered image of the map. Something like:

Obviously this just gives you a fixed image of the map you are after. If you need a dynamic Google map, then you will need to use the Google Maps Javascript API.

Not hosted by Google. You might find some other website that uses the API to do the same thing.

Google Maps API

If you're using C# you can use this open-source project - This encapsulates all the interaction with goole maps API - http://code.google.com/p/google-maps/