Java GoogleMaps

I need to use googlemaps in my java application, but after some researches I found some informationen such as the googlemaps api for java is deprecated. However, some people said that it is not allowed to use googlemaps outside the browser, what the fact, that I cannot find any api for java on the google docs, just supports.

Anyways, people were recommending serv开发者_JAVA百科ices from microsoft and nasa.

Does anybody know how to use googlemaps in java, if there is actually a real api and i was just to stupid to find it ? Has ever somebody used a map api in java ? If so could you recommend me any?

I am looking forward to receiving your answer.

All the best Richard

From the (http://googlegeodevelopers.blogspot.com/2010/11/maps-data-api-deprecation-announcement.html)

Maps Data API deprecation announcement

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

The Maps Data API is being deprecated and will no longer be available after January 31st 2011. For more information, including how to preserve your data and alternative solutions, read on...

When the Maps Data API was launched in Google Code Labs last year, it provided developers with a scalable distributed platform for hosting geospatial data. Since then we have received a lot of valuable feedback from developers, such as the need for visualisation of hosted data in Maps API applications, easy migration of existing spatial databases into the cloud, and a familiar data model and query syntax.

Earlier this year we launched a feature in the Google Maps API v3 that renders data stored in Fusion Tables, a Google Research project for storing large structured data sets in the cloud, which has an SQL based API, and recently gained support for spatial queries. The response both at developer events and online has been overwhelmingly positive. We have seen an explosion of compelling Maps applications that use Fusion Tables to store and visualise data.

Given this developer enthusiasm, and the fact that Fusion Tables addresses many of the features requested by developers for the Maps Data API, we have decided to recommend Fusion Tables as our cloud storage solution of choice for geospatial data going forward, and to deprecate the Maps Data API.

The Maps Data API will continue to be accessible until January 31st 2011, and Maps created using the Maps Data API will remain accessible in Google My Maps beyond this date. During the deprecation period we are also providing a Maps Data API data liberation tool. This tool offers download of Maps from the Maps Data API in KML format, or transfer to Fusion Tables, by the user that owns the data. Both data transfer and download to KML will preserve all data for the vast majority of maps. There are some rarely used features (e.g. certain custom properties) that are not represented in the KML download. See the FAQ in the tool for more details.

If you have any questions or concerns about the deprecation of the Maps Data API please consult the Maps Data API Forum. If you have been working with the Maps Data API we understand that this announcement may be disappointing. However we encourage you to take a look at Fusion Tables. We’re excited by the possibilities offered by its ease of use and powerful search and visualisation features, and we think you will be too.

==========================

You may also want to consider any licence about the re-use of the map data. Google Map content can not generally be re-used under an Open licence.

Google maps can only be used within the browser. If you want to build a mapping application with Java, then I suggest you take a look at the SwingX components. One of the components is the JXMapKit, it basically allows you to show any part of the world on a special JPanel. This special JPanel takes care of stitching all the tiles together and offers other functionality like converting GPS coordinates to X-Y coordinates and vice versa.

The SwingX component uses OpenStreetMap, which is an open source project. Unfortunately, it doesn't offer satellite images. Google where deciding wheather to allow direct access to their tile servers, however they changed their mind (Link to issue here).

Here is a link to a pretty good tutorial on how you can use the SwingX components.