Google have released a handy little gadget that you can use on your website to allow users to get driving directions to your office (or any other places that you wish to enter) and embed it in your site with just one line of javascript.

What does the Google Maps Driving Directions Gadget do?

The Google Maps Driving Directions Gadget allows a user to enter their starting point via a small textbox inserted into your page, select a destination point from a list of designated end points and then view both a map and text instructions on how to get from one point to the other. First, you have to go to the gadget setup page and enter a pipe separated list of end points:

Then, enter the title of the gadget along with the size and border colour that suits your website. Click the "Get the Code" button and a simple line of javascript will be generated that you can place in a suitable place in your site. e.g an example of what is generated for the above image looks like this:

<script src="http://www.gmodules.com/ig/ifr?url=http://hosting.gmodules.com/ig/gadgets/file
/114281111391296844949/driving-directions.xml&amp;up_myLocations=DL1%203TP%20%7C%20Darlington&amp;
synd=open&amp;w=320&amp;h=55&amp;title=Directions+by+Google+Maps&amp;brand=light&amp;lang=en&amp;
country=GB&amp;border=%23ffffff%7C3px%2C1px+solid+%23999999&amp;output=js"></script>

This could be a very useful gadget, especially for those people who have multiple offices and want to provide an easy way for customers to find good driving directions on how to find you.

Mark Smith
MDS Solutions - Darlington Web Design