Question

We have a dynamic json feed that is parsed into markers on our google map.

the parsing function looks something like this:

function parse_json(json) {

      // alert('start parse: '+json.length);
      if (json.length > 0) { 
        var markers = [];
        for (i=0; i<json.length; i++) {
          var report = json[i];
          //alert(report.longitude +','+report.latitude);
          // addLocation(report); 
          markers[i] = new google.maps.Marker({
            map: map,
            position: new google.maps.LatLng(report.latitude, report.longitude),
            pop_title: report.area1.name,
            pop_body: '<b><a href="/spot/'+ report.spot.slug +'">'+ report.spot.name +'</a></b>'+
                      '<br>'+ report.report_description,
            draggable: false,
            title: 'title',
            zIndex: i,
            icon: '/images/map_icon.png'
          });
          markers[i].metadata = {type: "point", id: report.id};

          google.maps.event.addListener(markers[i], 'click', onMarkerClick);

      }
    };

i have added metadata info to the markers created so their id is the report.id – but i want to use the google.maps.event.trigger(SOMETHING_HERE, 'click'); construct to trigger a click event on a given marker when a button outside of the map is pressed. how do i get the object name, or is there a way to do this using the object’s id?

thanks!

Answer 1

If you declare your markers array at a higher scope than your parse_json function, then you will be able to refer to it later, something like this:

var markers = new Array();
function parse_json(json) {
    //code removed for brevity
}

Then later, when you need to find the marker you want to fire a click event against, you could use the id like this:

for ( var i = 0; i < markers.length; i++ ) {
    var mkr = markers[i];
    if ( mkr.metadata.id === idYouAreSearchingFor ) {
        //do whatever is needed here and fire your event
    }
}