# Improve our global map by better integration with the forum **URL:** \ **Category:** Projects\ **Tags:** it-team\ **Created:** [July 29, 2022, 10:21am UTC](https://tzm.one/t/improve-our-global-map-by-better-integration-with-the-forum/22125 "2022-07-29T10:21:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kees](https://tzm.one/user_avatar/tzm.one/kees/32/8442_2.png) [@Kees](https://tzm.one/u/Kees)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2022, 10:21am UTC](https://tzm.one/t/improve-our-global-map-by-better-integration-with-the-forum/22125/1 "2022-07-29T10:21:50Z")
The Fairphone forum uses the map below. > **[Fairphone Community Map](https://forum.fairphone.com/t/fairphone-community-map/26553?u=uppercase)** > > Continuing the discussion from Do you know an open source alternative to embedded maps? I present to you: The Fairphone Community Map! šŸ—ŗ šŸŽ‰ @Roboe and I have been working on it for over 7 month and we are happy that we are finally able to show it... This is integrated with their forum and we can do the same thing of course. This can be done by creating the email aliases and connect them to our [groups](https://tzm.one/groups). Then we need to link our [events](https://tzm.one/calendar) plugin with this applet and then we have a better [global map](https://tzm.one/map) of our chapters and events. But also the ability to easily contact chapters. Their software is #open-source, but time is limited on my side. I can have a look next year. But our movement would work best if we spread the load and delegate tasks, when possible and needed. It doesnā€™t seem to be a whole lot of work though. But it does require some dedication to do it right šŸ¤“ It may be just changing the data sources and verify if they work. But this needs to be checked, and I donā€™t even have that time to spare at the moment. Just a nudge to our [@it-team](https://tzm.one/groups/it-team), if anyone is looking for #Activism > ProjectsšŸ˜‰ > **[GitHub - WeAreFairphone/fprsmap: This is a Leaflet map of the local Fairphoners...](https://github.com/WeAreFairphone/fprsmap)** > > This is a Leaflet map of the local Fairphoners communities ---
**Author:** ![Kees](https://tzm.one/user_avatar/tzm.one/kees/32/8442_2.png) [@Kees](https://tzm.one/u/Kees)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2022, 11:40am UTC](https://tzm.one/t/improve-our-global-map-by-better-integration-with-the-forum/22125/2 "2022-07-30T11:40:33Z")
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**Author:** ![Kees](https://tzm.one/user_avatar/tzm.one/kees/32/8442_2.png) [@Kees](https://tzm.one/u/Kees)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2022, 12:03pm UTC](https://tzm.one/t/improve-our-global-map-by-better-integration-with-the-forum/22125/3 "2022-07-30T12:03:19Z")
I dived a bit in the code, it works pretty simple and the Fairphone community made it very readable and usable. I already got it working on my laptop with the Fairphone data sources I want to host the map as localhost on the server and then make it available to the forum via the local Docker network for security reasons. I donā€™t want to run this code publicly, itā€™s not that actively maintained for that. This can be done soon. I just have to create the data sources and see if our event plugin is compatible. So far it doesnā€™t look like that and Fairphone uses a semi-official event plugin for that. I can live without events on the map for now and figure that out later. ---
**Author:** ![Kees](https://tzm.one/user_avatar/tzm.one/kees/32/8442_2.png) [@Kees](https://tzm.one/u/Kees)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2022, 1:31pm UTC](https://tzm.one/t/improve-our-global-map-by-better-integration-with-the-forum/22125/4 "2022-07-30T13:31:18Z")
After some more careful examination, I think the Fairphone setup is actually not _that_ well integrated with the forum as it can be. It can be made much easier. Fairphone at the moment uses [this yaml formatted topic](https://forum.fairphone.com/raw/48676/1) to populate the map. Where the location name is used to compile an email address for the group. The coordinates are manually inserted and they manually maintain a list of users. Furthermore, they use a boolean to switch a listing on or off or indicate if itā€™s active or not. This yaml file is then converted to json and then looped through it to compile the listing for the map as well. We could simplify this. We could simply use the [json layout of our groups](https://tzm.one/g.json). If a group is not active, itā€™s not listed. So when the parser loops through it, it drops from the map/list. We can show the amount of users, since the `user_count` is listed there. And if a group is listed on the forum, but has no members, then it should not be on the map with the email address. Because then no one will receive those emails. The `name` of the group is e.g. `chapter_netherlands`, we could do a substring replacement for the `_` with a `-` and that then becomes our email address. We could also filter based on the name, if it starts with `chapter`, process it. Then we can split the name, e.g. `chapter_netherlands` based on the `_` and then use a public API to get some coordinates for `netherlands` and put the `title` of the group, e.g. ā€œChapter Netherlandsā€ on the map with those coordinates. The only ā€œdownsideā€ is that we wonā€™t have flags this way. Maybe there is a public API that can give us the correct emoji for a flag based on `netherlands` or `amsterdam`, like šŸ‡³šŸ‡±. But Iā€™ll drop that feature. The map shows where it is, flags may be nice for a future iteration of this, if needed at all. * * * Edit, yes, I think Iā€™ll create my own version of this which will be even simpler and easier to maintain than the Fairphone one. Another edit: Iā€™ll make a theme component out of this, for Discourse. That way I inherent the security maintenance from the Discourse devs and benefit from their security layers and libraries. But first a simple proof of concept will be made. * * * So since the plan changed, a new checklist of todoā€™s. Get data source to extract all necessary data (chapter name, email address, members and if the chapter is considered active) ([Discourse API Docs](https://docs.discourse.org/#tag/Groups/operation/listGroups)) - [https://tzm.one/g.json?filter=chapter](https://tzm.one/g.json?filter=chapter) A way to query cities/countries and get coordinates in return to be used to draw a point on the map ([https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=amsterdam&format=json](https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=amsterdam&format=json)) Or create plugin to add custom field for groups, to include coordinates Loop through the data Draw all the chapters on the map Create all the mail aliases for the groups Allow the domain where the javascript runs be allowed in the CORS security settings Cherry pick some parts from the Fairphone map listing to show and sort chapters with member count, group URL and group email address Create standalone proof of concept * * * Optionally: Expand the proof of concept into a Discourse theme component ([Developing Discourse Themes & Theme Components - Developer Guides - Discourse Meta](https://meta.discourse.org/t/developer-s-guide-to-discourse-themes/93648)) ---
**Author:** ![Kees](https://tzm.one/user_avatar/tzm.one/kees/32/8442_2.png) [@Kees](https://tzm.one/u/Kees)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2022, 5:15pm UTC](https://tzm.one/t/improve-our-global-map-by-better-integration-with-the-forum/22125/5 "2022-08-07T17:15:16Z")
Small update in the form of a screenshot šŸŽ‰ I havenā€™t worked with JavaScript in the past. But It starts to grow on me. Just a few more steps and Iā€™ll be able to draw things on the map dynamically. Iā€™ll also create a Discourse plugin to allow custom fields for groups, to override the coordinates, when needed. And then Fairphone may use this different approach as well of course. Itā€™s easier to use existing data rather than manually maintain a separate list. ![Screenshot from 2022-08-07 19-12-49](https://tzm.one/uploads/default/original/2X/5/5ba37068055b492534a9b82856a216bfbce46d4c.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Kees](https://tzm.one/user_avatar/tzm.one/kees/32/8442_2.png) [@Kees](https://tzm.one/u/Kees)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2022, 12:53pm UTC](https://tzm.one/t/improve-our-global-map-by-better-integration-with-the-forum/22125/6 "2022-09-01T12:53:12Z")
Created a custom plugin for Discourse (the forum) to add more options for group admins. This includes coordinates and an option to publish the email address on the map as well. This information will be available via the public Discourse API and will then be used to draw the chapters on the map. ![Screenshot 2022-09-01 at 21-01-26 Profile - Manage - chapter_netherlands - TZM Community Forum](https://tzm.one/uploads/default/original/2X/8/87ae153ebe1eb653329e36e64fb509948ae66fef.png) And it works! šŸŽ‰ I will cleanup some code and finish the final bits and pieces, but then the new map can go online for public testing. If all goes smooth, we should have an improved map within a week or so. https://www.youtube.com/embed/UO5SrCGw9wY?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque * * * To finalize the map: Brand the map for TZM (replace Fairphone icons/text) Create a JavaScript substring for the chapter description to filter out/fix the relative links in the hashtags (e.g. #nl) Donā€™t draw circles for chapters, create a bigger marker which is easier to see Contact the Fairphone devs and ask them how and if they want credits for their work weā€™re using on our map Harden the webserver/code which will host the map Create logic to only show the chapter map toggle in groups which includes the name ā€œchapterā€ Once the above is finished, Iā€™ll have a look at the map + chapter listing with automatic metadata about the chapters. * * * Changed the markers, much better visible now. ![Screenshot from 2022-09-03 09-17-58](https://tzm.one/uploads/default/original/2X/6/6a3d24cd99f98219336a8c0e1df778c297690fcc.png) ---
**Author:** ![Kees](https://tzm.one/user_avatar/tzm.one/kees/32/8442_2.png) [@Kees](https://tzm.one/u/Kees)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2022, 1:43pm UTC](https://tzm.one/t/improve-our-global-map-by-better-integration-with-the-forum/22125/7 "2022-09-05T13:43:09Z")
The chapter map listing is now also done! There is still some hardening needed and minor tweaks. But itā€™s already pretty mature šŸŽ‰ ![Screenshot 2022-09-06 at 23-42-41 Just a test for embedding to see if CSP conflicts BANGLADESH - Staff - TZM Community Forum](https://tzm.one/uploads/default/original/2X/c/cf45f1870c9bea1d17f5c4d84315609f4c2963ea.png) ---
**Author:** ![Kees](https://tzm.one/user_avatar/tzm.one/kees/32/8442_2.png) [@Kees](https://tzm.one/u/Kees)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2022, 12:33pm UTC](https://tzm.one/t/improve-our-global-map-by-better-integration-with-the-forum/22125/8 "2022-09-11T12:33:00Z")
I consider this project closed. I will improve it over time with webpack, better caching, npm package management and merge everything into one page (it now loads the map as a separate page into the chapters overview). In case people want to help/contribute: > **[GitHub - kees-closed/TZM-Chapters-Map: A global chapters overview of The Zeitgeist...](https://github.com/kees-closed/TZM-Chapters-Map)** > > A global chapters overview of The Zeitgeist Movement ---
**Author:** ![Kees](https://tzm.one/user_avatar/tzm.one/kees/32/8442_2.png) [@Kees](https://tzm.one/u/Kees)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 5:01pm UTC](https://tzm.one/t/improve-our-global-map-by-better-integration-with-the-forum/22125/9 "2022-09-14T17:01:20Z")
~~Bug found~~ , will fix it in time, but canā€™t prioritize. In a nutshell, the JSON call only shows 35 results, we now have more than 35 chapters on the forum. So not all chapters are shown. Iā€™ll need to make the retrieval a bit smarter. For now it will simply not collect all chapters. There is no quick fix. I need to make something in JavaScript or Python that retrieves the next page of results of the total amount of entries have not been collected yet. > **[How to increase max search results for groups (in JSON)](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-increase-max-search-results-for-groups-in-json/239009?u=aqual1te)** > > I have created a map for my groups called chapters: These values are queried from https://forum.tzm.community/g.json?filter=chapter, but it seems that the max search results have been hit. How and where I can increase this? This is important... Update: Bug is solved! šŸŽ‰ Also removed the flags, people probably have strong opinions about that. ---
**Author:** ![Kees](https://tzm.one/user_avatar/tzm.one/kees/32/8442_2.png) [@Kees](https://tzm.one/u/Kees)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2022, 5:02pm UTC](https://tzm.one/t/improve-our-global-map-by-better-integration-with-the-forum/22125/10 "2022-09-28T17:02:10Z")
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