Struggling with Google Maps API v3 marker implementation

Other Questions API
1

I’m pulling my hair out trying to get markers to work with Google Maps API v3. I’ve spent hours researching and double-checking my code, but something’s not clicking.

The map loads fine, but the markers just won’t show up. I’ve triple-checked my coordinates, made sure the marker creation code is in the right place, and even tried using different marker icons. Still no luck!

Has anyone else experienced this issue? I feel like I’m missing something obvious but can’t figure it out.

Here’s a revised version of what I’m attempting:

function loadMap() {
  const centerCoordinates = { lat: 51.5074, lng: -0.1278 };
  const mapInstance = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById('map-canvas'), {
    zoom: 10,
    center: centerCoordinates
  });

  const newMarker = new google.maps.Marker({
    position: centerCoordinates,
    map: mapInstance,
    title: 'London'
  });
}

Any suggestions or ideas would be really appreciated. I’m completely stuck!

2

I encountered a similar issue when working on a project recently. One crucial aspect that’s often overlooked is the timing of script loading. Ensure your Google Maps API script is loaded before your map initialization code runs. You might want to add the ‘async’ and ‘defer’ attributes to your script tag, like this:

Also, verify that your map container has a defined height. CSS might be overriding it. Try setting an explicit height:

#map-canvas { height: 400px; width: 100%; }

If these don’t work, enable the JavaScript console in your browser. It often provides valuable error messages that can pinpoint the exact issue. Keep at it, you’re on the right track!

3

hey mate, i had similar issues. check ur API key - sometimes it expires or has wrong permissions. also, make sure ur map container has proper dimensions (height/width). if those r good, try adding a callback to confirm the map loaded before placing markers. keep at it!

4

I’ve been there, my friend. One thing that caught me off guard when I first started with Google Maps API was the asynchronous nature of map loading. Have you tried wrapping your marker creation in a callback function that fires when the map is fully loaded? Something like this:

function initMap() {
  const map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById('map-canvas'), {
    zoom: 10,
    center: { lat: 51.5074, lng: -0.1278 }
  });

  google.maps.event.addListenerOnce(map, 'idle', function() {
    // Map is ready
    const marker = new google.maps.Marker({
      position: { lat: 51.5074, lng: -0.1278 },
      map: map,
      title: 'London'
    });
  });
}

This ensures the map is fully loaded before attempting to add markers. Also, double-check your console for any errors - they can be quite informative. Hope this helps!