How to load Google Maps API with RequireJS?

Question

I am struggling to load gmaps api with requireJS . This is what I've tried:

requirejs.config({
    urlArgs: "noCache=" + (new Date).getTime(),
    paths : {
        "jquery": "vendor/jquery-1.8.2.min",
        "bootstrap": "vendor/bootstrap.min",      
        "underscore": "libs/underscore-min",
        "backbone": "libs/backbone-min",    
        "template": "libs/template",
        "gmaps": "http://maps.google.com/maps/api/js?v=3&sensor=false"
    },
    shim: {
        'backbone': {
            deps: ['jquery', 'underscore'],
            exports: 'Backbone'
        },
        'underscore': {
            exports: '_'
        },
        'bootstrap': {
            deps: ['jquery']
        },
        'gmaps': {
            deps: ['jquery']
        },
        'main':{
            deps: ['jquery','gmaps']   
        }
    }
});

require(["main"], function (main) {})

But inside main.js when I try to instantiate the geocoder i got ,,undefined is not a function" error.

var geocoder = new google.maps.Geocoder();

Any ideas what could I be doing wrong?

Answer 1

I've managed to sort it out with the async plugin.

A quick example is:

require.config({
    paths: {
        'async': 'lib/requirejs-plugins/src/async'
    }
});

define(['async!http://maps.google.com/maps/api/js?sensor=false'], function() {
    // Google Maps API and all its dependencies will be loaded here.
});

Answer 2

Thanks to user1706254 cause official documentation : https://github.com/millermedeiros/requirejs-plugins/ was using the keyword 'define' that wasn't working for me but 'require' is working fine.

I couldn't load directly :

require(["goog!maps,3,other_params:sensor=false"], function(){});

But using the asynchronous way did the trick :

require(['async!http://maps.google.com/maps/api/js?sensor=false'], function(){});

Answer 3

Following on from hjuster here's a quick example of how to use the async plugin

https://gist.github.com/millermedeiros/882682

Answer 4

@hjuster's answer led me the way and I've solved by a callback function.

define(['async!http://maps.google.com/maps/api/js?key=YOURKEY!callback'],
    function (_ExpectedMap) {
                              callback(); 
                           });

Notice the !callback at the end of the url starts with async!, callback method is being called when load operation is done.

function callback()
{
    //Now load google maps API dependant libraries
    require(['gmapsLib'], function (googlemaps) {
                     window.GMaps = googlemaps;
                   }
}

There is another question I lately noticed, another function (onLoad) is in use instead of callback to prevent from timeout error. Interesting.

Answer 5

Couldn't make the plugins work for some reason, but this workaround saved my day:

 require(['https://apis.google.com/js/client.js?onload=doNothing'], function() {
    // Poll until gapi is ready
    function checkGAPI() {
      if (gapi && gapi.client) {
        self.init();
      } else {
        setTimeout(checkGAPI, 100);
      }
    }

    checkGAPI();
  });
});

Just check if gapi is ready every 100 millisec, until it finally loads.

Found the code in this article http://dailyjs.com/2012/12/06/backbone-tutorial-2/

I guess you can also try it with

if (google && google.maps && google.maps.Geocoder) {
    // now google.maps.Geocoder is gonna be defined for sure :)
}

Answer 6

You don't need the async plugin to use Google Maps with require.js. The goal can be achieved using only a simple shim config:

require.config({
    paths: {
        gmaps: '//maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?' // question mark is appended to prevent require.js from adding a .js suffix
    },
    shim: {
        gmaps: {
            exports: 'google.maps'
        }
    }
});

require(['gmaps'], function (gmaps) {
    var center = {lat: -34.397, lng: 150.644}; 
    var map = new gmaps.Map(document.getElementById('map'), {
        center: center,
        zoom: 8
    });
    new gmaps.Marker({
        map: map,
        position: center
    });
});

<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/require.js/2.3.5/require.js"></script>

<div id="map" style="width: 100%; height: 200px"></div>