Cape Canaveral - Kennedy Space Center from Wikimapia
Cape Canaveral: A section of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

Fairly recently Wikimapia added the ability to include images in place locations as well as comments/commentary. These are both new features and still have a few kinks to work out (I will explain later). For this How To post I will be looking at a section of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, specifically Launch Pad 39-B. (Most images are clickable for larger versions.)

Cape Canaveral - Kennedy Space Center, Launch Pad 39-B from Wikimapia

This is launch pad 39-B. It was originally built for the Apollo program and refit for the Space Shuttle program. I have an image of the shuttle liftoff that I would like to attach to this place marker; here is how I do it. First, click on the place marker to open up the information on that place.

Cape Canaveral - Kennedy Space Center, Launch Pad 39-B from WikimapiaCape Canaveral - Kennedy Space Center, Launch Pad 39-B from Wikimapia

From the information page, go to the “Menu” in the upper left and select “Add Photo”.

Cape Canaveral - Kennedy Space Center, Launch Pad 39-B from Wikimapia

This is the next screen you will see. You have two options for adding an image. If you have one on your computer, click “browse” and find the image on your hard drive. If the photo you want to add is on the web, enter the image URL into the second box and click “upload”. Take note here: there seems to be an image size limit that is not currently stated. Just use discretion. The image will be showing up in the information page so cannot be too large. Because of this, you might need to resize your image. If you try to upload an image but nothing shows up, chances are it was too big, just resize and try again. I think the guys at Wikimapia are aware of this and are working on it (remember, I said this was a new feature and kinks are being worked out!).

Cape Canaveral - Kennedy Space Center, Launch Pad 39-B from Wikimapia

Hopefully this will be the next screen you see. (Although, if the image is too large, you still might see the screen, you will have to check the next screen to see if it actually uploaded.) Click “View Place Information”.

Cape Canaveral - Kennedy Space Center, Launch Pad 39-B from Wikimapia

Now the place information screen will show the image you uploaded. You can add multiple images in the same way. Each will be shown as a square thumbnail that is clickable.

Cape Canaveral - Kennedy Space Center, Launch Pad 39-B from Wikimapia

When you click the image, it will expand to the large size in the same window (all the place information is still located below the image, just scroll down). Another thing that I hope will be added is a “back” button to get back to the image thumbnails. As it is right now, you have to close the place info and open it back up to get to the thumbnails again (not a big deal).

Cape Canaveral - Kennedy Space Center, Launch Pad 39-B from Wikimapia

If you (still in the information place page) scroll down the page you will see a new addition: “add your comment”. This is the section where you can add your comments or commentary about the place location. Click the “add your comment” button to do so.

Cape Canaveral - Kennedy Space Center, Launch Pad 39-B from Wikimapia

This is the box that will open up. Put in your name and the information you would like to add. Once you have entered your comments, click “Send Message”.

Cape Canaveral - Kennedy Space Center, Launch Pad 39-B from Wikimapia

Here is the new place information screen. There is now the image, the information, and place comments. As part of the peer review features on Wikimapia, other users can give a thumbs up or thumbs down to your comment. If your comment is relevant, it should get rated well.

There ya have it, two new features! I especially like the ability to add images, I think it really adds to the usability of Wikimapia. Feel free to visit Launch Pad 39-B at Kennedy Space Center on Wikimapia.

The Matt’s Wikimapia Blog “How To” Series:
How To #1: Adding a New Place
How To #2: Upcoming Places
How To #3: Pictures and Comments
How To #4: Adding Wikimapia and Google Maps to your Website
How To #5: YouTube in Wikimapia!
How To #6: Adding Polygons