Map Generator

Map Generator Skill

This skill creates interactive Leaflet maps as MicroSims for intelligent textbooks built with MkDocs Material theme.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when users request:

• Geographic visualizations (regions, countries, cities)
• Location-based data displays (historical sites, landmarks)
• Campus or facility maps
• Travel route visualizations
• Custom maps with markers, layers, or highlighted borders
• Educational geography content

Workflow

Step 1: Gather Map Requirements

Ask the user for the following information:

1. Map Purpose: What geographic data are we visualizing?
2. Geographic Region: Region name, country, city, or coordinates
3. Markers/Points: What locations need markers? (names, coordinates, descriptions)
4. Map Layers: Do you need multiple layers (satellite, terrain, street map)?
5. Borders/Regions: Do any borders or regions need to be highlighted?
6. Zoom Level: Initial zoom level (1-18, where 1 is world view, 18 is building level)
7. Interactive Features: Popups, custom markers, layer controls?
8. Educational Context: Related concepts, Bloom's taxonomy level, target audience

Example user input: "Create a map showing major universities in California with markers for each campus"

Step 2: Create Directory Structure

Create the MicroSim directory:

docs/sims/[map-name]/

Naming convention: Use kebab-case (e.g., california-universities, ancient-rome-map, world-capitals)

Step 3: Create map-data.json (Optional)

If the map includes markers or GeoJSON data, create a map-data.json file:

{
  "center": {
    "lat": 37.7749,
    "lng": -122.4194
  },
  "zoom": 10,
  "title": "Map Title",
  "subtitle": "Map Subtitle",
  "markers": [
    {
      "lat": 37.7749,
      "lng": -122.4194,
      "title": "Location Name",
      "description": "Location description",
      "category": "category-name"
    }
  ]
}

For borders/regions: Use GeoJSON format for complex geometries.

Step 4: Create main.html

Create main.html using the template from assets/template-iframe-main.html:

Key elements:

• Leaflet CDN links (CSS and JS)
• Map container div with id="map"
• Optional controls section for layer toggles
• Script reference to script.js
• Minimal padding/margins for iframe embedding

Replace placeholders:

• {{TITLE}} - Map title
• {{SUBTITLE}} - Map subtitle
• {{MAP_HEIGHT}} - Map container height (default: 400px)

Step 5: Create style.css

Create style.css using the template from assets/template-iframe-style.css:

Critical requirements for iframe embedding:

• body { margin: 0; padding: 0; } - No body margins
• Minimal margins throughout (2px max for headings)
• Fixed height for #map container
• Responsive breakpoints for mobile
• aliceblue background (repository standard)

Customization options:

• Map height (adjust based on content needs)
• Control button styling
• Marker popup styling

Step 6: Create script.js

Create script.js using the template from assets/template-script.js:

Core functionality:

1. Initialize Leaflet map with center coordinates and zoom level
2. Add tile layer (OpenStreetMap default, or custom)
3. Add markers with popups
4. Optional: Add GeoJSON layers for borders/regions
5. Optional: Add layer controls for toggling map types

Replace placeholders:

• {{CENTER_LAT}}, {{CENTER_LNG}} - Map center coordinates
• {{ZOOM}} - Initial zoom level
• {{MARKERS}} - Marker data array
• {{TILE_LAYER}} - Tile layer URL (OpenStreetMap, satellite, etc.)

Common tile layers:

• OpenStreetMap: https://{s}.tile.openstreetmap.org/{z}/{x}/{y}.png
• Satellite: https://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/World_Imagery/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}
• Terrain: https://{s}.tile.opentopomap.org/{z}/{x}/{y}.png

Step 7: Create index.md

Create index.md using the template from assets/template-index.md:

Structure:

• Title and overview
• iframe embed (width="100%", height="700", frameborder="0")
• Link to fullscreen view
• Features section (interactive elements)
• Customization guide (how to modify the map)
• Technical details (library version, dependencies)
• Use cases
• References

iframe embed format:

<iframe src="main.html" width="100%" height="700" frameborder="0"></iframe>

[View Fullscreen](main.html){:target="_blank"}

Step 8: Create metadata.json

Create metadata.json using the template from assets/template-metadata.json:

Dublin Core fields:

• title, description, subject, creator, date, type, format, language
• coverage, rights, audience

Map-specific fields:

• map_type: "interactive", "choropleth", "route", etc.
• center_lat, center_lng: Center coordinates
• zoom_level: Initial zoom level
• marker_count: Number of markers
• concepts: Array of related concepts
• bloom_taxonomy: Cognitive level (Remember, Understand, Apply, etc.)

Step 9: Update mkdocs.yml Navigation

Add the new map to the navigation in mkdocs.yml:

nav:
  - MicroSims:
      - Introduction: sims/index.md
      - [Map Name]: sims/[map-name]/index.md

Naming: Use Title Case for navigation labels

Step 10: Test and Validate

Perform these validation steps:

1. Direct HTML test: Open docs/sims/[map-name]/main.html in browser

   • Verify map loads correctly
   • Test zoom and pan controls
   • Click markers to verify popups
   • Test responsive behavior (resize window)

2. MkDocs test: Run mkdocs serve and navigate to the map page

   • Verify iframe embedding works
   • Check margins/padding (should be minimal)
   • Test fullscreen link
   • Verify navigation link works

3. Browser compatibility: Test in Chrome, Firefox, Safari

4. Mobile test: Verify responsive behavior on mobile devices

Common Map Patterns

Simple Marker Map

Basic map with multiple markers:

const markers = [
  { lat: 40.7128, lng: -74.0060, title: "New York", description: "The Big Apple" },
  { lat: 34.0522, lng: -118.2437, title: "Los Angeles", description: "City of Angels" }
];

markers.forEach(marker => {
  L.marker([marker.lat, marker.lng])
    .bindPopup(`<b>${marker.title}</b><br>${marker.description}`)
    .addTo(map);
});

Highlighted Region (GeoJSON)

Show a highlighted border or region:

const region = {
  "type": "Feature",
  "geometry": {
    "type": "Polygon",
    "coordinates": [[...]]
  }
};

L.geoJSON(region, {
  style: { color: 'red', weight: 3, fillOpacity: 0.2 }
}).addTo(map);

Layer Controls

Toggle between map types:

const street = L.tileLayer('https://{s}.tile.openstreetmap.org/{z}/{x}/{y}.png');
const satellite = L.tileLayer('https://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/World_Imagery/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}');

const baseMaps = {
  "Street": street,
  "Satellite": satellite
};

L.control.layers(baseMaps).addTo(map);
street.addTo(map); // Default layer

Custom Marker Icons

Use custom icons for different categories:

const universityIcon = L.icon({
  iconUrl: 'university-icon.png',
  iconSize: [32, 32],
  iconAnchor: [16, 32],
  popupAnchor: [0, -32]
});

L.marker([lat, lng], { icon: universityIcon }).addTo(map);

Educational Considerations

Bloom's Taxonomy Alignment

• Remember: Identify locations on a map
• Understand: Explain geographic relationships
• Apply: Use maps for problem-solving (routes, distances)
• Analyze: Compare geographic patterns
• Evaluate: Assess geographic data quality
• Create: Design custom maps for specific purposes

Accessibility

• Ensure marker popups have descriptive text
• Provide text alternatives for visual information
• Use high-contrast colors for highlighted regions
• Include keyboard navigation support

Performance

• Limit markers to <100 for optimal performance
• Use marker clustering for large datasets:

  const markers = L.markerClusterGroup();
  markers.addLayer(L.marker([lat, lng]));
  map.addLayer(markers);
  

Troubleshooting

Map not displaying

• Check that Leaflet CDN links are correct
• Verify #map div has a fixed height in CSS
• Ensure coordinates are in decimal format (not DMS)

Markers not appearing

• Verify latitude/longitude order (lat first, lng second)
• Check that coordinates are within valid ranges (-90 to 90 lat, -180 to 180 lng)
• Ensure markers are added after map initialization

Iframe not fitting properly

• Verify body { margin: 0; padding: 0; } in CSS
• Check iframe height in index.md (adjust if needed)
• Ensure container has minimal margins

References

• Leaflet Documentation
• Leaflet Tutorials
• OpenStreetMap Tile Usage Policy
• GeoJSON Format Specification

Version History

• v1.0 (2025-01-16): Initial release with basic marker maps, layer controls, and GeoJSON support