Mosets and Ducking Radius Search

[fireman]

Ok, I'll put it out there.
I have been using Mosets since 2005. The one question I and many others have had seems to always get ducked or responded to in a less than concrete fashion.

So here it is:
Lee, why won't you make this component complete by adding radius search? You can develop it or partner with someone to get it coded. This is one of the most expensive products that is available for joomla, and it is not a complete solution in my opinion. If you don't want to add it in the base component due to cost, then make it as a plugin and charge for it.

Any way you slice it, this is your product and you can do with it what ever you desire. I know I am free to stop using it and move on to product X if I want.

All I would like is a clear, concise, cogent, complete and concrete reason why it's not in the product.

I think you owe it to us loyal users to fill us in.

P.S. This is not a TIRADE or a note of dissatisfaction with what this product currently does do well. I simply want to know why. So please everyone refrain from piling on with your opinions of how hard Lee works on the product, or how nice it is, or how I can go find whatever I'm looking for in 3rd party land. Been there...done that. Sit back relax and let the man speak on the subject if he will.

Fireman
Mark Harris

[fireman]

Still waiting for a reply.

[fireman]

...and there you have it!

[fireman]

Tick Tock

[rallen]

Mosets Tree is without doubt the most solid and well laid out directory for Joomla there is. However, without a "zip code radius search" it is really a white elephant. There are just too many types of businesses that people want to find using a zip code. Directories with that feature are so prevalent now that I simply can no longer sell ads to advertisers without it.

Moxie Maps was an awesome solution but the last version only works with Joomla 1.6. Zipcodeshop.com was another solution but they have completely disappeared. Sobi has something but I don't think I could sell ads in a directory like the one they've created (it's just not well suited for the American market). I wrote comdev.eu yesterday and asked if the "zip code search" in their Joomla directory is a radius search (you can't find out doing a search on their demo because there are no U.S. listings in their demo) and they responded with "Sorry it is not possible".

Unfortunately I had to abandon Joomla because of this and move everything into Web 2.0 on one site and eSyndicat on another site. eSyndicat did not have a radius plugin when I first looked at it. When I asked for one they came out a week later with a plugin I could purchase that works awesome.

I know how it feels loving this script and not being able to use it anymore but Lee doesn't owe us anything regarding the zip code search. He's got a business to run and if he can stay in business and make a profit without having to deal with everything that is involved with creating this feature, all the more power to him. Obviously the radius search is a hurdle or the 3rd parties who have worked on it wouldn't have disappeared in the middle of the night.

[fireman]

Well written rallen! After 6 weeks, still no reply from Lee.

[rallen]

JoomGalaxy has a zip code radius search but visitors really have to hunt to find it. I'm not sure how well it works and if it is dependent on Google (no sample listings in the U.S.) and it uses Kilometers.

The following may or may not (I don't know) effect anyone using a zip code radius script dependent on Google:

According to google:
developers.google.com/maps/documentation/geocoding/v2/

"The Google Maps Geocoding API Version 2 has been officially deprecated as of March 8, 2010. The V2 API will continue to work until Mar 8, 2013."

[rallen]

Originally Posted by fireman

Well written rallen! After 6 weeks, still no reply from Lee.

Fireman, if you ever come across a solution please let me know. Without the zip code radius search using Mosets Tree is like driving a Lamborghini around with no tires on it. That's simply the way it is if "location location location" is important. I manage one site right now that is using a classified ad script as a business directory and companies right and left tell me "when you get that feature, call me back".

There is one solution you may want to try. Add all of the zip codes a company is close to or does business in, in a special field designed to search just that. I've tried that before and I think it worked well - the problem may have been not being able to get it to display like so on the front page:

[dknight]

Hi guys,

The reason why radius search is not in Mosets Tree yet is simply due to priority.

To some, a complete directory is when it has payment integrated for revenue generation, others feels that it should support multi directory to create different type of directory with a single installation; to you obviously that one missing thing is radius search.

I'm constantly on the ground listening to request for features and there has been a lot of great and innovative ideas for Mosets Tree. I love hearing them from MT users. However, there is only so much time in a day to develop these features *and* support them.

To this point, I have to prioritize certain features and develop the ones that will have the most impact to all of our users.

Having said the above, I won't say that radius search will not be in Mosets Tree. At least not in the next 12 months, but after that, who knows? The best way to get this in is for users to feedback to me on what they're looking for in a directory and I will reprioritize the features with each major revision.

[dewardknapp]

Has anybody here used Geocode Factory successfully to achieve real-time radius search results with 2.2.x or even tried it on 3.0?

From the "myjoom" website:

Geocode Factory is a mapping component that allows you to display various types of Joomla! content on a Google Map. Geocode Factory can use data from Community builder (profiles), Jomsocial (profiles and Events), Sobi2, Mosets tree, SobiPro, Jevents, AdsManager and GPS Tools. The maps can be customized for each instance via templating and CSS and we provide many built in options like side bars, geolocation, radius parameters and many others!

[dorianstraszewski]

Yes, I have purchased and tried it. When you do a search it does not list the Mosets listings. It only geocodes the listing in a bubble in the map and shows info there.

I contacted them and they have no plans to fix this issue.

[paulohabl]

Originally Posted by dknight

hi guys,

...the best way to get this in is for users to feedback to me on what they're looking for in a directory and i will reprioritize the features with each major revision.

yes pleaaase, we desperatly need the radius too

Suggestion:
Just copy (and update and improve) Moxie Maps


THANK YOU

[nicholassabula]

Originally Posted by paulohabl

yes pleaaase, we desperatly need the radius too

Suggestion:
Just copy (and update and improve) Moxie Maps


THANK YOU

I also have Moxie running on my site. It isn't a complete solution I've had a lot of template issues and configuration issues with (Sam still owes me $50 refund but doesn't reply). The lack of a quality solution from Lee's team has me considering dropping Mosets and (and even Joomla) to find a solution that actually gives good radius (not just zip but address entries) and keyword search results. I canned my Sobi2/SobiPro directory and came to Mosets when I was not getting results, but now I have over 1,100 listings and am not looking forward to the concept of transitioning them elsewhere. Lee please make this a priority.

[margaritissotiris]

YES THIS IS THE FIRST PRIORITY !!

Make Moxie Maps to work with new mosets tree 3.

The Developer of Moxie maps is disappeared and dont answer to anyone. There isnt support anymore in his site.

SO Please guys dont leave us with out radius search. Look out all the big directories out there like yelp, yp.com, etc.

And make a search module like this one.

Search for: (input box for keyword) Nearinput box for city,state,address,zip code)
And the results will appear in a multiple listing map !!!

How dificult is that for the programmers of the best directory component.
We support you with buying your component, please support us too with flexibility.

Thanks !!!!

[paulohabl]

If you cant afford to develop a geocode radius and multiple markers feature, then try to adapt, maybe create a plugin for the geocode factory. Talk to Myjoom and see how you can work together.

But guys, you have to move.

Come on, this is urgent!

[margaritissotiris]

YES !! If you create a good search module and the multiple listings map, then you will increase your sells. Why dont see this Mosets Team ???


We are waiting for this some years..

Please make a step FORWARD!

[hayoschreijer]

The support from Google for V2 of the maps service has stopped around 8th of March. This means the Moxie implementation on my Mtree site does not search anymore (it still shows maps though). I had to disable radius search.

The only solution seems to be to update the calls to Google maps in Moxie-php code itself . There is a guide from Google how to upgrade a V2 to V3 call. But it seems to be complicated.

Is there anyone who already made this update in the Moxie php files? I managed to update the map display myself, but I need help with the search.

regards, Hayo

[nicholassabula]

just checked mine and it's still working for radius, but now I have to stress over how much longer this will function. This is ridiculous that we are relying on a hack of a component to add this functionality to software many of us have spend hundreds of dollars and hours on. If it does stop I will be forced to abandon Mosets and go back to SobiPro. Still don't understand why this isn't seen as a required part of Mosets or no one has been able to provide an option.

[prototypetoday]

anyone know why the demo still works on the moxie maps site for radius search? can anyone confirm the latest version of joomla/mosets i can use and still have it work?

[tek]

I have had Moxie Maps and Mosets for very long time. While Mosets has always been rock solid and for the most part provided very good support of Mosets. Moxie Maps has never had good support period so even if it worked with both old, current and future generations of Mosets I couldn't recommend going that route. I don't mean to talk bad about Sam an Moxie Maps but lets face it. While he may have done a fairly decent job of creating something usable he has never supported moxie maps or the paid users of it, its definitely time for someone to take over that project, till someone else does we are all waiting.

I agree though, location, location, location.

I have gone out of my way to use all open source and gpl'd code with no encrypted 3rd party stuff on my sites but I am about to revisit this yet again and force myself to look at jreview and sobi2 cause, well they understand how critical location is to their component.

I did buy the myjoom geofactory component but has numerous issues getting it to work due to various conflicts and even when I did the amount of work to get it to something close to a presentation ready level was way more work than I could justify in the end. However I will say at least in terms of support they were quite responsive at least. Hell, get them to take over the Moxie Maps code and update it, at least they were supporting what they had made.

[marklipowski11142]

Our firm found itself in a popular boat; that of our zip code radius search for our Moxie/Mosets/Joomla install not working once Google stopped supporting the 2.0 API.

We've coded a replacement plugin that is working well for us.

Can be viewed at www.victorylane.net.

That install is running Joomla! 2.5.4.
Mosets Tree 2.2.4

We are making this plugin available for purchase.

If anyone is interested in purchasing, feel free to reach us at [email protected].

Thanks.

[nostromo]

Hi mark,

Will it work on Mosets 3?

I am interested.

Tom

[marklipowski11142]

Hi Tom.
We believe it will work well for MT v3.
You can read more about it here: http://www.stoneig.com/mosets-tree-z...-search-module
We would certainly refund money if you found it didn't work with your install.
Thanks.
Mark

[tek]

Looking at building out a site for a friend and about to start on it within a few weeks or so but going to start with Joomla 3.1 and mosets 3. Although I/we are actually talking about doing it with Jreview just cause it does get how important location is and even though its encrypted... well it does everything we need right out of the box without any hacks.

[fireman]

Guys, the dev(s) here are full of it. Radius search is the #1 requested need here, and if not, I know for a fact it has been on the request list the longest.

I have personally been asking for it for 8 years. EIGHT YEARS.
The forum has not changed in 8 years...the web page has not changed in 8 years. Heck, even the Joomla Extension site uses a heavily modified version.

I finally left this code heavy "Model T" for a wordpress product: AppThemes Vantage

It is fast, lightweight, able to be modified.

goodbye mosets/joomla

[fireman]

try "Reviews for Joomla" they are not on the ext page, but it is very nice.

http://www.reviewsforjoomla.com/

[josephdeville14015]

Whilst I agree that The Radius search would be a VERY welcome addition to Mosets I don't feel the aggression aimed at the devs here is justified. The devs don't say that Mosets comes with Radius Search in the FAQ which I checked before I bought. It clearly says it doesn't.

We as users all have different needs when it comes to our directories, what is important for one of us is not as important for another.

I've tried various different ones over the years and have just come back to Mosets, other ones I have tried fullfilled my requirements in a few ways that Mosets doesn't but then let me down badly in other ways, so for me it was a balancing act in terms of what is priority.

The main thing for me was the Multi Directory ability, Mosets didn't have this but now does. So its obvious the devs have spent time listening and have had to prioritise what is needed.

Lee's last comment in this thread clearly stated it won't be available before November this year but says it is a possiblity after there.

Also since I have come back to Mosets I have realised it is quite easily customisable without too much knowledge needed, and also easily customisable if you have some knowledge of PHP and HTML etc.

Hopefully Radius Search will become available as standard or as an add on but if it doesn't for a while then maybe the ones of us that do require it urgently could get together and pay a dev to develop it?

[fireman]

Joseph, I will answer this in its entirety.

Whilst I agree that The Radius search would be a VERY welcome addition to Mosets I don't feel the aggression aimed at the devs here is justified. The devs don't say that Mosets comes with Radius Search in the FAQ which I checked before I bought. It clearly says it doesn't.

'Whilst' we are glad you agreed Joseph, WE are very painfully clear on what is and what isn't included in the package...which is why WE are asking for this feature to be added. Makes sense don't it?

As for the aggression...there is no aggression. If you read my initial post, you can see that I said it isn't a TIRADE (definition: a long, angry speech of criticism or accusation.).

I also asked for folks not to explain to me their theory on why this is what it is. You have your solution...let US get ours.

You will notice it took 6 WEEKS for a reply from Lee.

We as users all have different needs when it comes to our directories, what is important for one of us is not as important for another.

WE as users who have been here ALL ALONG, have no argument here either...but I for one, and I am sure others, see the point you are attempting to make as "THE OBVIOUS". If this feature isn't important to you, then it's not a post for you to concern yourself with. Pretty simple.

I've tried various different ones over the years and have just come back to Mosets, other ones I have tried fullfilled my requirements in a few ways that Mosets doesn't but then let me down badly in other ways, so for me it was a balancing act in terms of what is priority.

Welcome back Joseph. Care to tell us why you left Mosets for greener pastures...or can we just assume you needed more functionality that Mosets wasn't providing?

The main thing for me was the Multi Directory ability, Mosets didn't have this but now does. So its obvious the devs have spent time listening and have had to prioritise what is needed.

Ah...so its confirmed, you left because of Mosets didn't have what you needed. Let me ask you this, should it take over 4 years to add Mulit Directory features that most directories had offered out of the box? Yes I was around when the first requests for that feature were being BEGGED FOR too.

Lee's last comment in this thread clearly stated it won't be available before November this year but says it is a possiblity after there.

History lesson on Radius Search. I, and several others, have been asking for...no PLEADING for a radius search feature for 8 years. At first, Lee wasn't interested in it at all...no matter how much it was wanted. About 3 years ago he mentioned that he'd "look into it". About 2 years ago, he mentioned it was a good idea but he was trying to get Mosets in line with Joomla's rewrite. About a year ago he claimed it was going to happen, but he didn't know when...and now...not before November, but possibly after that. Well, if it isn't before November...then logically it would HAVE to be possibly after that now wouldn't it?

Also since I have come back to Mosets I have realised it is quite easily customisable without too much knowledge needed, and also easily customisable if you have some knowledge of PHP and HTML etc.

Again, welcome back. I can program PHP as well... Here's the thing Joe, why should I have to hack code that I am paying for...and paying dearly for it at that? Mosets is in the top 1% of the most expensive joomla components ever created. Also Joe, Mosets is one of the heaviest extensions for Joomla. It doesn't have to be...but it is just written that way. So why should I have to trudge through modification after modification especially with all the frequent changes to Joomla and Mosets alike? We are in the money making business...not programming.

Hopefully Radius Search will become available as standard or as an add on but if it doesn't for a while then maybe the ones of us that do require it urgently could get together and pay a dev to develop it?

I guess if I'd have jumped in and out of Mosets over the years, I too would have money to PAY another person to HACK the code here. But again, why on earth would I, or should I, have to do that? When Joomla changes...oops...gotta modify Mosets....then...oops gotta find my dev and pay for a modification to the modification...OH DANG!...the dev is not in business anymore... Sorry been there...done that... $pent out!

Any questions?

[tek]

Originally Posted by fireman

I have personally been asking for it for 8 years. EIGHT YEARS.
The forum has not changed in 8 years...the web page has not changed in 8 years. Heck, even the Joomla Extension site uses a heavily modified version.

I finally left this code heavy "Model T" for a wordpress product: AppThemes Vantage

It is fast, lightweight, able to be modified.

goodbye mosets/joomla

Thank you, I will definitely be checking that out since its going to be a while before we ever see a version that installs and works in Joomla 3.x. As much as I love Joomla and even mosets, with everything as it currently functions I cant keep waiting and hoping for something that my users request daily.

Not interested in Jreview though, even though it does have the functionality I'm not cool with it being encrypted. Especially since they have just extended the article system to accomplish it. Although I do question if you couldnt do the same with K2. I know it could be done with Fabrik but im still smarting from the last project I built using that one.

So wordpress finally has a solid directory system... To bad mosets never figured out how important this is.

[margaritissotiris]

Hello just fixed the map for showing multi listings with google maps v3.x and now i am working on ZIP RADIUS SEARCH. I also created a nice search form with 2 tabs and google auto complete location field. If you want you can check my work at THIS LINK

Please let me know what you think

Thanks