Google Maps Max Updated!

Update - 4 March, 2010:

Removed the bit of code hiding and enlarging the inset map and other parts that don't work anymore.
Pretty much it just enlarges the map now.

Be sure to disable the style long enough to check out and activate the cool new Google Maps features
in Google Labs; such as drag and drop & smart zoom!

-End Update

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Greasemonkey Users take note!
I recommend running "Google Maps Max Updated!" with Stylish. Some Greasemonkey users (as seen in a couple of the comments) may need to resize their browser windows after loading Google Maps to eliminate a bit of undesirable white space that initially shows up on the bottom of the page. Once resized, everything works fine, but this is, admittedly, an annoyance. This does not occur when using the CSS. I definitely recommend loading "Google Maps Max Updated!" as a style, with the stylish extension. If you don't have stylish, give it a try, it's awesome!

*** NOT SO FAST, GOOGLE!! ***
The sidebar recently widened a bit, so I've just updated the style to move the "get directions" dialog further right (to keep it away from the sidebar). Works great with Firefox 3!

Google also [quite some time ago now] changed the way the maps page is written and this caused the Zoom Control (upper left) to NOT be erased by Google Maps Max Updated! anymore. No matter, I've found a way to hide the zoom control again and the change can be found in the new code (posted 31 October, 2007) below. Enjoy!!!
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Hi!

After another night of study, I re-wrote last night's "Google Maps Max" http://userstyles.org/styles/3758/ style so that you can now use the Written Directions Sidebar in full screen mode! I think it looks awesome and is rather clever ... I hope you like it!

More pictures hosted here:

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d42/CTskydiver/GoogleMapMaxUpdated.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d42/CTskydiver/GoogleMapMaxUpdatedClosed.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d42/CTskydiver/GoogleMapMaxUpdatedOpen.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d42/CTskydiver/GoogleMapsBefore.jpg

I wanted to combine what I saw and liked on "Google Maps Full Screen" and "Google Maps Minimal" and "Google Maps Remove Copyright" ... basically it shows Google Maps images full screen - no white space!

And since we have the room, we've increased the size of the inset map window four times.

This version of "Google Maps Max" maintains the Sidebar where the turn-by-turn directions are listed. It is open by default, but you can close it and view your maps as big as your browser window if you don't need it!

In "Google Maps Max" I couldn't figure out how to keep the Sidebar without all sorts of wonky things happening (like loosing the buttons and map inset off the right side). I don't normally use it anyway, so I figured I'd just get rid of it. I could still access the normal Google Maps homepage without disabling the stylish by using the "www.google.com/maps" page (because these stylish's only change "maps.google.com". Never know when Google might break my Stylish!

Don't worry about the missing "Get Directions" button - it's redundant! Just type "to" between two addresses. Or use the "MAP THIS!" extension! It rocks!

***

I also made a Custom toolbar Button for Stylish (that toggles open the Stylish Manager in the browser Sidebar when you left-click it). It replaces (for me) the button that comes with the extension, but it doesn't have the context menu features. It requires the "Custom Buttons" extension.

The button text code is:

this.textResize = function(evt) {
if(evt.button == 0 && !evt.shiftKey && !evt.ctrlKey && !evt.altKey) {
toggleSidebar('viewStylishSidebar');}
}
this.setAttribute("onclick", "this.textResize(event);");
this.setAttribute("context", "");

The button icon is: chrome://stylish/skin/smallicon.png

***
Answer to comment:

To put the zoom tool back in, delete exactly the following code:

#map>div:first-child+div+div+div,

If you do that, it may overlap with the text box(es) when the sidebar is open. If you have a scroll wheel mouse, it's probably better just to scroll in and out and click+drag to pan the view. You can also position the zoom control absolutely (maybe on the right side between the buttons and inset map?), but I couldn't find anywhere aesthetically pleasing to me, especially when one considers different window sizes. YMMV.

I haven't figured out how to make Google Maps open with the sidebar closed yet (unless you delete it entirely). I don't think I can do that with a style, as it may require running a script. "Google Maps Minimal" uses on-hover effects to hide and show the toolbar, if you want to try that.

P.S. They're both after pics below. I'm sure you know what Gmaps looks like.