Maps FAQ

Integrating Maps into Circuit provides context and location details to visitors to your virtual tour, and better orients them inside physical places. In this article, you will be given a basic introduction to Circuit's mapping technology, important terminology associated with it, as well as where the mapping data comes from. 🗺️

Visitors to your virtual tour can access the map either from the homepage of your virtual tour site or from within individual tours. To access the Places or Tours tabs, visitors must access the map from the homepage button that reads View Full Map. Alternatively, visitors can access the map by clicking Open Map. Some capabilities of the map can also be accessed from within tours, in order to help orient students in the spaces they are viewing.

Maps data is used from Mapbox and OpenStreetMap. This open source mapping ecosystem allows for more control over geographic data than proprietary map platforms like Google Maps. This means it’s often quicker and simpler to make changes to your location data to update and display on the map.

The open contribution aspect also means that a wider audience of map editors are able to submit their changes, while proprietary platforms can limit the editor contributions or get stuck in moderation. Open source mapping is not built with an eye towards advertising, whereas Google Maps is designed with monetizing ads.

Yes! You can embed the map from the Places tab directly into your webpages, where it can function separately from your tours if you wish: this way of viewing the map was created to stand strong on its own as a fully-interactive map of your spaces, separate from your tours. You can also embed from specific projects or groups in the Places tab.

Alternatively, you can also embed your map from the Tours tab, which integrates your tours as well as your scenes. This way of viewing the map is designed to be a jumping-off point into existing tours.

​Here is an example of a Places tab embed:

Here is an example of a mapped project embed:

Here is an example of a mapped group embed:

To learn more about embedding your virtual tour, check out this article.

Before you can set up your map, you must have existing and completed tours and scenes. The next step before map set-up is to make sure you have appropriately organized your scenes using projects and groups. Once you are at this stage, you have a stronger foundation for creating your map. Here are the basic steps for map set-up:

Now that you have a general understanding of Maps with Circuit, you can learn more about the unique features available with Maps. Click the link below to get started!

Send us a message and we will be happy to assist you.