Restricting Viewable Region and Zoom Levels in Google Maps v3

Question:

Is it possible to control the viewable area and zoom level on a Google Maps v3 map? Specifically, can we restrict the display to a specific area (e.g., a country) and prevent users from dragging the map outside that region? Additionally, can we limit the zoom level to a range (e.g., levels 6 to 9) while maintaining access to all base map types?

Answer:

Yes, it is possible to achieve both viewable area and zoom level restrictions in Google Maps v3. Here's how:

Restricting Viewable Area:

Unfortunately, there is no straightforward way to prevent users from dragging the map beyond a certain area. However, you can use Google Earth Enterprise Client API to display tiles for a limited area and restrict map manipulation.

Restricting Zoom Level:

To restrict the zoom level, use the minZoom and maxZoom options. For example:

var opt = { minZoom: 6, maxZoom: 9 };
map.setOptions(opt);

Alternatively, set the options during map initialization:

var map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById('map-canvas'), opt);

Additional Notes:

• The minZoom/maxZoom options override any zoom restrictions imposed by StyledMap.
• You can find more details in the Google Maps JavaScript API V3 Reference.