We made an interesting enhancements in our VirtueMart back-end solution - VirtueMartGSE these last couple of days...
We were in need for a world map displaying a marker for every single VirtueMart sale present into the e-commerce system.

We dig a bit the Google Map API and programmed a back-end sub-module displaying such a map.

The first issue was to convert all customers addresses into coordinates which could be the placed on a map. This process is called GeoLocalisation.
The next issue was to overcome the Google Map API limitation which allows for maximum 10 concurrent GeoLocalisation requests per page request.
To bypass this limitation, we store GeoLocalisation results within the VirtueMart database through an AJAX request.
When displaying the map, markers are then placed on the map without the need to GeoLocalise the addresses again.

These data manipulations open a world of new possibilities...
One can now place on a map people having bought specific items during their shopping sessions and offer socialization opportunities!

Keep reading on for another journey with us.