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Search Category

Last updated: April 7, 2026 | 7 minutes read

This example demonstrates how to search for landmarks filtered by specific categories (e.g., restaurants, hotels, gas stations).

Live Demo​

Overview​

This example shows how to:

  • Search for landmarks based on specific categories
  • Display a multi-select category filter UI
  • Combine text search with category filtering
  • Highlight and navigate to selected search results

Code Implementation​

Imports​

First, import the required modules from the SDK:

import {
  GemKit,
  GemMap,
  Coordinates,
  PositionService,
  Landmark,
  LandmarkCategory,
  SearchPreferences,
  SearchService,
  GemError,
  HighlightRenderSettings,
  HighlightOptions,
  AddressField,
  GemIcon,
} from '@magiclane/maps-sdk';

SDK Initialization​

Initialize the SDK and create a map view (UI omitted):

let map: GemMap | null = null;
let selectedCategories: LandmarkCategory[] = [];
let searchResults: Landmark[] = [];
let categories: LandmarkCategory[] = [];

window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', async () => {
  const gemKit = await GemKit.initialize(GEMKIT_TOKEN);
  await PositionService.instance;

  const viewId = 2;
  const wrapper = gemKit.createView(viewId, (gemMap: GemMap) => {
    map = gemMap;
  });
  // Fetch categories from SDK
  try {
    categories = (window as any).GenericCategories?.categories || [];
  } catch (error) {
    categories = [];
  }
});

Create Category Selection Modal​

Build a modal with category checkboxes and text input:

function openSearchModal() {
  if (searchModal) {
    searchModal.remove();
    searchModal = null;
  }
  
  searchModal = document.createElement('div');
  searchModal.style.cssText = `
    position: fixed; top: 0; left: 0; right: 0; bottom: 0;
    background: rgba(0,0,0,0.25); z-index: 3000; display: flex;
    align-items: center; justify-content: center;
  `;
  
  const modalContent = document.createElement('div');
  modalContent.style.cssText = `
    background: #fff; border-radius: 12px; box-shadow: 0 4px 24px rgba(0,0,0,0.2);
    padding: 32px 24px; min-width: 400px; max-width: 90vw; max-height: 90vh; overflow-y: auto;
  `;

  // Title
  const title = document.createElement('h2');
  title.textContent = 'Search Category';
  title.style.cssText = 'margin-top: 0; color: #673ab7;';
  modalContent.appendChild(title);

  // Text input
  const textInput = document.createElement('input');
  textInput.type = 'text';
  textInput.placeholder = 'Enter text';
  textInput.style.cssText = `
    width: 100%; padding: 8px; font-size: 1em; margin-bottom: 16px;
    border: 1px solid #ddd; border-radius: 6px;
  `;
  modalContent.appendChild(textInput);

  // Category list
  const categoryList = document.createElement('div');
  categoryList.style.cssText = 'margin-bottom: 16px;';
  
  categories.forEach((cat) => {
    const item = document.createElement('div');
    item.textContent = cat.name;
    const isSelected = selectedCategories.includes(cat);
    item.style.cssText = `
      padding: 8px 12px; margin-bottom: 4px; border-radius: 6px; cursor: pointer;
      background: ${isSelected ? '#e0e0e0' : '#fafafa'};
      font-weight: 500; color: #333; border: 1px solid #ddd;
      transition: background-color 0.2s;
    `;
    item.onclick = () => {
      if (selectedCategories.includes(cat)) {
        selectedCategories = selectedCategories.filter(c => c !== cat);
      } else {
        selectedCategories.push(cat);
      }
      openSearchModal();
    };
    categoryList.appendChild(item);
  });
  modalContent.appendChild(categoryList);

  // Search button
  const searchBtn = document.createElement('button');
  searchBtn.textContent = 'Search';
  searchBtn.style.cssText = `
    padding: 10px 24px; background: #673ab7; color: #fff;
    border: none; border-radius: 8px; font-size: 1em;
    font-weight: 500; cursor: pointer;
  `;
  searchBtn.onclick = () => {
    performSearch(textInput.value);
  };
  modalContent.appendChild(searchBtn);

  // Results list (if available)
  if (searchResults.length > 0) {
    const resultsList = document.createElement('div');
    resultsList.style.cssText = 'margin-top: 24px; max-height: 300px; overflow-y: auto;';
    
    searchResults.forEach((lmk) => {
      const resultItem = document.createElement('div');
      resultItem.style.cssText = `
        padding: 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #eee; cursor: pointer;
        transition: background-color 0.2s;
      `;
      resultItem.innerHTML = `
        <strong>${lmk.name}</strong><br>
        <span style="color:#666;">${getFormattedDistance(lmk)} ${getAddress(lmk)}</span>
      `;
      resultItem.onclick = () => {
        selectSearchResult(lmk);
      };
      resultItem.addEventListener('mouseover', () => {
        resultItem.style.backgroundColor = '#f5f5f5';
      });
      resultItem.addEventListener('mouseout', () => {
        resultItem.style.backgroundColor = 'transparent';
      });
      resultsList.appendChild(resultItem);
    });
    modalContent.appendChild(resultsList);
  }

  // Close button
  const closeBtn = document.createElement('button');
  closeBtn.textContent = 'Close';
  closeBtn.style.cssText = `
    margin-top: 24px; padding: 8px 20px; background: #eee; color: #333;
    border: none; border-radius: 8px; font-size: 1em;
    font-weight: 500; cursor: pointer;
  `;
  closeBtn.onclick = () => {
    searchModal?.remove();
    searchModal = null;
    searchResults = [];
  };
  modalContent.appendChild(closeBtn);

  searchModal.appendChild(modalContent);
  document.body.appendChild(searchModal);
}

Perform Category-filtered Search (SDK-only)​

Execute search using selected categories and preferences (UI omitted):

function performSearch(text: string) {
  if (!map) return;

  // Set up search preferences
  const preferences = SearchPreferences.create({
    maxMatches: 40,
    allowFuzzyResults: true,
    searchMapPOIs: true,
    searchAddresses: false,
  });

  // Add selected categories to preferences
  selectedCategories.forEach(cat => {
    preferences.landmarks?.addStoreCategoryId(cat.landmarkStoreId, cat.id);
  });

  // Execute SDK search around current view center (coordinate acquisition omitted)
  SearchService.searchAroundPosition({
    position: /* center coordinates */ undefined as any,
    preferences,
    textFilter: text,
    onCompleteCallback: (err: GemError, results: Landmark[]) => {
      if (err !== GemError.success) {
        searchResults = [];
        return;
      }
      searchResults = results;
    }
  });
}

Display Search Results​

Format distance and address information:

function getFormattedDistance(landmark: Landmark): string {
  try {
    const dist = landmark.extraInfo?.getByKey?.('gm_search_result_dist') || 0;
    const km = (dist / 1000).toFixed(1);
    return `${km} km`;
  } catch {
    return '';
  }
}

function getAddress(landmark: Landmark): string {
  try {
    const addressInfo = landmark.address || {};
    const street = addressInfo.getField?.(AddressField.streetName) || '';
    const city = addressInfo.getField?.(AddressField.city) || '';
    
    if (!street && !city) return '';
    return [street, city].filter(Boolean).join(', ');
  } catch {
    return '';
  }
}

Select and Highlight Result​

Handle result selection and map navigation:

function selectSearchResult(landmark: Landmark) {
  if (!map) return;
  // Highlight the landmark
  try {
    const renderSettings = new HighlightRenderSettings({
      options: new Set([HighlightOptions.showLandmark])
    });
    // Ensure icon
    try { landmark.setImageFromIcon(GemIcon.searchResultsPin); } catch(e){}
    
    map.activateHighlight([landmark], { renderSettings });
  } catch {
    map.activateHighlight([landmark]);
  }
  
  // Center map on landmark
  if (landmark.coordinates) {
    map.centerOnCoordinates(landmark.coordinates, { zoomLevel: 70 });
  }
  showMessage(`Selected: ${landmark.name}`);
  
  // On mobile-ish layouts, maybe close sidebar. For desktop, keep it open.
  if (window.innerWidth < 600) toggleSidebar(false);
}

Utility Functions​

Display temporary messages:

function showMessage(message: string, duration = 3000) {
  let msgDiv = document.getElementById('status-msg');
  if (!msgDiv) {
    msgDiv = document.createElement('div');
    msgDiv.id = 'status-msg';
    msgDiv.style.cssText = `
      position: fixed; top: 20px; left: 50%; transform: translateX(-50%);
      background: #333; color: #fff; padding: 12px 20px; border-radius: 8px;
      z-index: 2000; font-size: 1em;
    `;
    document.body.appendChild(msgDiv);
  }
  msgDiv.textContent = message;
  setTimeout(() => {
    msgDiv.textContent = '';
  }, duration);
}

Key Features​

Category Filtering​

The example uses LandmarkCategory objects to filter search results:

Category Selection:

  • Display all available categories from GenericCategories.categories
  • Allow multiple category selection
  • Visual feedback for selected categories

Adding Categories to Search:

selectedCategories.forEach(cat => {
  preferences.landmarks.addStoreCategoryId(cat.landmarkStoreId, cat.id);
});

Search Preferences​

Configure search behavior:

Parameters:

  • maxMatches: 40 - Limit results to 40 landmarks
  • allowFuzzyResults: false - Exact matching only
  • searchMapPOIs: true - Search points of interest
  • searchAddresses: false - Exclude address results

Text Filter​

Combine category filtering with text search:

SearchService.searchAroundPosition({
  position: coords,
  preferences: preferences,
  textFilter: text,
  onCompleteCallback: callback
});

The textFilter parameter allows searching within the selected categories.

Map Center Coordinates​

Get the center point of the current map view:

const x = container.offsetWidth / 2;
const y = container.offsetHeight / 2;
const coords = map.transformScreenToWgs({ 
  x: Math.floor(x), 
  y: Math.floor(y) 
});

This ensures search results are relevant to the visible area.

Multi-select UI​

The category list supports multiple selections:

  • Click to toggle category selection
  • Visual indicator (gray background) for selected items
  • State persists when modal reopens with results

Implementation Details​

  • Category State: Maintain selectedCategories array across modal reopens
  • Dynamic UI: Rebuild modal after each search to show results
  • Error Handling: Show "No results found" message on search failure
  • Result Display: Show distance and address for each landmark
  • Map Integration: Highlight and center map on selected result

Use Cases​

  • Restaurant Search: Filter by "Restaurants" category
  • Hotel Booking: Search hotels in a specific area
  • Gas Stations: Find nearby fuel stations
  • POI Discovery: Browse landmarks by type (museums, parks, etc.)
  • Trip Planning: Combine categories (hotels + restaurants)

Next Steps​

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