//<![CDATA[

    if (GBrowserIsCompatible()) {
      // this variable will collect the html which will eventualkly be placed in the side_bar
      var side_bar_html = "";
    
      // arrays to hold copies of the markers used by the side_bar
      // because the function closure trick doesnt work there
      var gmarkers = [];
      var i = 0;


      // A function to create the marker and set up the event window
      function createMarker(point,name,html) {
        var marker = new GMarker(point, icon);
        GEvent.addListener(marker, "click", function() {
          marker.openInfoWindowHtml("<div class='mapInfo'>"+html+"</div>");
        });
        
        i++;
        return marker;
      }


      // This function picks up the click and opens the corresponding info window
      function myclick(i) {
        GEvent.trigger(gmarkers[i], "click");
      }


      // create the map
      var map = new GMap2(document.getElementById("map"));
	    var icon = new GIcon();
		icon.image = "maps/images/marker.png";
		icon.shadow = "maps/images/shadow.png";
  	    G_END_ICON.image = "maps/images/marker.png"; 
		icon.iconSize = new GSize(26, 28);
		icon.shadowSize = new GSize(19, 36);
		icon.iconAnchor = new GPoint(10, 34);
		icon.infoWindowAnchor = new GPoint(10, 10);
		
      map.addControl(new GSmallMapControl());
      map.addControl(new GMapTypeControl());
      map.setCenter(new GLatLng(33.6628,-117.771807), 15);


      // Read the data from example.xml
      var request = GXmlHttp.create();
      request.open("GET", "maps/markers.xml", true);
      request.onreadystatechange = function() {
        if (request.readyState == 4) {
          var xmlDoc = GXml.parse(request.responseText);
          // obtain the array of markers and loop through it
          var markers = xmlDoc.documentElement.getElementsByTagName("marker");
          
          for (var i = 0; i < markers.length; i++) {
            // obtain the attribues of each marker
            var lat = parseFloat(markers[i].getAttribute("lat"));
            var lng = parseFloat(markers[i].getAttribute("lng"));
            var point = new GLatLng(lat,lng);
			var html = GXml.value(markers[i].getElementsByTagName("infowindow")[0]);
			var label = GXml.value(markers[i].getElementsByTagName("sidebar")[0]);
            // create the marker
            var marker = createMarker(point,label,html);
            map.addOverlay(marker);
          }
          // put the assembled side_bar_html contents into the side_bar div
        }
      }
      request.send(null);
    }

    else {
      alert("Sorry, the Google Maps API is not compatible with this browser");
    }
	
    //]]>