Map interface interaction

1. A computer-implemented method for map interaction, the method comprising:

receiving user input specifying a map search operation from a visual map interface, the map search operation including a first location, a search criterion, and a distance determining point, wherein the first location and the distance determining point each specify a location in a set of map data representing a physical area, and wherein the first location and the distance determining point represent physical locations in the physical area;

determining a selected distance between the first location and the distance determining point, wherein the selected distance represents a physical distance between the physical locations represented by the first location and the distance determining point;

determining a demarcated range based on the first location and the selected distance by generating a square area as the demarcated range in the physical area, the square area having the first location as a center of the square area and the distance determining point as a vertex of the square area;

identifying, in the demarcated range, one or more target objects matching the search criterion; and

displaying the one or more target objects in the demarcated range as a search result set in the visual map interface, each target object associated with a physical location in a subset of the physical area represented by the demarcated range.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

prior to displaying the one or more target objects:

sending a search request to a map server, the search request including the demarcated range; and

receiving a search response from the map server including the one or more target objects in the demarcated range.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the user input specifying the map search operation comprises:

detecting a drag operation on the visual map interface, wherein the drag operation includes a start point and an end point; and

assigning the start point to the first location and the end point to the distance determining point.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the user input specifying the map search operation includes identifying a point selected by a user after the first location on the visual map interface as the distance determining point.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the user input specifying the map search operation includes receiving text entered by a user in a text form, the text representing the first location and the selected distance.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the user input specifying the map search operation includes;

receiving touch input representing the first location and the selected distance from a visual map interface displayed on a touchscreen display,

wherein displaying the one or more target objects in the demarcated range as a search result set includes displaying the demarcated range on the visual map interface.

7. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions executable by a computer system to perform operations comprising:

receiving user input specifying a map search operation from a visual map interface, the map search operation including a first location, a search criterion, and a distance determining point, wherein the first location and the distance determining point each specify a location in a set of map data representing a physical area, and wherein the first location and the distance determining point represent physical locations in the physical area;

determining a selected distance between the first location and the distance determining point, wherein the selected distance represents a physical distance between the physical locations represented by the first location and the distance determining point;

determining a demarcated range based on the first location and the selected distance by generating a square area as the demarcated range in the physical area, the square area having the first location as a center of the square area and the distance determining point as a vertex of the square area;

identifying, in the demarcated range, one or more target objects matching the search criterion; and

displaying the one or more target objects in the demarcated range as a search result set in the visual map interface, each target object associated with a physical location in a subset of the physical area represented by the demarcated range.

8. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7 , the operations further comprising:

prior to displaying the one or more target objects:

sending a search request to a map server, the search request including the demarcated range; and

receiving a search response from the map server including the one or more target objects in the demarcated range.

9. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein receiving the user input specifying the map search operation comprises:

detecting a drag operation on the visual map interface, wherein the drag operation includes a start point and an end point; and

assigning the start point to the first location and the end point to the distance determining point.

10. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein receiving the user input specifying the map search operation includes identifying a point selected by a user after the first location on the visual map interface as the distance determining point.

11. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein receiving the user input specifying the map search operation includes receiving text entered by a user in a text form, the text representing the first location and the selected distance.

12. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein receiving the user input specifying the map search operation includes;

receiving touch input representing the first location and the selected distance from a visual map interface displayed on a touchscreen display,

wherein displaying the one or more target objects in the demarcated range as a search result set includes displaying the demarcated range on the visual map interface.

13. A computer-implemented system, comprising:

one or more computers; and

one or more computer memory devices interoperably coupled with the one or more computers and having tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media storing one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, perform one or more operations comprising:

receiving user input specifying a map search operation from a visual map interface, the map search operation including a first location, a search criterion, and a distance determining point, wherein the first location and the distance determining point each specify a location in a set of map data representing a physical area, and wherein the first location and the distance determining point represent physical locations in the physical area;

determining a selected distance between the first location and the distance determining point, wherein the selected distance represents a physical distance between the physical locations represented by the first location and the distance determining point;

determining a demarcated range based on the first location and the selected distance by generating a square area as the demarcated range in the physical area, the square area having the first location as a center of the square area and the distance determining point as a vertex of the square area;

identifying, in the demarcated range, one or more target objects matching the search criterion; and

displaying the one or more target objects in the demarcated range as a search result set in the visual map interface, each target object associated with a physical location in a subset of the physical area represented by the demarcated range.

14. The computer-implemented system of claim 13 , the operations further comprising:

prior to displaying the one or more target objects:

sending a search request to a map server, the search request including the demarcated range; and

receiving a search response from the map server including the one or more target objects in the demarcated range.

15. The computer-implemented system of claim 13 , wherein receiving the user input specifying the map search operation comprises operations of:

detecting a drag operation on the visual map interface, wherein the drag operation includes a start point and an end point; and

assigning the start point to the first location and the end point to the distance determining point.

16. The computer-implemented system of claim 13 , wherein receiving the user input specifying the map search operation includes operations of:

identifying a point selected by a user after the first location on the visual map interface as the distance determining point.

17. The computer-implemented system of claim 13 , wherein receiving the user input specifying the map search operation includes operations of:

receiving text entered by a user in a text form, the text representing the first location and the selected distance.

18. The computer-implemented system of claim 13 , wherein receiving the user input specifying the map search operation includes operations of:

receiving touch input representing the first location and the selected distance from a visual map interface displayed on a touchscreen display,

wherein displaying the one or more target objects in the demarcated range as a search result set includes displaying the demarcated range on the visual map interface.