//<![CDATA[
  // this variable will collect the html which will eventually be placed in the side_bar 
  var side_bar_html = ""; 

  // arrays to hold copies of the markers and html used by the side_bar 
  // because the function closure trick doesnt work there 
  var gmarkers = []; 

 // global "map" variable
  var map = null;
  
// A function to create the marker and set up the event window function 
function createMarker(latlng, name, html) {
    var contentString = html;
    var marker = new google.maps.Marker({
        position: latlng,
        map: map,
        zIndex: Math.round(latlng.lat()*-100000)<<5
        });
 
    google.maps.event.addListener(marker, 'click', function() {
        infowindow.setContent(contentString); 
        infowindow.open(map,marker);
        });
    // save the info we need to use later for the side_bar
    gmarkers.push(marker);
    
    // add a line to the side_bar html    
    side_bar_html += '<a href="javascript:myclick(' + (gmarkers.length-1) + ')">' + name + '<\/a><br>';
}
 
// This function picks up the click and opens the corresponding info window
function myclick(i) {
  google.maps.event.trigger(gmarkers[i], "click");
}
 
function initialize(lat, lng) {
  // create the map
  var myOptions = {
    zoom: 12,
    center: new google.maps.LatLng(lat, lng),
    mapTypeControl: true,
    mapTypeControlOptions: {style: google.maps.MapTypeControlStyle.DROPDOWN_MENU},
    navigationControl: true,
    mapTypeId: google.maps.MapTypeId.ROADMAP
  }
  map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById("map_canvas"),
                                myOptions);
 
  google.maps.event.addListener(map, 'click', function() {
        infowindow.close();
        });
      // Read the data from example.xml
      downloadUrl("hotell.xml", function(doc) {
        var xmlDoc = xmlParse(doc);
        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 google.maps.LatLng(lat,lng);
          var html = markers[i].getAttribute("html");
          var label = markers[i].getAttribute("label");
          // create the marker
          var marker = createMarker(point,label,html);
        }
        // put the assembled side_bar_html contents into the side_bar div
//--- Använd denna del för felsökning ----------
        //document.getElementById("side_bar").innerHTML = side_bar_html;
      });
    }
 
var infowindow = new google.maps.InfoWindow(
  { 
    size: new google.maps.Size(600,400)
  });
    
 
    // This Javascript is based on code provided by the
    // Community Church Javascript Team
    // http://www.bisphamchurch.org.uk/   
    // http://econym.org.uk/gmap/
    // from the v2 tutorial page at:
    // http://econym.org.uk/gmap/basic3.htm 
//]]>