Google Picasa 3 maps module no longer works (object error)

Issue

The places sidebar stopped working in Google Picasa 3. The following error is displayed instead of a map:

Google Picasa 3 maps module error

[object Error]
You are using a browser that is not supported by the Google Maps JavaScript API. Consider changing your browser.

 Resolution

Close Picasa and perform the following steps:

  • Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe)
  • Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl\FEATURE_BROWSER_EMULATION
  • Create a new DWORD entry with name: picasa3.exe and Hexadecimal value: 2af8 (Decimal: 11000).
    Update 05/2022: You may need to enter 0 instead of 2af8.

Open Picasa and the embedded maps module should now work.

October 2018
Windows 10 Pro (1803)
Picasa 3.9.141

Update 05/2022

Due to the Goole Maps backend change, the fix stopped working. A very similar error message is now being displayed instead of the map:

You are using a browser that is not supported by the Google Maps JavaScript API. Please consider changing your browser.
Error: The Google Maps JavaScript API does not support this browser.

All you need to restore the fix (unclear for how long) is to follow the original instructions, but instead of value: 2af8, enter 0.
Credit for this goes to www.picxl.de.

Update 10/2023

A recent Google Maps API update now caused another issue: the map is displayed correctly, but the red marker showing the exact location is missing.

To resolve the issue perform the following steps:

  • Navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Picasa3\runtime\geotag and open file geopanelscript_v3.html in a text editor.
  • Near the end of line 63, replace ...&v=3 with  ...&v=3.51 &v=3.52
    Note: Since 11/2023 with &v=3.51 you may see the error: "ReferenceError: 'google' is undefined". Use &v=3.52
  • You'll need admin rights to save the changes.

The credit for this solution goes to Verrens on www.dpreview.com

Update 05/2024

Another update broke Google Maps red marker again. This time, you have to add the following line just before the line we were editing in the 10/2023 update:

<script type="text/javascript" src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/webcomponentsjs/2.0.0/webcomponents-bundle.js"></script>

The credit for this workaround goes to https://www.picxl.de.

79 comments

  • Guys! Found the solution in the picxl.de website! 

    Before this line:

      <script type="text/javascript" src="http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?client=google-picasa-client&sensor=false&v=3.53">

    Insert this line:

      <script type="text/javascript" src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/webcomponentsjs/2.0.0/webcomponents-bundle.js"></script>

    All this in your C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Picasa3\runtime\geotag\geopanelscript_v3.html. 

     

    • This did not work for me. Still getting " Reference error: "google is undefined""  Does anyone have a new solution to this ongoing problem?

      • what a shame?

        I still havent found a product that does Face organisation + movie & Geolocation display like Picasa does (did)

      • Looks like the Picasa mapping is dead then. For those that care, the only real alternative is Geosetter but If you have hundreds of images per folder then don't use the latest Geosetter 'beta' as it crashes. You need to download version 3.53 from geoetter.de and then follow the steps at the foot of this link so that the map works OK.

        https://geosetter.de/mantis/view.php?id=2520

    • Did Picasa geotag break again 

      As of today - May 24, 2024 - the suggested fix to the html file no longer works and the wrror messae reappears in Picasa

      Any suggestions on how to fix it, yet again

      Thank you

      Sheldon

      • Stop working for me too.

        Instead of showing map, message:

        ReferenceError: "google" is undefined

        Hope someone will find a solution.

      • When you compare 3.53 with 3.57 there's only a couple of differences on line 14 of the apiLoad

        ["https://maps.googleapis.com/maps-api-v3/api/js/56/12a/intl/en_gb","3.56.12a"]
        ["https://maps.googleapis.com/maps-api-v3/api/js/57/0/intl/en_gb","3.57.0"]


        ["56.12a"]
        ["57.0"]

        Someone with greater talent than I might be able to figure how this might help fix Picasa once again.

        Geotagger is still great for tagging but Picasa is STILL the best photo library.

      • There was again a change in googlemaps-api.

        At this moment the posted solution is not working anymore and there is no map shown in picasa.
        We have to hope thas someone can fix it.

      • On this page
        https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/versions
        almost all the way down it says:
        --------------
        Version 3.57
        A new version 3.57 will be released in mid-May. Upon release, this version will include new features, remove deprecated features, and/or introduce backwards-incompatibilities compared to version 3.56. You should test your application when changing between version numbers.

        During the quarter, the new version will be updated weekly with new features, bug fixes, and performance improvements. It will not remove deprecated features and will not introduce backwards-incompatibilities.

        Version 3.56
        This version includes new features, removes deprecated features, and/or introduces backwards-incompatibilities compared to version 3.55. You should test your application when changing between version numbers.

        After mid-May, this version will no longer be updated with new features, bug fixes, or performance improvements. It will not remove deprecated features and will not introduce backwards-incompatibilities.

        Version 3.55
        This version includes new features, removes deprecated features, and/or introduces backwards-incompatibilities compared to version 3.54. You should test your application when changing between version numbers.

        This version will no longer be updated with new features, bug fixes, or performance improvements. It will not remove features deprecated after this version and will not introduce new backwards-incompatibilities.

        Version 3.54
        This version includes new features, removes deprecated features, and/or introduces backwards-incompatibilities compared to version 3.53. You should test your application when changing between version numbers.

        This version will no longer be updated with new features, bug fixes, or performance improvements. It will not remove features deprecated after this version and will not introduce new backwards-incompatibilities.

        Version 3.53
        After mid-May, this version will be deleted, and can no longer be used. Any attempt to load this version will be ignored, and you will receive your default channel instead.
        --------------

        As you can read version 3.53 is deleted after mid-may (e.g. may 24th) and from version 3.54 (and above) new features are introduced.
        And from version 3.57, which is released mid-may, deprecated features are removed.

        So I think those two remarks are why picasa geotagging no longer works. But I hope someone can proof me wrong.

      • Please allow me to clarify my post:

        Every prior fix suggested in this website has worked successfully to restore the geotagging functionality of Picasa (even if the red balloon didn't always work, at least the google map visualized)

        Today (5/24/24/), I did exactly what was recommended this time to fix the latest "break" - i.e., to add a line of code to the html file - but I still get the error message in Picasa and no map display

        If the system has not been altered again by Google since that fix was posted earlier this month (May 2024), can someoe please list out the exact steps for the most recent fix in May 2024 that you have found to be currently successful (as of today) in restoring the geotagging in Picasa

        I would be most appreciative

        Sheldon

    • hello,
      It works perfectly
      as I have not yet found any software like picasa
      I still use it a lot
      thank you very much for your work in keeping it up to date ;)

  • It seems that in some updates to Windows or other, the java program version gets changed and to recover the map, you have to get into the geopanelscript_V3 to adjust that API reference code (as described above) to match your version, otherwise Picasa won't know how to render the map....Once you rectify that java reference to the actual version on your computer-which should be the latest...and if that it doesn't seem to work, it won't hurt to just try various version numbers...3.51-3.52-3.53 (and sounds like this latter is the latest but may be replaced soon.)

    Per the missing position marker (what many refer to as a 'balloon') it has disappeared again after that nice fix developed in August 2023 at https://www.picxl.de/picasa3-maps-fehlerbehebung/ met up with this latest java disconnect.

    As another notes, invoking the 100 Monkey Theory, I've tried to redo using that fix in a variety of experimental DWORD modifications but haven't found one yet to work.  I ran up some info on other types of programs that give similar errors, where IE Browser needs to be set to be Emulated by Microsoft Edge since IE11 is now totally defunct.  That is the 'intervention' solution for older software that still needs IE.  I have tried to adjust that setting in MS Edge but that, too, doesn't seem to recover the position marker.  Has anyone had any experience playing with that IE Emulation?  I'm not a 'code-ite'.  Can anyone explain how that emulation reference would that get properly coded in the geopanelscript_V3 instruction for Picasa geotagging? 

  • Upd 03/2024. Use the same solution but 3.53 ver

    • Navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Picasa3\runtime\geotag and open file geopanelscript_v3.html in a text editor.
    • Near the end of line 63, replace ...&v=3 with  ...&v=3.51 &v=3.53
      Note: Since 11/2023 with &v=3.51 you may see the error: "ReferenceError: 'google' is undefined". Use &v=3.53

    • Going to Ver. 3.53 adds the map but it does not add the previous red balloons. Does anyone know how to correct the red balloons?

    • Thank you for the quick update from 3.52 to 3.53. Simple, but only when you know it.

      I am really curious if others have found an alternative to Picasa. Dead so many years, but still we use it because nothing else out there is as easy, intuitive, and for me, allows the scrolling through my thousands of folders without every clicking a thing.

      Wonder if there is a forum out there discussing alternatives.

  • Pessoal alguém conseguiu fazer o icone voltar a aparecer? O mapa foi resolvido com o 2.53.

    Guys, did anyone manage to make the icon appear again? The map was resolved with 2.53.

  • Missing red marker workaround for v 3.53 (as of 28/02/24, or, for any colonials, 02/28/24)

    1) Put location address into search and the "Put photo here?" box appears but no red marker

    2) Click on green location marker at top left and the box disappears

    3) Click on exact place where you want the photo to be geotagged, box reappears (still without any marker) and you can click "OK" and it's done.

    Tried it a dozen times and it seems ok (can't believe I may have solved a problem!)

      • I switched to geosetter (only) for showing of the marker on a map.

        In a way it is for geodata better then picasa because it also can show a track by importing a gpx file.

        So you see the markers from your fotos and the track on one map.

      • Correct. I have a file of 100 cemetery photos. Previously I got a red balloon for every grave. Now with 3.53 I get a map that jumps around for each photo but no red balloon. So it is useless.

      • I see, Oscar - I'm currently using Picasa to geotag AI images so my problem is solved but I'm sorry it doesn't help with yours.

        I knew it was too good to be true that I would find a solution to anything!

      • No that is not what we are after.

        The fotos are already geotagged (by camera or an external gpslogger and app) and picasa is not showing the marker of the location of the foto anymore.

        The not showing of the marker is the problem.

      • Because it enables photos to be geotagged exactly where you want them to be geotagged rather than the initial position given by the PIcasa map.

        This is what everybody is after, right?

        From my point of view, it doesn't matter if the red marker appears or not as long my photos are geotagged exactly where I want them to be.

  • The "ReferenceError: 'google' is undefined" showed up again. In the geopanelscript_v3.html I changed "&v=3.52" into "&v=3.53" and now it works again.

  • Since februari 21 the 'ReferenceError: 'google' is undefined' is back.

    I changed v3.52 to v3.53 and the map is visible again but the red markers are still missing.

  • I'm now getting a "ReferenceError: 'google' is undefined" error under the places tab in Picasa.  Anyone else seeing this or have a fix?

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