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

Note: As of 09/2024 the workarounds below no longer work. If you know of a way to fix this, please post a comment and I’ll update the article. Alternatively, you can use GeoSetter to geotag your photos.

Issue

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

[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.

Comments

4 responses to “Google Picasa 3 maps module no longer works (object error)”

Arthur Tomato

September 19, 2024

I’ve been using Geosetter and it works well (not the beta version though). I also paid for another program called Breezebrowser, essentially for mass-copying EXIF data including the GPS data – and I note that this tool ALSO used to be able to Geotag but no longer can do so.

Like the previously mentioned, I’d be up for paying to get Picasa working with maps again.

Reply
Wojtek

September 18, 2024

Sometimes I think about sponsoring/donating some Java Script developer which we could ask for maintaining location issue, what do you think, is it real?

Reply
Geoff Wilson

September 11, 2024

This did not take care of the “ReferenceError: ‘google’ is undefined” which prevents map from appearing.

Reply
1. admin
  
  September 11, 2024
  
  Yes, almost every bigger Windows update breaks this. I stopped bothering trying to it this and started using GeoSetter to geotag photos.
  
  Reply