Cannot open google map marker from sidebar list - google-maps-api-3

Question

I am working with the v3 API and trying to recreate the Store Locator sample (which is v2). I like the way the v2 version works vs the same article changed for v3 API. I have everything working with one exception: when I click the location result it does not open up the marker in the map for that location. Here is my code. I think the problem exists in the CreateSidebarEntry() function. Any help would be greatly appreciated! (you can see it in action here: http://www.webworksct.net/clients/ccparking/partners3.php - just enter "orlando" in the search box and click search to get the results, then click a location in the list on the right...nothing happens).
//<![CDATA[
var map;
var markers = [];
var infoWindow;
var sidebar;
//var locationSelect;
function load() {
map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById("map"), {
center: new google.maps.LatLng(40, -100),
zoom: 4,
mapTypeId: 'roadmap',
mapTypeControlOptions: {style: google.maps.MapTypeControlStyle.DEFAULT}
});
infoWindow = new google.maps.InfoWindow();
sidebar = document.getElementById("sidebar");
}
function searchLocations() {
var address = document.getElementById("addressInput").value;
var geocoder = new google.maps.Geocoder();
geocoder.geocode({address: address}, function(results, status) {
if (status == google.maps.GeocoderStatus.OK) {
searchLocationsNear(results[0].geometry.location);
} else {
alert(address + ' not found');
}
});
}
function clearLocations() {
infoWindow.close();
for (var i = 0; i < markers.length; i++) {
markers[i].setMap(null);
}
markers.length = 0;
sidebar.innerHTML = "";
}
function searchLocationsNear(center) {
clearLocations();
var radius = document.getElementById('radiusSelect').value;
var searchUrl = 'phpsqlsearch_genxml.php?lat=' + center.lat() + '&lng=' + center.lng() + '&radius=' + radius;
downloadUrl(searchUrl, function(data) {
var xml = parseXml(data);
var markerNodes = xml.documentElement.getElementsByTagName("marker");
var bounds = new google.maps.LatLngBounds();
var sidebar = document.getElementById('sidebar');
sidebar.innerHTML = '';
if (markerNodes.length == 0) {
sidebar.innerHTML = 'No results found.';
map.setCenter(new google.maps.LatLng(40, -100), 4);
return;
}
for (var i = 0; i < markerNodes.length; i++) {
var name = markerNodes[i].getAttribute("name");
var address = markerNodes[i].getAttribute("address");
var distance = parseFloat(markerNodes[i].getAttribute("distance"));
var latlng = new google.maps.LatLng(
parseFloat(markerNodes[i].getAttribute("lat")),
parseFloat(markerNodes[i].getAttribute("lng")));
var marker = createMarker(latlng, name, address);
bounds.extend(latlng);
var sidebarEntry = createSidebarEntry(marker, name, address, distance);
sidebar.appendChild(sidebarEntry);
}
map.fitBounds(bounds);
});
}
function createMarker(latlng, name, address) {
var html = "<b>" + name + "</b> <br/>" + address;
var marker = new google.maps.Marker({
map: map,
position: latlng
});
google.maps.event.addListener(marker, 'click', function() {
infoWindow.setContent(html);
infoWindow.open(map, marker);
});
markers.push(marker);
}
function createSidebarEntry(marker, name, address, distance) {
var div = document.createElement('div');
var html = '<b>' + name + '</b> (' + distance.toFixed(1) + ')<br/>' + address;
div.innerHTML = html;
div.style.cursor = 'pointer';
div.style.marginBottom = '5px';
google.maps.event.addDomListener(div, 'click', function() {
google.maps.event.trigger(marker, 'click');
});
google.maps.event.addDomListener(div, 'mouseover', function() {
div.style.backgroundColor = '#eee';
});
google.maps.event.addDomListener(div, 'mouseout', function() {
div.style.backgroundColor = '#fff';
});
return div;
}
function downloadUrl(url, callback) {
var request = window.ActiveXObject ?
new ActiveXObject('Microsoft.XMLHTTP') :
new XMLHttpRequest;
request.onreadystatechange = function() {
if (request.readyState == 4) {
request.onreadystatechange = doNothing;
callback(request.responseText, request.status);
}
};
request.open('GET', url, true);
request.send(null);
}
function parseXml(str) {
if (window.ActiveXObject) {
var doc = new ActiveXObject('Microsoft.XMLDOM');
doc.loadXML(str);
return doc;
} else if (window.DOMParser) {
return (new DOMParser).parseFromString(str, 'text/xml');
}
}
function doNothing() {}
//]]>

Answer 1

return markers[markers.push(marker)-1];
works and keeps your markers array intact

Answer 2

I found the answer.
In this bit of code:
var marker = createMarker(latlng, name, address);
bounds.extend(latlng);
var sidebarEntry = createSidebarEntry(marker, name, address, distance);
sidebar.appendChild(sidebarEntry);
I was calling createMarker to populate the marker var. I found that it wasn't populating.
In the createMarker function, I needed to make a change so that the function returned a value: markers.push(marker); was changed to return marker; and voila!