Disable point-of-interest information window using Google Maps API v3

Question

I have a custom map with an information bubble and custom markers. When I zoom into points of interest such as parks and universities appear and when I click an information window opens. How do I disable the info window?

My code is as follows:

var geocoder;
var map;
var infoBubble;
var dropdown = "";
var gmarkers = [];

var hostel_icon = new google.maps.MarkerImage('/resources/hostel_blue_icon.png',
new google.maps.Size(28,32),
new google.maps.Point(0,0),
new google.maps.Point(14,32));

var bar_icon = new google.maps.MarkerImage('/resources/bar_red_icon.png',
new google.maps.Size(28,32),
new google.maps.Point(0,0),
new google.maps.Point(14,32));

var icon_shadow = new google.maps.MarkerImage('/resources/myicon_shadow.png',
new google.maps.Size(45,32),
new google.maps.Point(0,0),
new google.maps.Point(12,32));

var customIcons = {
    hostel: {
        icon: hostel_icon,
        shadow: icon_shadow
    },
    bar: {
        icon: bar_icon,
        shadow: icon_shadow
    }
};

function initialize() {
    var latlng = new google.maps.LatLng(12.82364, 26.29987);
    var myMapOptions = {
        zoom: 2,
        center: latlng,
        panControl: false,
        scaleControl: true,
        mapTypeId: google.maps.MapTypeId.TERRAIN,
        mapTypeControlOptions: {style: google.maps.MapTypeControlStyle.HORIZONTAL_BAR},
        navigationControlOptions: {style: google.maps.NavigationControlStyle.DEFAULT}
    }
    map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById("map_canvas"), myMapOptions);

    infoBubble = new InfoBubble({
        shadowStyle: 0,
        padding: 0,
        backgroundColor: 'rgb(57,57,57)',
        borderRadius: 5,
        arrowSize: 10,
        borderWidth: 1,
        maxWidth: 400,
        borderColor: '#2c2c2c',
        disableAutoPan: false,
        hideCloseButton: true,
        arrowPosition: 50,
        backgroundClassName: 'phoney',
        arrowStyle: 0
    });

    // Change this depending on the name of your PHP file
    downloadUrl("phpsqlajax_genxml_2.php", function(data) {
        var xml = parseXml(data);
        var markers = xml.documentElement.getElementsByTagName("marker");
        for (var i = 0; i < markers.length; i++) {
            var bar_name = markers[i].getAttribute("bar_name");
            var hostel_name = markers[i].getAttribute("hostel_name");
            var street = markers[i].getAttribute("street");
            var city = markers[i].getAttribute("city");
            var postcode = markers[i].getAttribute("postcode");
            var country = markers[i].getAttribute("country");
            var page = markers[i].getAttribute("page");
            var map_photo = markers[i].getAttribute("map_photo");
            var type = markers[i].getAttribute("type");
            var category = markers[i].getAttribute("category");
            var point = new google.maps.LatLng(
            parseFloat(markers[i].getAttribute("lat")),
            parseFloat(markers[i].getAttribute("lng")));

            var html = '<div class="infowindow"><div class="iwPhoto" style="width: 105px; height: 65px;">' + "<a href='" + page + "'><img src='" + map_photo + "' alt=''/></a>" + '</div><div class="iwName" style="height: 24px;">' + "<a href='" + page + "'>" + hostel_name + "</a>" + '</div><div class="iwCategory" style="height: 15px;">' + category + '</div><div class="iwCity" style="height: 29px;">' + "<a href='" + page + "'>" + city + "</a>" + '<div class="iwArrow" style="width: 29px; height: 29px;">' + "<a href='" + page + "'><img src='/resources/arrow.png'/></a>" + '</div></div></div>';

            var icon = customIcons[type] || {};
            var marker = new google.maps.Marker({
                map: map,
                position: point,
                icon: icon.icon,
                shadow: icon.shadow,
                title: bar_name
            });
            marker.bar_name = bar_name;
            marker.category = category;
            bindInfoBubble(marker, map, infoBubble, html, bar_name);

            gmarkers.push(marker);

            str = '<option selected> - Select a club - </option>';
            for (j=0; j < gmarkers.length; j++){
                str += '<option value="'+gmarkers[j].bar_name+'">'+gmarkers[j].bar_name+', '+gmarkers[j].category+'</option>';
            }
            var str1 ='<form name="form_city" action=""><select style="width:150px;" id="select_city" name="select_cityUrl" onchange="handleSelected(this);">';
            var str2 ='</select></form>';
            dropdown = str1 + str + str2;
        }
        document.getElementById("dd").innerHTML = dropdown;
    });
}

function handleSelected(opt) {
    var indexNo = opt[opt.selectedIndex].index;
    google.maps.event.trigger(gmarkers[indexNo-1], "click");
}

function bindInfoBubble(marker, map, infoBubble, html) {
    google.maps.event.addListener(marker, 'click', function() {
        infoBubble.setContent(html);
        infoBubble.open(map, marker);
        google.maps.event.addListener(map, "click", function () {
            infoBubble.close();
        });
    });
}

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

UPDATE Google Maps JavaScript API V3

You can set clickableIcons to false in MapOptions. This will keep the POI icons but disable the infowindows just as you want.

function initialize() {
    var myMapOptions = { clickableIcons: false }
}

Further details here...

https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/3.exp/reference#MapOptions