Google Places URL from Address - google-places

I want to link to my google places listing using the address.
This is being done automatically as I have hundreds of addresses.
The format shown in the share on google maps is https://www.google.com/maps/place/name+of+place/#lat,long,zoom however the lat/long is not always selecting the correct places listing.
In some cases the location selected is several states away which makes no sense, though the map is always zoomed to the correct coordinates and the correct listing is right there on the map.

Finally found a combination that seems to work:
https://www.google.com/maps/search/name+of+place,+address+of+place/#lat,long,zoom
Apparently search works if you're very, very specific.

Related

Search Through Markers with Google Maps API Like in Google's My Maps

I've created a map that has the ability to toggle data (markers) and added a search box, but I want to be able to search through my markers like in Google's My Maps, but everything that I've searched for doesn't have this feature and I've clicked just about every link there is on the first two pages and this is the closest I've found, but I'm trying to find (b) and the answer to (b) in this situation is to find any entrees within a certain radius.
This is the search feature that I'm trying to add: Example of Google's My Maps : If I search pancakes, the top results that I get are places that are on the map in which I've mentioned pancakes (instead of any place that serves pancakes).
Everything that I've done so far has been in html/javascript, so if it is possible, please try and stick to those languages.
I'm using Google's Maps API instead of My Maps because I wanted to do some extra toggling with the data that didn't seem possible with My Maps, eg make lower rated restaurants have lower opacity.
Thanks!

are plaetze (squares) included in the google places api

I am using the Google Places Api in order to show a list of nearby places to the user. I am trying to include in the list the plaetze (squares) like Paradeplatz in Zurich:
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Paradeplatz,+Z%C3%BCrich,+Schweiz&hl=el&ie=UTF8&ll=47.36996,8.539225&spn=0.001817,0.004823&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=34.808514,79.013672&oq=paradeplatz&hq=Paradeplatz,+Z%C3%BCrich,+Schweiz&t=m&z=18
No matter if i include all the supported Places types from here:
https://developers.google.com/places/documentation/supported_types
the Paradeplatz does not appear. Do you have any clue why this is happening?
Paradeplatz does appear in the Places data. Looks like it is in approximately the right place, not sure how to search for only "plaetze".
If you are interested specifically in displaying squares, perhaps try searching via name parameter with a value like Platz (square) instead of using the types parameter. Searching by category (types parameter) might return fewer (or none) results than expected if Google hasn't yet added the actual categories to the items in its Places API database.

Simple geocoding example that loads an arbitrary address

All the "simple examples" of geocoding load a hard-coded long/lat pair and then, after the map is displayed, they load the arbitrary user-supplied address. Unfortunately for me, this means the hard-coded location always appears first and then the map shifts to the user-supplied address. What I'd like to find out is how to geocode an arbitrary address first, then initialize the map to the location in one step, so that when the map appears on the screen it is already showing the correct location.
I've been unable to deduce how this could be done from the API docs, however. All the examples show "new google.maps.Map()" being called prior to geocoding and it appears you have to already have a location to create the map, so it's impossible to geocode before displaying the map. On the other hand, it seems to me this would be the most common way to use a google map, so surely there's some way to do it?
Is this possible and does anyone have an example they could point to? Thanks!
If I understood you correctly, I created a simple page here
http://jsfiddle.net/4QGKq/1/
There's a hardcoded human readable address in the HTML ("Sardegna")
The geocoder figures out LatLng from Sardegna
Map is created and centered there.
To change the default map center, change the address in the Source HTML panel, not the textbox, then click on the blue "Run" button.

Search a google map I have created and embedded into my website

I have a Google map I have created to highlight the location of several support groups by adding my own pins using my maps and embedding this into my website.
Is there a Google widget of any description to allows people to search my custom map and find their nearest support group (or nearest pin).
I have read through the Google maps stuff but cant seem to find anything that meets my requirements.
Any help appreciated.
The map has no clue about which markers or overlays you have put on it. Therefore there are no way you can do what you want using Google Maps directly. You can however do something else.
When you create your markers/overlays and place them on the map you can add them to an array. When you users then enters a location you can search through that array to find the markers that are closest to the location the user has entered. Google Maps API has a method for getting the distance between two latlngs, but you can also use an ordinary Haversine formula for calculating it.
Once you have found the closest markers it is not hard making sure they are the only ones that are shown on the map.

Route thru points

How i can get kml file from Google Maps that contains route thru several points. Now i use this link http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=51.591016,-0.107382&daddr=51.359619,-0.147695&ie=UTF8&0&om=0&output=kml It work, but only for two points.
First, you should know that Google Maps and Google earth have different capabilities for displaying kml files. Google Earth has almost no limitations, you can author full mxd's to google earth with legends and everything, google maps, however, does not have nearly the same capability.
In google maps you are restricted to displaying 200 kml points on one page, this is because this application is server based and created using javascript, for performance purposes, you are limited to only 200 kml points per page. You might notice that the rest of your points are on different pages, unfortunatly you cannot view them all at the same time. One thing that you can do, Is serve up a url to your kml file (you can do this easily if you have an ftp account or with google my pages), then just enter the url into the search box, presto! all of your points will show up, only, you will not be able to route directions or edit any attributes, you can merely save to my maps and share the display of the points (again people will not be able to get directions from the points)
Serving up your kml to a url address is good practise, it will save you time, also you can use your own symbology, if you enter the url address in the upload area (as opposed to the search box) you will be able to keep your symbology, edit the attributes and get directions and all of that other fun stuff. You will however have the limitation of only being able to display 200 points per page.
Thus if you need to be able to have the user search for directions from your points, you can only have 200 points at a time :(
enter the url in the search box and all of your points will appear......but no directions..
Hope this helps.
For Reference:
http://econym.org.uk/gmap/kml.htm
http://code.google.com/apis/kml/documentation/kmlelementsinmaps.html