smart geocode autocomplete
unxposed
google geocode.
One of the two major problems I am having is this:
If I type in 'L' I would like some relevent suggestions (influenced by
the region parameter) of the most likely locations I would be
entering. For example, if I do this in maps.google.co.uk I get
'London, Leeds, Liverpool, Leicester, Luton'... Perfect!! However
using the api's geocode service I get 1 result - 'Limburg, The
Netherlands'... WTF? Where's this come from? Why just 1 result? Am I
missing some settings somewhere?
geocoder.geocode( { 'address': request.term, 'region': 'GB' },
function(results, status) {
response($.map(results, function(item) {
for(var i in item.types) {
if (item.types[i] == 'political') {
return {
label: item.formatted_address,
value: item.formatted_address,
latitude: item.geometry.location.lat(),
longitude: item.geometry.location.lng()
}
}
}
}));
})
Barry Hunter
formed string into a coordinate. Its expected that the entered string
should match one location.
Google doesnt expose a 'auto-complete' service. They have one for
Google Maps, but its not exposed as an API.
... so you need to build your own.
The data from geonames.org can be used.
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unxposed
For example if I type in 'Li' to my search box I get back
'Liechtenstein, Limburg, The Netherlands, Limburg, Belgium, Leghorn,
Italy'. Why are these the results being returned? If 'Li' does not
match an exact location anywhere, then why not simply look at my
region parameter and use that to influence the results - returning the
most likely locations that contain 'Li' first (determined by populus
or a slightly more clever algorithm) and limiting the results to X -
which would be passed as a parameter.
I know you're saying unless 'Li' is an actual place then it shouldn't
be passed to the geocoding service in the first place. But it surely
wouldn't be hard for Google to make the results a bit more relevent
and consistent in this eventuality, it would be a REALLY useful tool
and it would be nice for Google to open up their database to be
searched in this way. I find it hard to believe that in 2011 there
isn't a standard and easy way of turning a form field into a smart
location autocomplete field.
I'm trying to get my head around how I'd go about doing this using
something like geonames.org as an alternative. It seems the countries
are limited and must be specified - so no global search?
On Apr 7, 11:45 am, Barry Hunter <barrybhun...@gmail.com> wrote:
> The geocoder is - just that - a geocoder. It's for turning a fully
> formed string into a coordinate. Its expected that the entered string
> should match one location.
>
> Google doesnt expose a 'auto-complete' service. They have one for
> Google Maps, but its not exposed as an API.
>
> ... so you need to build your own.
>
> The data from geonames.org can be used.
>
Barry Hunter
> Okay. But it essentially acts as an auto-complete search tool as well.
A pile of logs essentially works as a ladder too. Doesn't mean you
should use them. Better to use a ladder - designed for purpose.
> For example if I type in 'Li' to my search box I get back
> 'Liechtenstein, Limburg, The Netherlands, Limburg, Belgium, Leghorn,
> Italy'. Why are these the results being returned? If 'Li' does not
> match an exact location anywhere, then why not simply look at my
> region parameter and use that to influence the results - returning the
> most likely locations that contain 'Li' first (determined by populus
> or a slightly more clever algorithm) and limiting the results to X -
> which would be passed as a parameter.
That's is what a location search might do. But the geocoder isn't a
location search, its a Geocoder.
>
> I know you're saying unless 'Li' is an actual place then it shouldn't
> be passed to the geocoding service in the first place. But it surely
> wouldn't be hard for Google to make the results a bit more relevent
> and consistent in this eventuality, it would be a REALLY useful tool
> and it would be nice for Google to open up their database to be
> searched in this way.
It would be very nice for Google to offer such a service.
A request here:
http://code.google.com/p/gmaps-api-issues/issues/detail?id=2780
(star the request)
> I find it hard to believe that in 2011 there
> isn't a standard and easy way of turning a form field into a smart
> location autocomplete field.
>
> I'm trying to get my head around how I'd go about doing this using
> something like geonames.org as an alternative. It seems the countries
> are limited and must be specified - so no global search?
Well, they provide many APIs you can use. But also the data so can
download it and put it in your own database. Can then implement what
ever logic you like.
But this looks interesting:
http://1300grams.com/2009/08/17/jquery-autocomplete-with-json-jsonp-support-and-overriding-the-default-search-parameter-q/
unxposed
options to return results to Jquery autocomplete. In the end I settled
with using a combination of geonames to give back a list of towns, and
Google Goecoder to handle more specific things like street addresses,
postcodes etc. I've turned it into a jquery plugin (demo here
http://labs.unxposed.net/unxposed/geocode/ download here
https://github.com/unxposed/geocode). Very primative at the moment,
but something none the less!
Thanks
On Apr 7, 3:13 pm, Barry Hunter <barrybhun...@gmail.com> wrote: