Question: Map Data download / Upload

[Michael Shaughnessy]

Hello,

So this may be obvious as it seems the answer is "no" but I'll ask anyway. Is there a way to access some Google Map data in bulk? I'm looking to see which Holocaust Memorials are listed on Google Maps / Earth and am looking for the largest possible data set. 

Michael

[Josh Williams]

Hey there Michael,

I am going to agree with your no, but if you really wanted to give it a go you could create a data set; gathering information from the Google's Places API. 

If you don't have an api key start here. https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform

If you have a key...

Places documentation: https://developers.google.com/places/web-service/search#TextSearchRequests

 

ex places query: https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/textsearch/json?query=Holocaust&region=us&fields=formatted_address,name&type=memorial&key=YOURKEYHERE

Issues: 

1. Only shows 20 results at at time; up to 60 per query, so you might have to adjust region settings.(example query above maxed the 60 limit)  https://developers.google.com/places/web-service/search#PlaceSearchPaging

2. Don't think you can...nor want to do the entire earth at once (see issue 1)

3. Output is json or xml. Above example json, but both easy enough to convert to however you end up storing the data.

4. Depending on how much you use the service, you might get some charges. I think they would be minimal, if at all, because the free quota limit is adequate. Especially for what you are asking.

5. You would want to find a way to automate the process because space is always changing.

[Michael Shaughnessy]

Thanks for the reply and for confirming what I had assumed was the only way to gather data.. i.e. somewhat manually. 

I'm looking at thousands of data points now for the memorial project, so 20 or 60 at a time won't be much of a help since I'm working at the national level. 

On the other end.. is there any way to "suggest" or provide the data to Google Maps once the project is well underway? A main reason for the project is public outreach and currently and to make Holocaust memorial sites accessible to a broader audience. I have thousands of memorials cataloged and expect to gain thousands more in the coming year with the aid of a grant or two.

I also assume that the answer is "no" unless I worked directly with the Google Geo team to provide the data to them that they could incorporate. (And if they were interested) 

I'm aware of the "add a place" or "suggest an edit" but that would not be practical given the scope of my project unless it was conducted on a small scale. 

Thanks,

Michael

[Michael Shaughnessy]

Let me clarify that last request about uploading a batch to Google maps. I intend to publish my data set of Memorials to the Victims of National Socialism using Mymaps as one medium and that is very useful for a specified data set. 

I am, however, interested in providing data to the Google Maps itself so that the memorials appear on the maps that most users utilize on site. 

Michael