Google maps improves support for OLC codes

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Doug Rinckes

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Jun 9, 2016, 10:16:32 AM6/9/16
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Just this week we pushed an improvement to the support for OLC codes in Google Maps (web and mobile).

You can now search for "WF8Q+WF Praia, Cape Verde" - that is, you can combine a short OLC code with a locality. I'm really excited by this, because it means that the codes look and work like a normal address.

Our next job is to get the codes displayed in Google Maps. Remember, it's open source so anyone else can support the codes as well. 

Cheers!

Doug Rinckes
Technical Program Manager
Google Switzerland

Jiri Semecky

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Jun 9, 2016, 4:18:45 PM6/9/16
to Doug Rinckes, open-location-code
Congratulation, this is a big step!

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Bjoern Hassler

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Jun 20, 2016, 9:03:22 AM6/20/16
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That's great!

I wonder how this works in practice. For example, plus.codes gives the following short codes:

https://plus.codes/6FR25X2X+FX, 5X2X+FX Ketu, Volta
https://plus.codes/6FR35222+F2, 5222+F2 Ehi, Volta

However, google maps cannot find "5X2X+FX Ketu, Volta", but does find "5X2X+FX Ehi, Volta" and the adjacent "5222+F2 Ehi, Volta".

I imagine the rule is something like "find largest urban area within < 0.5 degree", and somehow "Ketu, Volta" comes back as the region?
All the best,
Bjoern

Doug Rinckes

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Jun 20, 2016, 10:02:58 AM6/20/16
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Hi Bjoern,

Thanks for that. We're having umm, challenges with some locality names that also match other things. You can use "5X2X+FX Ketu, Ghana", but I'll forward this example to the people working on search quality.

Bjoern Hassler

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Jun 21, 2016, 8:18:03 AM6/21/16
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Hi Doug,

sure - I appreciate it's a tricky problem!

Here's another example. There's more than one Mampong in Ghana. These two work:

3H3X+8X Mampong, Ghana
3H3X+8X Mampong, Ashanti

This
3H3X+8X Mampong, Ashanti, Ghana
does not.

This
3H3X+8X Mampong, Ashanti Region, Ghana
does.

Just in case it's useful!
Bjoern

Doug Rinckes

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Jun 28, 2016, 7:18:04 AM6/28/16
to Bjoern Hassler, open-location-code
Thanks!


Doug Rinckes
Technical Program Manager
Google Switzerland

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