CODEWITHSUNDEEP
androidgoogle-mapsandroid-studiogoogle-places-apigoogle-maps-android-api-2
Ggdw
Ggdw

Reputation: 2709

Google map API return incorrect result for searches

I am new to coding in android and I am trying to use the google map API to display places nearby.

My code is:

 public void onClick(View v) {
            mMap.clear();
            String search = "cvs"
            String url = getUrl(latitude, longitude, search);
            Object[] dataTransfer = new Object[2];
            dataTransfer[0] = mMap;
            dataTransfer[1] = url;
            GetNearbyData getNearbyData = new GetNearbyData();
            getNearbyData.execute(dataTransfer);
        }

     private String getUrl(double latitude, double longitude, String 
                           nearbyPlace) {

        StringBuilder googlePlacesUrl = new 
 StringBuilder("https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/nearbysearch/json?");
        googlePlacesUrl.append("location=" + latitude + "," + longitude);
        googlePlacesUrl.append("&radius=" + PROXIMITY_RADIUS);
        googlePlacesUrl.append("&type=" + nearbyPlace);
        googlePlacesUrl.append("&sensor=true");
        googlePlacesUrl.append("&key=" + "{MY_KEY}");
        return (googlePlacesUrl.toString());
    }

the URL output is: https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/nearbysearch/json?location=40.7692494,-73.9842065&radius=10000&type=cvs&sensor=true&key={MY_KEY}

The problem starts when I change the search word, when I put (under the URL type) cvs/parks/starbucks... (and probably other places) I keep getting the same result. For example: if my location is central park NY, I keep getting results for Chrysler Building Hotel Pennsylvania Hudson New York and more. Those palaces are not related to my search word (cvs/parks/starbucks...) Important note is that for banks I do get banks' results.

Can anyone explain me how to solve this problem? why for some words I do get correct results and for other I do not?

Thanks

Upvotes: 0

Views: 1251

Answers (1)

xomena
xomena

Reputation: 32178

Please note that none of cvs, parks or starbucks belong to the list of supported types that you can use in nearby search. You can consult the list of supported types in the official Places API documentation:

https://developers.google.com/places/supported_types

I believe you have to use a keyword parameter when you construct the URL instead of the type parameter.

keyword — A term to be matched against all content that Google has indexed for this place, including but not limited to name, type, and address, as well as customer reviews and other third-party content.

source: https://developers.google.com/places/web-service/search#PlaceSearchRequests

For example if I search 'cvs'

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/nearbysearch/json?location=40.7692494%2C-73.9842065&radius=10000&keyword=cvs&key=MY_API_KEY

I can see places that are relevant for this search as shown in my screenshot

enter image description here

Search for 'parks'

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/nearbysearch/json?location=40.7692494%2C-73.9842065&radius=10000&keyword=parks&key=MY_API_KEY

gives me the following results

enter image description here

Finally search for 'starbucks'

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/nearbysearch/json?location=40.7692494%2C-73.9842065&radius=10000&keyword=starbucks&key=MY_API_KEY

returns Starbucks places

enter image description here

I hope this helps!

Upvotes: 2

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