Improvement to google.inc geocoding - use CSV instead of XML [#301275]

I've been looking into this and the Geocoding simply wants the long:lat + the code and accuracy (less than 3 isn't accurate enough and 200 is a result). XML bloats this a LOT.

The CSV method of the HTTP API returns a result in this for: {code},{acc},{lat},{long}

I've simply replaced the code which involved a call for a larger XML file + 3 Regex searches with a call to a small CSV (max about 25 bytes) + 1 explode/map to array. I also added a line (not 100% sure if its NECESSARY, but it feels sensible) which makes sure the results are either int or float where appropriate.

I attach a patch to update google.inc. I've tested it a little on my site - it works with correct data and when I put in incorrect data, the result was a 602 in the form 602,0,0,0 so everything still parsed into place.

Any thoughts?

Nick

Comment	File	Size	Author
	google.inc.csv.patch	1.7 KB	nicholasthompson

Comments

Comment #1

nicholasthompson

English

commented 28 August 2008 at 20:29

For reference, I was "inspired" by the final bullet point on this page:
http://googlemapsapi.blogspot.com/2006/07/speed-improvements-custom-curs...

Comment #2

yesct commented 13 April 2009 at 10:37

Issue tags:

+location geo-coding

also, I'm tagging this issue.

Comment #3

ayalon commented 15 October 2009 at 08:37

@nicholasThompson
Error 620

620 G_GEO_TOO_MANY_QUERIES The given key has gone over the requests limit in the 24 hour period or has submitted too many requests in too short a period of time. If you're sending multiple requests in parallel or in a tight loop, use a timer or pause in your code to make sure you don't send the requests too quickly.

I'd prefere a jon implementation. As of php 5.2 a jscon decode is part of the php library this would be the best solution.

Comment #4

nicholasthompson

English

commented 15 October 2009 at 09:14

Heya...

1) Error 620 doesn't seem to be anything to do with this patch. It sounds more like you've over-hammered the Google API in the past 24 hours. XML, JSON or CSV wouldn't have changed this.

2) Why would you prefer a JSON request (larger than CSV) + JSON Decode (Not only causes a PHP 5.2 dependency but I cant believe a JSON Decode is more "lightweight" than a simply array explode on a delimiter).

I honestly don't mind which method is chosen as long as it works ;-) I'm just curious as to why you'd prefer the more complicated JSON method of the simpler CSV method...