NAME

Geo::Coder::Google - Geocoder that utilizes the public Google Geocoder API

SYNOPSIS 

        use Geo::Coder::Google;
        use Data::Dumper;

        my $geocoder = Geo::Coder::Google->new({ key => "$API_KEY" });

        my $address  = '1600 Pennsylvania Ave Washington DC';
    
        # Returns an array of matching records.  Geocoding is often not precise
        # enough to guarantee one record, so this is always an array
        my @response = $geocoder->geocode($address);

        foreach my $addr ( @response ) {
            print $addr->address, "\n"; # Formatted address (looks pretty)
            print "This address is at: ",
                $addr->latitude, " x ", $addr->longitude, "\n";
            # Now for the other fields.  Because Geocoding isn't just in the
            # US, the format is loosely based upon xAL.  You can readup on it
             here: http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/ciq/ciq.html#6
            print $addr->administrativearea, "\n";    # State/Province (e.g., "CA")
            print $addr->subadministrativearea, "\n"; # County (e.g., "Santa Clara")
            print $addr->locality, "\n";     # The City
            print $addr->postalcode, "\n";   # Postal Code
            print $addr->thoroughfare, "\n"; # Just the number and street info
        }

DESCRIPTION

This module utilizes LWP::UserAgent to request geocode results from the Google Geocode Service. This requires that you register for an API key

at

http://www.google.com/apis/maps/signup.html

Once you have your key, you can begin using this module for geocoding. If your key is invalid, or misentered, you will receive an "Error 610".

ERROR CASES
G_GEO_SUCCESS (200)

Successful geocode

G_GEO_MISSING_ADDRESS (601)

You have to supply at least some form of an address.

G_GEO_UNKNOWN_ADDRESS (602)

You probably supplied gibberish, didn't you? Didn't you!?

G_GEO_UNAVAILABLE_ADDRESS (603)

Google knows your address. But it is a secret. Sshh.

G_GEO_BAD_KEY (610)

Your key is not valid. Check it again.

G_GEO_TOO_MANY_QUERIES (620) 

        You have used up too many queries. There is a 50,000 limit that is
        likely to change (who knows which direction).

G_GEO_SERVER_ERROR (500)

Server Error. Oops!

METHODS
new
This simple constructor gets you started.

my $geocoder = Geo::Coder::Google->new({ key => $YOURKEY });

Parameters

key Required. Set this to your Google API Key

timeout

Optional timeout to use before giving up and reporting failure.

agent 

        Optional parameter to set the User Agent. Defaults to
        Geo::Coder::Google/$VERSION

geocode
This method returns an array of the results for the address specified.

AUTHORS

Copyright 2006 J. Shirley <jshirley@gmail.com>

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself. That means either (a) the GNU General Public License or (b) the Artistic License.

THANKS
Google! You can do no evil, except in China. We still love you, though.

SEE ALSO

Geo::Coder::Google::Address - The Google address object