* Map Window Geocoding

[Ron Melby]

regarding the map window, I think I have around 1600 places, it did perhaps 3/4 of them before I got a server busy....(I am betting it was limit exceeded) does anyone have a feel for how long before you can go again, last two days its been server busy immediate.

[tatewise]

Since this is a new topic I have started a new thread, but it has been extensively discussed before.
See Geocoding stopped - almost all the time (16609).
See glossary:map_window|> Workspace 8: Map Window.

[Ron Melby]

it has issues...and I mean issues

CAN
NOR
ENG.
that is, I know it happened in norway, just not where those sorts of things put me in the middle of africa, when I would rather they put me in the middle of their country respectivley, and things it cant decode correctly show up any old place, I have records from UK, GBR in CT and MN for example, have not found all issues, but there are plenty to find...

I probably need the table from Map Life Facts, and translate it to the @PLAC record, no idea where to start yet....

dont know how to read mikes tables yet, dont know how to convert from decimal to deg and so on. nor how to read and rewrite the @PLAC records.

[Gowermick]

Ron,
Are you aware that you can actually drag and drop any place name directly on to the map, and it will geocode for you? When geocoding goes drastically wrong and places marker in another country, rather than drag and drop the marker to the correct place, I just drag and drop the place name from the list. Doing it that way, I can expand the map as much as I need to show correct location before dropping name.

[Jane]

In general the Geocode likes real place names, so CANADA, NORWAY, UNITED KINGDOM will work correctly, but unless you use the official 2 letter codes, other short values won't, if you want to keep your custom values, use the Standardised Place name field to put in the proper country name.

[tatewise]

I find that the FH Map Window does not geocode either 2-letter nor 3-letter country codes very well.
As Jane says, full country names are better, and to use the Standardized filed to hold modern place names for geocoding.

The Map Life Facts Plugin uses the Google Geocoding Service that does recognise 3-letter country codes and many other short codes as explained in plugins:help:map_life_facts:smart_geocoding#map_life_facts_smart_geocoding|> Map Life Facts ~ Smart Geocoding.
However, the Google Geocoding Service now requires you to jump through hoops to register a credit card, even though it can be set up to never involve any charges. I have been using it for years and every month get an invoice for £0.00.
See plugins:help:map_life_facts:0_google_maps_geocoder#manage_api_key|> Manage API Key.
The Plugin can be customised to automatically synchronise with your Place Records.
See plugins:help:map_life_facts:the_faq#how_can_v6_place_records_be_synchronised_with_plugin_locations|> How can V6 Place Records be synchronised with Plugin Locations?

[Ron Melby]

I am doing the place records from map life facts.

2 things, I believe I have updated the MLF against the store some time ago. (do not count me sure of this)

the api key was empty.
it still doesnt take my api key.

I have manually re-entered it into the dat file, and it is humming along.