Retrieving Postal Code with Google Maps Javascript API V3 Reverse Geocode

Question

I'm trying to submit a query using the postal code to my DB whenever the googlemaps viewport center changes. I know that this can be done with reverse geocoding with something like:

google.maps.event.addListener(map, 'center_changed', function(){
newCenter();
});
...
function newCenter(){
var newc = map.getCenter();
geocoder.geocode({'latLng': newc}, function(results, status){
if (status == google.maps.GeocoderStatus.OK) {
  var newzip = results[0].address_components['postal_code'];
  }
});
};

Of course, this code doesn't actually work. So I was wondering how I would need to change this in order to extract the postal code from the results array. Thanks

Crary

EDIT: It looks like I have no choice but to iterate through the address components and search for one with types[0] == 'postal_code' ? Is there a better way to do that? – Crary

@RomainM yes i would assume unless u want to manually parse it from the result – Never

Yes, you do have to go through the array and look for the element that has 'postal_code' in its types array, which may be last or first or anywhere in between. Besides, which element? You may want to take the postal code from results[0].address_components or from results itself: try with both and see what works best in the area you care about. In general, I'd recommend results[0].address_components if you care about places with a full address, and results if you case about strict containment of your latlng in the postal code you get. – Studied

Answer 1

Alright, so I got it. The solution is a little uglier than I'd like, and I probably don't need the last for loop, but here's the code for anyone else who needs to extract crap from address_components[]. This is inside the geocoder callback function

// make sure to initialize i
for(i=0; i < results.length; i++){
            for(var j=0;j < results[i].address_components.length; j++){
                for(var k=0; k < results[i].address_components[j].types.length; k++){
                    if(results[i].address_components[j].types[k] == "postal_code"){
                        zipcode = results[i].address_components[j].short_name;
                    }
                }
            }
    }

Crary

this doesn't work for me, I am checking the postal code for Iowa City Iowa and it comes up undefined. – Plaintive

This should be the approved answer. This works for addresses that do not have the zip code as the last component. – Fortunetelling

hey @SamCromer i tested the above code and the answer also came undefined. maybe you also forgot to put var i= 0 before the for loop. i added and it worked great! – Gyration

this works beautifully, just as long as you change 'for(i; i < results.length; i++){' to 'for(i=0; i < results.length; i++){'. many thanks for this solution. – Context

Answer 2

What I've realized so far is that in most cases the ZIPCODE is always the last value inside each returned address, so, if you want to retrieve the very first zipcode (this is my case), you can use the following approach:

var address = results[0].address_components;
var zipcode = address[address.length - 1].long_name;

Antilogism

ah, there we go. That's a hell of a lot cleaner. Thanks – Crary

I had to use address.length - 2 Not sure why yours is different? – Cortes

There's a long time since I published this answer, but I remember that in another project I discovered that the index would vary depending on the result. In other words, the zipcode can sometimes not be the last item. – Antilogism

@Tuco, the index does change. Sometimes it is the last element, others, it is the second to last. Not sure the reason for this though. – Fortunetelling

Indeed @jmiraglia. Long after I published this response, I discovered that for some reason sometimes it's not the last element. Maybe you can validate the value against a Regex, something like /\d{5}-\d{3}/ could to the trick. – Antilogism

Yes, you do have to go through the array and look for the element that has 'postal_code' in its types array, which may be last or first or anywhere in between. – Studied

For those who are wondering why zip code comes at the second last position sometimes, it's because in some cases the last item is the postal_code_suffix key – Cursorial

it can also miss if you do not provide enough information, and can lead to error – Hypermetropia

I was testing out and for few cases address[address.length - 1] returns the desired zip code while in few cases `address[address.length - 2]. So here is a ternary statement var zipcode = isNaN(address[address.length - 1].long_name) ? address[address.length - 2].long_name : address[address.length - 1].long_name; – Uncaredfor

Answer 3

You can do this pretty easily using the underscore.js libraray: http://documentcloud.github.com/underscore/#find

_.find(results[0].address_components, function (ac) { return ac.types[0] == 'postal_code' }).short_name

Coben

thanks buddy, pretty nice one-liner using underscore.js' find() – Ophthalmitis

The underscore hack is very good. i'm not using underscore in my current project and i don't feel like adding another lib just for it, but i'm bookmarking this answer :D – Gyration

See this answer https://mcmap.net/q/554515/-retrieving-postal-code-with-google-maps-javascript-api-v3-reverse-geocode with native .find method – Heda

Answer 4

Using JQuery?

var searchAddressComponents = results[0].address_components,
    searchPostalCode="";

$.each(searchAddressComponents, function(){
    if(this.types[0]=="postal_code"){
        searchPostalCode=this.short_name;
    }
});

short_name or long_name will work above
the "searchPostalCode" var will contain the postal (zip?) code IF and only IF you get one from the Google Maps API.

Sometimes you DO NOT get a "postal_code" in return for your query.

Landlordism

Answer 5

$.each(results[0].address_components,function(index,value){
    if(value.types[0] === "postal_code"){
        $('#postal_code').val(value.long_name);
    }
});

Rigger

Answer 6

You can also use JavaScript .find method which is similar to underscore _.find method but it is native and require no extra dependency.

const zip_code = results[0].address_components.find(addr => addr.types[0] === "postal_code").short_name;

Heda

You need a Polyfill for this, cause there is no IE support [caniuse.com/array-find] – Firsthand

Answer 7

This takes only two for loops. The "results" array gets updated once we found the first "type" to be "postal_code".

It then updates the original array with the newly found array set and loops again.

            var i, j,
            result, types;

            // Loop through the Geocoder result set. Note that the results
            // array will change as this loop can self iterate.
            for (i = 0; i < results.length; i++) {

                result = results[i];

                types = result.types;

                for (j = 0; j < types.length; j++) {

                    if (types[j] === 'postal_code') {

                        // If we haven't found the "long_name" property,
                        // then we need to take this object and iterate through
                        // it again by setting it to our master loops array and 
                        // setting the index to -1
                        if (result.long_name === undefined) {
                            results = result.address_components;
                            i = -1;
                        }
                        // We've found it!
                        else {
                            postcode = result.long_name;
                        }

                        break;

                    }

                }

            }

Naominaor

Answer 8

You can also use this code, this function will help to get zip on button click or onblur or keyup or keydown.

Just pass the address to this function.

use google api with valid key and sensor option removed as it doesn't required now.

function callZipAPI(addSearchZip)
{    
    var geocoder = new google.maps.Geocoder();
    var zipCode = null;

    geocoder.geocode({ 'address': addSearchZip }, function (results, status) {
        if (status == google.maps.GeocoderStatus.OK) {

            //var latitude = results[0].geometry.location.lat();
            //var longitude = results[0].geometry.location.lng();

            var addressComponent = results[0].address_components;            
            for (var x = 0 ; x < addressComponent.length; x++) {
                var chk = addressComponent[x];
                if (chk.types[0] == 'postal_code') {
                    zipCode = chk.long_name;
                }
            }
            if (zipCode) {
                alert(zipCode);
            }
            else {
                alert('No result found!!');
            }
        } else {            
            alert('Enter proper address!!');
        }
    });
}

Louella

If you want latitude and longitude, just remove the comment part from the two lines mentioned. – Louella

Answer 9

I use this code to get "Postal code" and "locality", but you can use it to get any other field just changing the value of type:

JAVASCRIPT

var address = results[0].address_components;
var zipcode = '';
var locality = '';

for (var i = 0; i < address.length; i++) {
     if (address[i].types.includes("postal_code")){ zipcode = address[i].short_name; }    
     if (address[i].types.includes("locality")){ locality = address[i].short_name; }
}

Neman

Answer 10

I think rather than depending on the index it better checks address type key inside the component. I solved this issue by using a switch case.

      var address = '';
      var pin = '';
      var country = '';
      var state = '';
      var city = '';
      var streetNumber = '';
      var route ='';
      var place = autocomplete.getPlace(); 
      for (var i = 0; i < place.address_components.length; i++) {
        var component = place.address_components[i];
        var addressType = component.types[0];

        switch (addressType) {
            case 'street_number':
                streetNumber = component.long_name;
                break;
            case 'route':
                route = component.short_name;
                break;
            case 'locality':
                city = component.long_name;
                break;
            case 'administrative_area_level_1':
                state = component.long_name;
                break;
            case 'postal_code':
                pin = component.long_name;
                break;
            case 'country':
                country = component.long_name;
                break;
        }
       }

Uphill

Answer 11

places.getDetails( request_details, function(results_details, status){

                // Check if the Service is OK
                if (status == google.maps.places.PlacesServiceStatus.OK) {                  

                    places_postal           = results_details.address_components
                    places_phone            = results_details.formatted_phone_number
                    places_phone_int        = results_details.international_phone_number
                    places_format_address   = results_details.formatted_address
                    places_google_url       = results_details.url
                    places_website          = results_details.website
                    places_rating           = results_details.rating

                    for (var i = 0; i < places_postal.length; i++ ) {
                        if (places_postal[i].types == "postal_code"){
                            console.log(places_postal[i].long_name)
                        }
                    }

                }
            });

This seems to work very well for me, this is with the new Google Maps API V3. If this helps anyone, write a comment, i'm writing my script as we speak... so it might change.

Koodoo

Answer 12

Using JSONPath, it's easily done with one line of code:

var zip = $.results[0].address_components[?(@.types=="postal_code")].long_name;

Heteronomous

Answer 13

In PHP I use this code. Almost in every conditions it works.

$zip = $data["results"][3]["address_components"];
$zip = $index[0]["short_name"];

Bucher

Answer 14

Romaine M. — thanks! If you just need to find the postal code in the first returned result from Google, you can do just 2 loops:

for(var j=0;j < results[0].address_components.length; j++){
    for(var k=0; k < results[0].address_components[j].types.length; k++){
        if(results[0].address_components[j].types[k] == "postal_code"){
            zipcode = results[0].address_components[j].long_name;
        }
    }
}

Peaked

Answer 15

In a word, that's a lot of effort. At least with the v2 API, I could retrieve those details thusly:

var place = response.Placemark[0];
var point = new GLatLng(place.Point.coordinates[1], place.Point.coordinates[0]);

myAddress = place.AddressDetails.Country.AdministrativeArea.SubAdministrativeArea.Locality.Thoroughfare.ThoroughfareName

myCity = place.AddressDetails.Country.AdministrativeArea.SubAdministrativeArea.Locality.LocalityName

myState = place.AddressDetails.Country.AdministrativeArea.AdministrativeAreaName

myZipCode = place.AddressDetails.Country.AdministrativeArea.SubAdministrativeArea.Locality.PostalCode.PostalCodeNumber

There has got to be a more elegant way to retrieve individual address_components without going through the looping jujitsu you just went through.

Eighteen

I hope you're right, maybe I just don't get how you're supposed to interact with the object. If you look at the tutorial thing, it's clear that address_components is an array, and since Javascript doesn't have associative arrays, the only way that I can think to do this is with loops code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/javascript/… – Crary

Answer 16

This simple code works for me

for (var i = 0; i < address.length; i++) {
        alert(address[i].types);
        if (address[i].types == "postal_code")
            $('#postalCode').val(address[i].long_name);
        if (address[i].types == "")
            $('#country').val(address[i].short_name);
    }

Harold

Answer 17

Using Jquery

• You cant be sure in which location in the address_components array the postal code is stored. Sometimes in address_components.length - 1 > pincode may not be there. This is true in "Address to latlng" geocoding.
• You can be sure that Postal code will contain a "postal_code" string. So best way is to check for that.

   var postalObject = $.grep(results[0].address_components, function(n, i) {
                                    if (n.types[0] == "postal_code") {
                                        return n;
                                    } else {
                                        return null;
                                    }
                                });

                                $scope.query.Pincode = postalObject[0].long_name;

Vintner

Answer 18

 return $http.get('//maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json', {
            params: {
                address: val,
                sensor: false
            }
        }).then(function (response) {
           var model= response.data.results.map(function (item) {
               // return item.address_components[0].short_name;
               var short_name;
             var st=  $.each(item.address_components, function (value, key) {
                    if (key.types[0] == "postal_code") {
                        short_name= key.short_name;
                    }
                });
             return short_name;

            });
                return model;
        });

Cochlea

Answer 19

//autocomplete is the text box where u will get the suggestions for an address.

autocomplete.addListener('place_changed', function () {
//Place will get the selected place geocode and returns with the address              
//and marker information.
        var place = autocomplete.getPlace();
//To select just the zip code of complete address from marker, below loop //will help to find. Instead of y.long_name you can also use y.short_name. 
        var zipCode = null;
        for (var x = 0 ; x < place.address_components.length; x++) {
            var y = place.address_components[x];
            if (y.types[0] == 'postal_code') {
                zipCode = y.long_name;
            }
        }
    });

Louella

With auto complete text box you can get the required Postal address, – Louella

Please add a bit of explanation with your answer. It might help OP to understand what you are posting here. – Festal

Answer 20

It seems that nowadays it's better to get it from the restful API, simply try:

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?latlng=40.714224,-73.961452&key=YOUR_KEY_HERE

Using an AJAX GET call works perfect!

Something like:

var your_api_key = "***";
var f_center_lat = 40.714224;
var f_center_lon = -73.961452;

$.ajax({ url: "https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?latlng="+f_center_lat+","+f_center_lon+"&key="+your_api_key,
            method: "GET"
        })
        .done(function( res ) { if (debug) console.log("Ajax result:"); console.log(res);
            var zipCode = null;
            var addressComponent = res.results[0].address_components;
            for (var x = 0 ; x < addressComponent.length; x++) {
                var chk = addressComponent[x];
                if (chk.types[0] == 'postal_code') {
                    zipCode = chk.long_name;
                }
            }
            if (zipCode) {
                //alert(zipCode);
                $(current_map_form + " #postalcode").val(zipCode);
            }
            else {
                //alert('No result found!!');
                if (debug) console.log("Zip/postal code not found for this map location.")
            }
        })
        .fail(function( jqXHR, textStatus ) {
            console.log( "Request failed (get postal code via geocoder rest api). Msg: " + textStatus );
        });

Paleface

Answer 21

As I got it zip is the last or the one that before last. That why this is my solution

const getZip = function (arr) {
  return (arr[arr.length - 1].types[0] === 'postal_code') ? arr[arr.length - 1].long_name : arr[arr.length - 2].long_name;
};
const zip = getZip(place.address_components);

Aprilette

Answer 22

i think this is the most accurate solution:

zipCode: result.address_components.find(item => item.types[0] === 'postal_code').long_name;

Sternson

Answer 23

Just search for postal_code in all types, and return when found.

const address_components = [{"long_name": "2b","short_name": "2b","types": ["street_number"]}, { "long_name": "Louis Schuermanstraat","short_name": "Louis Schuermanstraat", "types": ["route"]},{"long_name": "Gent","short_name": "Gent","types": ["locality","political" ]},{"long_name": "Oost-Vlaanderen","short_name": "OV","types": ["administrative_area_level_2","political"]},{"long_name": "Vlaanderen","short_name": "Vlaanderen","types": ["administrative_area_level_1","political"]},{"long_name": "België","short_name": "BE","types": ["country","political"]},{"long_name": "9040","short_name": "9040","types": ["postal_code"]}];
    
// address_components = results[0]address_components

console.log({
  'object': getByGeoType(address_components),
  'short_name': getByGeoType(address_components).short_name,
  'long_name': getByGeoType(address_components).long_name,
  'route': getByGeoType(address_components, ['route']).long_name,
  'place': getByGeoType(address_components, ['locality', 'political']).long_name
});


function getByGeoType(components, type = ['postal_code']) {
  let result = null;
  $.each(components,
    function() {
      if (this.types.some(r => type.indexOf(r) >= 0)) {
        result = this;
        return false;
      }
    });
  return result;
}

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Thearchy