The Underscore Archives

On 13 Dec 2007, at 17:03, Sam Machin wrote:

> Google Maps will locate on the map via a full postcode, might be worth
> checking out if anything can be done with their API.

The Google Maps API does support postcode / lat-long / address  
lookups.... The "getLocation" function should do it.

*But* the level of data it provides back depends on what Google's  
signed with whomever it gets the data off.

For instance in the UK, the Google Maps API, when looking up a  
latitude / longitude from a postcode will deliberately add an error of  
~1-2km. (Which it doesn't do if you type the postcode directly into  
maps.google.co.uk.) Very annoying.

I only guess they do this to satisfy the contract they have with Royal  
Mail / OS because they don't do this in many other countries - the  
Netherlands for example.

MultiMap has an API these days, I hear it's a little more accurate.  
Not used it myself though.

I also found this: http://linuxbox.co.uk/postcode_database.php

Cheers,
-j