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Still related to my last post, today we found another issue with Google Maps. This time, the issue is related to postal code resolution. As you can try yourself, we can enter a postal code in Google Maps, and we will see the correct location appear in the map.

After testing with a few test cases, it seems the result given by Google Maps API is not consistent. For example, examine these three URLs and compare their result:

URL A: Postal Code: 489949
URL B: Postal Code: 529684
URL C: Postal Code: 163009

Result A:

{
   "results" : [
      {
         "address_components" : [
            {
               "long_name" : "489949",
               "short_name" : "489949",
               "types" : [ "postal_code" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Tampines",
               "short_name" : "Tampines",
               "types" : [ "neighborhood", "political" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "Singapore",
               "types" : [ "locality", "political" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "SG",
               "types" : [ "country", "political" ]
            }
         ],
         "formatted_address" : "Singapore 489949",
         "geometry" : {
            "location" : {
               "lat" : 1.334575,
               "lng" : 103.949792
            },
            "location_type" : "APPROXIMATE",
            "viewport" : {
               "northeast" : {
                  "lat" : 1.335923980291502,
                  "lng" : 103.9511409802915
               },
               "southwest" : {
                  "lat" : 1.333226019708498,
                  "lng" : 103.9484430197085
               }
            }
         },
         "place_id" : "ChIJh2cj7y892jERKFBGlnIii7Q",
         "types" : [ "postal_code" ]
      }
   ],
   "status" : "OK"
}

Result B:

{
   "results" : [
      {
         "address_components" : [
            {
               "long_name" : "529684",
               "short_name" : "529684",
               "types" : [ "postal_code" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "SG",
               "types" : [ "country", "political" ]
            }
         ],
         "formatted_address" : "51 Tampines Avenue 4, Singapore 529684",
         "geometry" : {
            "location" : {
               "lat" : 1.3527668,
               "lng" : 103.940085
            },
            "location_type" : "GEOMETRIC_CENTER",
            "viewport" : {
               "northeast" : {
                  "lat" : 1.354115780291502,
                  "lng" : 103.9414339802915
               },
               "southwest" : {
                  "lat" : 1.351417819708498,
                  "lng" : 103.9387360197085
               }
            }
         },
         "place_id" : "ChIJ2QytGRM92jERrMbjLH1pYVU",
         "types" : [ "establishment", "point_of_interest" ]
      }
   ],
   "status" : "OK"
}

Result C:

{
   "results" : [
      {
         "address_components" : [
            {
               "long_name" : "9B",
               "short_name" : "9B",
               "types" : [ "street_number" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Boon Tiong Road",
               "short_name" : "Boon Tiong Rd",
               "types" : [ "route" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "Singapore",
               "types" : [ "locality", "political" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "SG",
               "types" : [ "country", "political" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "163009",
               "short_name" : "163009",
               "types" : [ "postal_code" ]
            }
         ],
         "formatted_address" : "9B Boon Tiong Road, Tiong Bahru View, Singapore 163009, 9B Boon Tiong Rd, Singapore 163009",
         "geometry" : {
            "location" : {
               "lat" : 1.2868142,
               "lng" : 103.8289788
            },
            "location_type" : "ROOFTOP",
            "viewport" : {
               "northeast" : {
                  "lat" : 1.288163180291502,
                  "lng" : 103.8303277802915
               },
               "southwest" : {
                  "lat" : 1.285465219708498,
                  "lng" : 103.8276298197085
               }
            }
         },
         "place_id" : "ChIJEZ_eH3kZ2jER_IcZMYi6gfQ",
         "types" : [ "establishment", "point_of_interest" ]
      }
   ],
   "status" : "OK"
}

So we can see here that we can’t rely on the postal code to get the address. But if we use the lat and long given in the result A, it will actually gives us the correct address 😀

URL A: Lat: 1.334575, Long: 103.949792:

{
   "results" : [
      {
         "address_components" : [
            {
               "long_name" : "11",
               "short_name" : "11",
               "types" : [ "street_number" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Bedok North Avenue 4",
               "short_name" : "Bedok North Ave 4",
               "types" : [ "route" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Tampines",
               "short_name" : "Tampines",
               "types" : [ "neighborhood", "political" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "Singapore",
               "types" : [ "locality", "political" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "SG",
               "types" : [ "country", "political" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "489949",
               "short_name" : "489949",
               "types" : [ "postal_code" ]
            }
         ],
         "formatted_address" : "11 Bedok North Ave 4, Singapore 489949",
         "geometry" : {
            "location" : {
               "lat" : 1.334575,
               "lng" : 103.949792
            },
            "location_type" : "ROOFTOP",
            "viewport" : {
               "northeast" : {
                  "lat" : 1.335923980291502,
                  "lng" : 103.9511409802915
               },
               "southwest" : {
                  "lat" : 1.333226019708498,
                  "lng" : 103.9484430197085
               }
            }
         },
         "place_id" : "ChIJb90H5S892jER41OGX1qDRV0",
         "types" : [ "street_address" ]
      },
      {
         "address_components" : [
            {
               "long_name" : "Opp Blk 3011",
               "short_name" : "Opp Blk 3011",
               "types" : [
                  "bus_station",
                  "establishment",
                  "point_of_interest",
                  "transit_station"
               ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Tampines",
               "short_name" : "Tampines",
               "types" : [ "neighborhood", "political" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "Singapore",
               "types" : [ "locality", "political" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "SG",
               "types" : [ "country", "political" ]
            }
         ],
         "formatted_address" : "Opp Blk 3011, Singapore",
         "geometry" : {
            "location" : {
               "lat" : 1.3347473,
               "lng" : 103.9502402
            },
            "location_type" : "GEOMETRIC_CENTER",
            "viewport" : {
               "northeast" : {
                  "lat" : 1.336096280291502,
                  "lng" : 103.9515891802915
               },
               "southwest" : {
                  "lat" : 1.333398319708498,
                  "lng" : 103.9488912197085
               }
            }
         },
         "place_id" : "ChIJl27l8S892jERJRTu-a5zeOo",
         "types" : [
            "bus_station",
            "establishment",
            "point_of_interest",
            "transit_station"
         ]
      },
      {
         "address_components" : [
            {
               "long_name" : "Tampines",
               "short_name" : "Tampines",
               "types" : [ "neighborhood", "political" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "Singapore",
               "types" : [ "locality", "political" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "SG",
               "types" : [ "country", "political" ]
            }
         ],
         "formatted_address" : "Tampines, Singapore",
         "geometry" : {
            "bounds" : {
               "northeast" : {
                  "lat" : 1.375747,
                  "lng" : 103.985835
               },
               "southwest" : {
                  "lat" : 1.3144619,
                  "lng" : 103.924219
               }
            },
            "location" : {
               "lat" : 1.3495907,
               "lng" : 103.9567879
            },
            "location_type" : "APPROXIMATE",
            "viewport" : {
               "northeast" : {
                  "lat" : 1.375747,
                  "lng" : 103.985835
               },
               "southwest" : {
                  "lat" : 1.3144619,
                  "lng" : 103.924219
               }
            }
         },
         "place_id" : "ChIJ0e4CNAQ92jERy_T_mqOSB48",
         "types" : [ "neighborhood", "political" ]
      },
      {
         "address_components" : [
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "Singapore",
               "types" : [ "locality", "political" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "SG",
               "types" : [ "country", "political" ]
            }
         ],
         "formatted_address" : "Singapore",
         "geometry" : {
            "bounds" : {
               "northeast" : {
                  "lat" : 1.4708809,
                  "lng" : 104.0415799
               },
               "southwest" : {
                  "lat" : 1.216611,
                  "lng" : 103.6065099
               }
            },
            "location" : {
               "lat" : 1.3553794,
               "lng" : 103.8677444
            },
            "location_type" : "APPROXIMATE",
            "viewport" : {
               "northeast" : {
                  "lat" : 1.470624,
                  "lng" : 104.0414138
               },
               "southwest" : {
                  "lat" : 1.2205143,
                  "lng" : 103.6097687
               }
            }
         },
         "place_id" : "ChIJyY4rtGcX2jERIKTarqz3AAQ",
         "types" : [ "locality", "political" ]
      },
      {
         "address_components" : [
            {
               "long_name" : "489949",
               "short_name" : "489949",
               "types" : [ "postal_code" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Tampines",
               "short_name" : "Tampines",
               "types" : [ "neighborhood", "political" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "Singapore",
               "types" : [ "locality", "political" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "SG",
               "types" : [ "country", "political" ]
            }
         ],
         "formatted_address" : "Singapore 489949",
         "geometry" : {
            "location" : {
               "lat" : 1.334575,
               "lng" : 103.949792
            },
            "location_type" : "APPROXIMATE",
            "viewport" : {
               "northeast" : {
                  "lat" : 1.335923980291502,
                  "lng" : 103.9511409802915
               },
               "southwest" : {
                  "lat" : 1.333226019708498,
                  "lng" : 103.9484430197085
               }
            }
         },
         "place_id" : "ChIJh2cj7y892jERKFBGlnIii7Q",
         "types" : [ "postal_code" ]
      },
      {
         "address_components" : [
            {
               "long_name" : "489948",
               "short_name" : "489948",
               "types" : [ "postal_code" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Tampines",
               "short_name" : "Tampines",
               "types" : [ "neighborhood", "political" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "Singapore",
               "types" : [ "locality", "political" ]
            },
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "SG",
               "types" : [ "country", "political" ]
            }
         ],
         "formatted_address" : "Singapore 489948",
         "geometry" : {
            "location" : {
               "lat" : 1.335123,
               "lng" : 103.949641
            },
            "location_type" : "APPROXIMATE",
            "viewport" : {
               "northeast" : {
                  "lat" : 1.336471980291502,
                  "lng" : 103.9509899802915
               },
               "southwest" : {
                  "lat" : 1.333774019708498,
                  "lng" : 103.9482920197085
               }
            }
         },
         "place_id" : "ChIJz0_K_i892jERKuoi1XSScek",
         "types" : [ "postal_code" ]
      },
      {
         "address_components" : [
            {
               "long_name" : "Singapore",
               "short_name" : "SG",
               "types" : [ "country", "political" ]
            }
         ],
         "formatted_address" : "Singapore",
         "geometry" : {
            "bounds" : {
               "northeast" : {
                  "lat" : 1.4784001,
                  "lng" : 104.0945001
               },
               "southwest" : {
                  "lat" : 1.1496,
                  "lng" : 103.594
               }
            },
            "location" : {
               "lat" : 1.352083,
               "lng" : 103.819836
            },
            "location_type" : "APPROXIMATE",
            "viewport" : {
               "northeast" : {
                  "lat" : 1.4707592,
                  "lng" : 104.0884808
               },
               "southwest" : {
                  "lat" : 1.1587023,
                  "lng" : 103.6055575
               }
            }
         },
         "place_id" : "ChIJdZOLiiMR2jERxPWrUs9peIg",
         "types" : [ "country", "political" ]
      }
   ],
   "status" : "OK"
}

I guess we need to find another way to consistently able to resolve postal code. 🙁

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About Hardono

Howdy! I'm Hardono. I am working as a Software Developer. I am working mostly in Windows, dealing with .NET, conversing in C#. But I know a bit of Linux, mainly because I need to keep this blog operational. I've been working in Logistics/Transport industry for more than 11 years.

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