debugging a google maps api query error

Question

I am trying to do a simple geocoding query to the google maps api. I am getting a message denied error for seemingly no reason. I see a ton of posts with the same question but I seem to be doing what those weren't and still get the error.

Also adding the sensor parameter at the end results in a denied message whereas having the sensor param as the first gives me zero results. I am obviously doing something stupid. Can someone check please?

I am pasting multiple attempts I did and the results -

1. A HTTP POST attempt -

   curl --data "sensor=false&address=22222" http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json

   { "error_message" : "The 'sensor' parameter specified in the request must be set to either 'true' or 'false'.", "results" : [], "status" : "REQUEST_DENIED" }

2. Using the example specified in the developer page with sensor param as the first one and XML.

   curl http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/xml?sensor="false"&address="1600+Amphitheatre+Parkway,+Mountain+View,+CA"

   $ <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <GeocodeResponse> <status>ZERO_RESULTS</status> </GeocodeResponse>

3. Using the example specified in the developer page with sensor param as the last one.

   curl http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=1600+Amphitheatre+Parkway,+Mountain+View,+CA&sensor=false

   $ { "error_message" : "The 'sensor' parameter specified in the request must be set to either 'true' or 'false'.", "results" : [], "status" : "REQUEST_DENIED" }

4. Another attempt

   curl http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address="22222"&sensor=false

   $ { "error_message" : "The 'sensor' parameter specified in the request must be set to either 'true' or 'false'.", "results" : [], "status" : "REQUEST_DENIED" }

5. Yet another one.

   curl http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?sensor=false&address="22222"

   $ { "results" : [], "status" : "ZERO_RESULTS" }

Answer 1

Try double quotes for the whole URL, like this:

curl "http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=22222&sensor=false"

Answer 2

Another option is to escape the & symbol:

curl http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=22222\&sensor=false

which works for me.