Google Maps API not working with server side code but works client side

Question

I'm generating a URL such as:

http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=143+Blackstone+Street%2C+Mendon%2C+MA+-+01756&key=***********

If I open this in browser, I'm getting a result successfully. However, if I use the same URL using curl, I'm getting:

error:couldn't connect to host

Here is my PHP code

$url = "http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=".urlencode('143 Blackstone Street, Mendon, MA - 01756')."&key=***********";    
$ch = curl_init();
$options = array(
    CURLOPT_URL => $url,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => 1,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 100,            
    CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST => 0,
    CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER => false
);
curl_setopt_array($ch, $options);
$response = curl_exec($ch);
if(curl_error($ch))
{
    echo 'error:' . curl_error($ch);
}
curl_close ($ch);
print_r($response);

UPDATE

I came across a term called as server key and browser key when using the Google APIs. Howerver, in the API manager, I can't seem to see where to set or change the API type.

Google server does not allow request directly from the server unless it is triggered using browser agent. What are you trying to achieve by CURL + Google Map? — Anand G, Sep 28 '16 at 07:02

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 28 '16 at 07:10

You are urlencodeing parts of the url that need to be in plain text.

Only urlencode your parameters

<?php
$address = urlencode("143 Blackstone Street, Mendon, MA - 01756");
$key = urlencode("************");
$ch = curl_init();
$options = array(
    CURLOPT_URL => "http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=".$address."&key=".$key,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => 1,
    CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 100,
    CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYHOST => 0,
    CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER => false
);
curl_setopt_array($ch, $options);
$response = curl_exec($ch);
if(curl_error($ch))
{
    echo 'error:' . curl_error($ch);
}
curl_close ($ch);
print_r($response);

My bad. I posted the old code. I was URL encoding the parameters only and not the entire URL. — asprin, Sep 28 '16 at 07:14
In which case you shouldn't get the error you gave as that code works as long as you have a valid key — Anigel, Sep 28 '16 at 07:15

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:33

0

If you're hitting an 'couldn't connect to host' error message from curl it sounds like the problem may not be on the Google Maps API side and instead be on the proxy / networking side. A connection to maps.googleapis.com should always be possible, regardless of key type or url params.

I would look into the steps suggested here: How to resolve cURL Error (7): couldn't connect to host?

edited May 23 '17 at 12:33

Community

1
1

answered Sep 29 '16 at 03:43

bamnet

2,525
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Google Maps API not working with server side code but works client side

UPDATE

2 Answers2