Eircode and Google Maps Working

MBSnr · 02-09-2016 11:41am #1

I put in a few Eircodes and they correctly resolved to the right locations.

As of 11.40am today they are working but I wonder if they are testing the feature or it's live?

Weirdly my own incorrectly resolves to another location entirely....

Alun · 02-09-2016 11:43am

Wow, you're right! My house found correctly straight away anyway.

_Brian · 02-09-2016 11:43am

MBSnr wrote: »

I put in a few Eircodes and they correctly resolved to the right locations.

As of 11.40am today they are working but I wonder if they are testing the feature or it's live?

Weirdly my own incorrectly resolves to another location entirely....

interesting, mine works too, one presumes GPS manufacturers will soon follow.

MBSnr · 02-09-2016 11:44am

^^^

Glad I wasn't going mad....

Hesh's Umpire · 02-09-2016 11:45am

yeah ,mine working too. progress.

MBSnr · 02-09-2016 11:47am

Mine works on finder.eircode.ie, but incorrect in Google Maps.. It resolves to another code with the same last 4 digits but in another postal area ... So be interesting to see if you have a non unique last 4 digit code, whether it works... Mine don't.

Teething issues here...

The fecking irony as I was waiting and waiting for this....:eek::(

Kintarō Hattori · 02-09-2016 11:49am

Mine is right though it shows the wrong street view.

Alun · 02-09-2016 11:50am

Strange, picking a few random ones from Googling "A98 Bray", some work and some don't, even though they appear to be correct from looking them up on finder.eircode.ie.

MBSnr · 02-09-2016 11:56am

Alun wrote: »

Strange, picking a few random ones from Googling "A98 Bray", some work and some don't, even though they appear to be correct from looking them up on finder.eircode.ie.

Would they have identical last 4 digits by any chance and Google changes the area code in the search tab?

jelutong · 02-09-2016 12:00pm

I've tried a few. All good. Well spotted op.

Alun · 02-09-2016 12:01pm

MBSnr wrote: »

Would they have identical last 4 digits by any chance?

No, they all begin with A98, that's the only similarity. Seems quite random, nothing to with if it's a private residence, civic amenity or a business, and nothing to do with the position of alphabetical or numeric digits in the last 4 places either.

plodder · 02-09-2016 12:02pm

Tried a few as well, and they all worked. Good news.

OU812 · 02-09-2016 12:03pm

Excellent news. I'd say it's a silent testing phase, otherwise eircode would be shouting about it.

ukoda · 02-09-2016 12:05pm

It's defiantly in beta I'd say.

It doesn't link to an address yet, I would expect it to display the address attached to the eircode but it doesn't yet. Just points to the location

Alun · 02-09-2016 12:12pm

OK, for one I looked up it said it couldn't find it, but gave 3 other "suggestions" all called "Ireland"

All 3 had the same last 4 digits, but different first 3, i.e. not A98, but A94, A96 and D14.

On further inspection there seems to be a problem with lookups where either the same eircode is used for multiple addresses at the same location, or one location has multiple eircodes such as Bray Civic Offices.

For example A98 X6N3 fails in Google Maps but returns the following in the eircode finder

INTREO CENTRE BRAY
CIVIC OFFICES
MAIN STREET
BRAY
CO. WICKLOW

But if you enter Civic Offices, Main Street, Bray into eircode finder you end up with a whole raft of possibilities, all with different eircodes but the same location on the map.

Conversely, A98 YX67 also fails in a Google search, but when entered into the eircode finder returns 3 possible addresses, i.e.

The Eircode entered is associated with the following address and business. Please choose an option below:

UNIT 4, INDUSTRIAL YARNS COMPLEX, DUBLIN ROAD, BRAY, CO. DUBLIN
EVEREST CYCLES, UNIT 4, INDUSTRIAL YARNS COMPLEX, DUBLIN ROAD, BRAY, CO. DUBLIN
PIZZARO DEVELOPMENTS LTD., UNIT 4, INDUSTRIAL YARNS COMPLEX, DUBLIN ROAD, BRAY, CO. DUBLIN

again all pointing to the same physical location.

clewbays · 02-09-2016 12:30pm

The non-unique Eircodes seem to be a problem to be resolved - they just need to show where the first one is located!

If you are searching for an Eircode in a different routing key area, try leaving the space between the routing key and the unique identifier out.

MBSnr · 02-09-2016 12:30pm

^^^
D01 N971 resolves to H65 N971 for me located in Galway. Again it seems to choose the closer location that matches the last 4 digits...

EDIT: Removing the space resolves the problem...

ukoda · 02-09-2016 12:32pm

MBSnr wrote: »

^^^
D01 N971 resolves to H65 N971 for me located in Galway. Again it seems to choose the closer location that matches the last 4 digits...

EDIT: Removing the space resolves the problem...

Try it without the space? Either way I type H65 N971 it brings me to Galway address

Alun · 02-09-2016 12:35pm

Leaving the space out makes no difference to the two examples I quoted above.

MBSnr · 02-09-2016 12:35pm

ukoda wrote: »

Try it without the space? Either way I type H65 N971 it brings me to Galway address

It seems to be based on where the last location is. I searched D01 N971 (with space) when already looking at a location in Dublin and it worked.

Set location back to one in Galway, type D01 N971 (with space), resolves to H65 N971.

They're probs testing this in Dublin and saying 'all working lads'..

ukoda · 02-09-2016 12:36pm

MBSnr wrote: »

It seems to be based on where the last location is. I searched D01 N971 (with space) when already looking at a location in Dublin and it worked.

Set location back to one in Galway, type D01 N971 (with space), resolves to H65 N971.

That's a bit weird, few bugs to be ironed out yet. I'm assuming that's why we haven't had the official nod that it's supported yet.

clewbays · 02-09-2016 12:38pm

Alun wrote: »

Leaving the space out makes no difference to the two examples I quoted above.

Probably because at least two entries in the register have the same Eircode.

ukoda · 02-09-2016 12:55pm

There's defiantly an issue with the spaces. I just had the same problem, the eircode I entered changed the routing key to the unique indentifier that's closer to me. But removing the space gets me the right location

MBSnr · 02-09-2016 1:05pm

ukoda wrote: »

There's defiantly an issue with the spaces. I just had the same problem, the eircode I entered changed the routing key to the unique indentifier that's closer to me. But removing the space gets me the right location

If I search for my code (with or without spaces) with the map focused anywhere outside of Galway, it fails to find it at all. If I focus the map on Galway it finds another incorrect location in H91 using the last 4 digits of my code. My code doesn't begin with H91, so this was pure chance that I'm in Galway now and there's a duplicate code with the same 4 digits close by.

So there's at least two issues.
Space in the Eircode is a problem.
The lookup algorithm seems to ignore the routing code if the same 4 digits exist close to or in the area on screen (in focus).

ukoda · 02-09-2016 1:07pm

MBSnr wrote: »

If I search for my code (with or without spaces) with the map focused anywhere outside of Galway, it fails to find it at all. If I focus the map on Galway it finds another incorrect location in H91 using the last 4 digits of my code. My code doesn't begin with H91, so this was pure chance that I'm in Galway now and there's a duplicate code with the same 4 digits close by.

So there's at least two issues.
Space in the Eircode is a problem.
The lookup algorithm seems to ignore the routing code if the same 4 digits exist close to or in the area on screen (in focus).

Yes they need to tweak the algorithm to check routing key if a unique identifier for eircode data is found. Should be a simple enough fix, Google are pretty speedy are rectifying issues.

ukoda · 02-09-2016 1:26pm

I'm just going to leave this here...

Just shows how credible these guys are

Source: http://getlosteircodes.com/?p=197

"WHY GOOGLE CANT LEGALLY USE EIRCODE"

"Why No Google Support for Eircode?

It is almost 17 months since those behind Eircode claimed impending Google Maps support for the postcode in an Oireachtas hearing. Former Minister Alex White again claimed Google support “within weeks” in January 2016 but it has never happened.

Why have Google & SatNav manufacturers not supported Eircode?

Aside from the fact that Eircode has many design limitations which mean it is not in demand, Google & others simply cannot implement Eircode because Irish postcode legislation prevents them from doing so. Under the legislation, associating personalised data with Eircode in a public database without the consent of the person concerned, would not be “legitimate postcode activity”. As Google presents personalised data in the form of property related imagery (and more), it simply cannot add Eircode under the law! If it did, the combination of Eircode and its imagery could even tell the world what car(s) or waste management preferences you have, or even whether you were against water charges or not. All of this personalised data can easily be associated with your name, sex and age using the same Eircode link in the readily accessible Register of Electors. This would leave you even more open to direct marketing and junk mail than ever before. As well as that, since Eircode is being promoted for insurance and credit histories, it does not take much imagination to understand how Eircode on Google maps with its imagery could seriously compromise your financial privacy.

This is why the postcode legislation precludes Google and others in the mapping and navigation industries from supporting Eircode.

The only way to change this would be to amend the legislation!"

OU812 · 02-09-2016 1:50pm

^ he denies it but I think its the guy who runs eircode (he was banned from here as garydubh).

I called them out on a promo they ran a couple of years back where "Norn Iron Man" took a Loc8 vacation around ireland. Jesus it was horrible ****ty photoshop all over the place (literally) as he put the loc8 logo on Ironman and then put ironman into images of Ireland.

Asked had he secured the licence rights for the character and then it was gone.

Anyway I digress. I use googlemaps daily and sometimes have an eircode if google doesn't have the address through address pal but this will be a great improvement

MBSnr · 02-09-2016 2:03pm

ukoda wrote: »

Yes they need to tweak the algorithm to check routing key if a unique identifier for eircode data is found. Should be a simple enough fix, Google are pretty speedy are rectifying issues.

Hmm speedy alright. My code now works!

D01 N971 now resolves to H54 N971 from a map focus on Mayo...

EDIT : Also now works for setting the location of Home in My Places! No more living in the middle of a townland... ;-)

L1011 · 02-09-2016 7:20pm

The constant claims of "oh, we've nothing to do with Loc8" are the most ridiculous bit

Concatenating a lat/long to a code is not a post code, lads. Time to accept it.

JOhnty78 · 02-09-2016 7:31pm

Good stuff!

On a slightly related basis Laois County Council have a Loc8 code on their website and no Eircode.

Alun · 02-09-2016 7:34pm

MBSnr wrote: »

D01 N971 now resolves to H54 N971 from a map focus on Mayo...

Are you trying to say that's a good thing, because it doesn't seem that way to me. If I'm in Dublin and want to navigate to your house, why should I first have to focus my map on Mayo, assuming I even knew you lived in Mayo, to be able to look up the eircode, or am I missing something?

MBSnr · 02-09-2016 8:04pm

Alun wrote: »

Are you trying to say that's a good thing, because it doesn't seem that way to me. If I'm in Dublin and want to navigate to your house, why should I first have to focus my map on Mayo, assuming I even knew you lived in Mayo, to be able to look up the eircode, or am I missing something?

No I'm not saying it's good! Previously if focused in Galway it resolved to H65. I was just saying it wasn't consistent and jumps to the 'local' 4 digit equivalent which is incorrect.

sondagefaux · 02-09-2016 11:53pm

It seems to be a spacing issue - when I leave out the space between the routing key and the last four characters I get consistently correct results, even when requesting directions.

If I put a space between the routing key and the last four characters, it can be hit and miss, especially when requesting directions.

sondagefaux · 03-09-2016 12:13am

Alun wrote: »

OK, for one I looked up it said it couldn't find it, but gave 3 other "suggestions" all called "Ireland" All 3 had the same last 4 digits, but different first 3, i.e. not A98, but A94, A96 and D14.

On further inspection there seems to be a problem with lookups where either the same eircode is used for multiple addresses at the same location, or one location has multiple eircodes such as Bray Civic Offices.

For example A98 X6N3 fails in Google Maps but returns the following in the eircode finder

INTREO CENTRE BRAY
CIVIC OFFICES
MAIN STREET
BRAY
CO. WICKLOW

But if you enter Civic Offices, Main Street, Bray into eircode finder you end up with a whole raft of possibilities, all with different eircodes but the same location on the map.

Conversely, A98 YX67 also fails in a Google search, but when entered into the eircode finder returns 3 possible addresses, i.e.

The Eircode entered is associated with the following address and business. Please choose an option below:

UNIT 4, INDUSTRIAL YARNS COMPLEX, DUBLIN ROAD, BRAY, CO. DUBLIN
EVEREST CYCLES, UNIT 4, INDUSTRIAL YARNS COMPLEX, DUBLIN ROAD, BRAY, CO. DUBLIN
PIZZARO DEVELOPMENTS LTD., UNIT 4, INDUSTRIAL YARNS COMPLEX, DUBLIN ROAD, BRAY, CO. DUBLIN

again all pointing to the same physical location.

I put in A98 YX67 into Google Maps (with space between routing key and last four characters). It asks me 'Do you mean:' with two clickable options, both labelled 'Ireland'. The top option brings me to V92 YX67 (Lixnaw, Co. Kerry), the bottom option brings me to V93 YX67 (Firies, Co. Kerry).

Putting in A98YX67 (no space) gets no result. There are lots of other units, including a Lidl supermarket, in the Industrial Yarns Complex. Each unit (e.g. Unit 5, Industrial Yarns Complex) has its own Eircode.

Complex clusters of multiple Eircodes at the same physical location like that (other examples would be some shopping centres, e.g. Wilton Shopping Centre in Cork, some office buildings, and apartment buildings) obviously present difficulties for Google Maps.

They're going to have to work out a system whereby multiple Eircodes can resolve to the same co-ordinates, eventually showing the different unit/apartment numbers when they've sorted out the labelling of Eircode locations.

sondagefaux · 03-09-2016 2:01am

Alun wrote: »

OK, for one I looked up it said it couldn't find it, but gave 3 other "suggestions" all called "Ireland" All 3 had the same last 4 digits, but different first 3, i.e. not A98, but A94, A96 and D14.

On further inspection there seems to be a problem with lookups where either the same eircode is used for multiple addresses at the same location, or one location has multiple eircodes such as Bray Civic Offices.

For example A98 X6N3 fails in Google Maps but returns the following in the eircode finder

INTREO CENTRE BRAY
CIVIC OFFICES
MAIN STREET
BRAY
CO. WICKLOW

But if you enter Civic Offices, Main Street, Bray into eircode finder you end up with a whole raft of possibilities, all with different eircodes but the same location on the map.

Conversely, A98 YX67 also fails in a Google search, but when entered into the eircode finder returns 3 possible addresses, i.e.

The Eircode entered is associated with the following address and business. Please choose an option below:

UNIT 4, INDUSTRIAL YARNS COMPLEX, DUBLIN ROAD, BRAY, CO. DUBLIN
EVEREST CYCLES, UNIT 4, INDUSTRIAL YARNS COMPLEX, DUBLIN ROAD, BRAY, CO. DUBLIN
PIZZARO DEVELOPMENTS LTD., UNIT 4, INDUSTRIAL YARNS COMPLEX, DUBLIN ROAD, BRAY, CO. DUBLIN

again all pointing to the same physical location.

I've got Google Maps to add Industrial Yarns Complex as a location, although I used its postal address, which is Dublin Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow, even though it's geographically in Co. Dublin (or Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown if you want to be fussy).

Hopefully, they'll now start linking the different Eircodes for the units within the complex to its location, especially now that I've sent them details of all the different Eircodes for the different units within the complex.

Bray Head · 03-09-2016 7:20am

I am abroad right now. I logged out of gmail and cleared cookies.

Inserting purely an eircode gets some correct pins and some null responses.

Once I'm logged into gmail it 'remembers' that I have a link to Ireland and all these eircodes return the correct location.

sondagefaux · 03-09-2016 6:40pm

Bray Head wrote: »

I am abroad right now. I logged out of gmail and cleared cookies.

Inserting purely an eircode gets some correct pins and some null responses.

Once I'm logged into gmail it 'remembers' that I have a link to Ireland and all these eircodes return the correct location.

I've done the same and I get very few null responses - the main ones seem to be from locations where there are clusters of Eircodes in the same building/set of buildings - apartment blocks, shopping centres, office blocks, industrial units etc.

I think Google Maps may be struggling to cope with the concept of the same physical location having multiple post codes.

clewbays · 03-09-2016 10:43pm

sondagefaux wrote: »

I think Google Maps may be struggling to cope with the concept of the same physical location having multiple post codes.

The idea is to display the location not the text address so they just need to take the first occurrence in the ECAD file of the seven character Eircode irrespective of whether or not there are other occurrences and plot the associated X/Y coordinates.

sondagefaux · 04-09-2016 12:33pm

clewbays wrote: »

sondagefaux wrote: »

I think Google Maps may be struggling to cope with the concept of the same physical location having multiple post codes.

The idea is to display the location not the text address so they just need to take the first occurrence in the ECAD file of the seven character Eircode irrespective of whether or not there are other occurrences and plot the associated X/Y coordinates.

If multiple Eircodes have more or less the same co-ordinates (e.g. each apartment in a block with its own separate Eircode), then Google Maps will have to find some method of making sure that inputting all of these Eircodes into Google Maps produces the correct result.

At present, it seems that almost none of the locations, such as apartment blocks, shopping centres, office blocks etc, which use multiple Eircodes have any of the Eircodes associated with them producing results on Google Maps.

There must be several thousand such locations across Ireland.

If people can't see results for Eircodes in those locations, they might (incorrectly) conclude that they can't use Eircodes with Google Maps at all.

Google Maps needs to ensure that all Eircodes give the correct results, all the time, or people just won't bother.

I presume they've paid to use Eircodes with Google Maps so they'll make the effort to get it right.

alentejo · 04-09-2016 12:47pm

Any limit on the number of lockups using Google maps.

ukoda · 04-09-2016 12:48pm

alentejo wrote: »

Any limit on the number of lockups using Google maps.

None

byrnefm · 04-09-2016 1:26pm

sondagefaux wrote: »

At present, it seems that almost none of the locations, such as apartment blocks, shopping centres, office blocks etc, which use multiple Eircodes have any of the Eircodes associated with them producing results on Google Maps.
If people can't see results for Eircodes in those locations, they might (incorrectly) conclude that they can't use Eircodes with Google Maps at all.

Yes, I've noticed the same - the Eircode for my cousin's apartment in south Dublin isn't returning any result on Google Maps... Still, it's early days yet, I guess, until an official announcement is made.

NinetyForNone · 04-09-2016 1:31pm

So assuming its included in the Google maps API, does it stop the need to purchase address data from an other Eircode provider?

sondagefaux · 04-09-2016 1:32pm

alentejo wrote: »

Any limit on the number of lockups using Google maps.

No. None with the AutoAddress app either...

ukoda · 04-09-2016 1:54pm

NinetyForNone wrote: »

So assuming its included in the Google maps API, does it stop the need to purchase address data from an other Eircode provider?

It depends on what you want to do,lots of companies will want to purchase the data sets for their own purposes

clewbays · 04-09-2016 4:02pm

sondagefaux wrote: »

If multiple Eircodes have more or less the same co-ordinates (e.g. each apartment in a block with its own separate Eircode), then Google Maps will have to find some method of making sure that inputting all of these Eircodes into Google Maps produces the correct result.

You enter an Eircode into GoogleMaps. The X/Y associated with that Eircode is also associated with other Eircodes. GoogleMaps ignores that the X/Y is not unique within the ECAD file and just displays the X/Y associated with the Eircode that you inputted on a map. Another way to say this is just display the X/Y associated with the Eircode and don't check whether other Eircodes have the same X/Y. Should be a very simple fix.

BailMeOut · 04-09-2016 8:19pm

From my testing If a business listing on Google already had the Eircode on the address then pin pointer will exactly match when you do the lookup. i.e. Google will point to where the business put the marker when then set it up.

plodder · 05-09-2016 9:25am

clewbays wrote: »

You enter an Eircode into GoogleMaps. The X/Y associated with that Eircode is also associated with other Eircodes. GoogleMaps ignores that the X/Y is not unique within the ECAD file and just displays the X/Y associated with the Eircode that you inputted on a map. Another way to say this is just display the X/Y associated with the Eircode and don't check whether other Eircodes have the same X/Y. Should be a very simple fix.

If lat/long coordinates are used as the unique key for places in the underlying database, then it could be hard to fix. They might have to go through the entire ECAD, looking for entries that have the same location, and adjust the co-ordinates slightly to make them all unique. You could do that mechanically though I imagine.

Sam Russell · 05-09-2016 10:23am

plodder wrote: »

If lat/long coordinates are used as the unique key for places in the underlying database, then it could be hard to fix. They might have to go through the entire ECAD, looking for entries that have the same location, and adjust the co-ordinates slightly to make them all unique. You could do that mechanically though I imagine.

The Eircode is unique, the lat/long values need not be. So it is not necessary to continue the search once a match on the Eircode is found - it matters not that other Eircodes use the same lat/long.

plodder · 05-09-2016 10:39am

Sam Russell wrote: »

The Eircode is unique, the lat/long values need not be. So it is not necessary to continue the search once a match on the Eircode is found - it matters not that other Eircodes use the same lat/long.

That's how ECAD is structured, but not likely google's places database. There is no precedent for a postcode to be a unique key like this. So, to fit in with google's model, they would have to adjust things. Either that or google adjusts their schema to take account of unique postcodes, but I don't see that happening. [edit] actually looking at their web apis in this area, they seem to have the notion of a place ID which is a long string of letters. So, it doesn't look like lat/long needs to be unique. Not sure what the problem is then.

ukoda · 05-09-2016 11:01am

plodder wrote: »

That's how ECAD is structured, but not likely google's places database. There is no precedent for a postcode to be a unique key like this. So, to fit in with google's model, they would have to adjust things. Either that or google adjusts their schema to take account of unique postcodes, but I don't see that happening. [edit] actually looking at their web apis in this area, they seem to have the notion of a place ID which is a long string of letters. So, it doesn't look like lat/long needs to be unique. Not sure what the problem is then.

I wouldn't think it's actually a problem, they are probably just working their way through thier tasks.

Eircode and Google Maps Working

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