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How it works

Using the Maps Locator module is very easy and powerful for creating, for example, a store locator. There are two options to do this:

  • Using the Maps Locator Fieldtype (included with the Maps Locator module)
  • Using the Maps Fieldtype (documentation)

Both options save your locations in a readable format (latitude and longitude) in your database. Later, you can use any method provided by the Maps Locator module to retrieve your results from the database based on the assigned entry.

Limitations

Since geocoding is used to obtain the correct latitude and longitude, there are some limitations. The Maps Module tries to handle this efficiently, but due to strict rules from Google, it doesn’t always work perfectly. Keep in mind that when you have 100 or more addresses, there is a chance that not all addresses will be saved correctly. (Google geocoding usage limits)

Reverse geocoding

When you add a latitude/longitude (latlng) coordinate to your field—either manually or via the Maps Fieldtype—the Maps Locator module will attempt to reverse geocode it. This means it will search for an address corresponding to that coordinate.

However, in most cases, the retrieved address may not be an exact match for the given location, which could result in a slightly different latlng coordinate. If you require strict accuracy and are certain that your entered coordinates are correct, you can disable this behavior in the Maps Locator Control Panel under the Reverse Geocode latlng setting.