Google API key

[HansS]

Hello,

I am looking into IMatch as successor to Lightroom's library.
The database side, organising tools, searching and filtering are fine. I still have to get used to some parts of the user interface, but no serious problems.
A hurdle that I would like to have solved before buying is to get the map working with Google maps.

I got Google maps visible with the standard set of map API's. The names of these API's (apart from the javascript API) seem to have no relation to 'Reverse Geocoding' or 'Elevation' from the IMatch documentation.

Find location' doesn't work. Changing GPS location doesn't work.
How should I proceed.

A step by step instruction how to get Google maps working would be welcome.

Hans

[Mario]

Have you read the instructions at

https://www.photools.com/imatch/api-keys-explained/

yet? You need to enable the 3 API services. Since June Google charges for each service (with free monthly quotas).
It looks like this in your Google Admin panel:



Although Google demands money, the free monthly quota should have you covered and you should not need to pay anything unless you are a real heavy Maps user.

Unfortunately, I don't have pockets as deep as Adobe so I cannot afford paying the Google fees for all IMatch users combined.
Plus, I don't force you to use Google Maps. In IMatch, you have the choice between Google Maps, Bing Maps and OpenStreetMap. And for reverse geo-coding you can choose between Google and GeoNames.org.

[HansS]

Thank you Mario for this fast answer.

Yes I read the api-keys-explained several times. Not exactly standard fare for a simple photographer.

I probably got lost on Googles Console cloud.
The API's I got are:
Street View Static API
Maps Embed API
Maps Javascript API
Maps SDK for Android
Maps SDK for IOS
Maps Static API
Maps View Static API

I removed the API's that seemed not relevant.
Where did I go wrong?

Hans Scholte

[HansS]

Sorry I forgot I want Google maps, because nearly all photo's in the field. Often no roads in the neibourhood. The satellite view of Google is the only map I know giving details in the terrain.

Hans

[jch2103]

Yes I read the api-keys-explained several times. Not exactly standard fare for a simple photographer.

That's right, it's not.

The process for getting the correct APIs is indeed a bit intimidating. You still need to get the three APIs that Mario highlighted in his response to your original post. Normally for use with IM, you'd only need these three, but not the others in your post above. Sorry I can't be of more help; after one gets the APIs, it's a bit difficult to repeat the same steps for others...

[Mario]

There are some videos on YouTube, e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ImLCQBj9SE

API keys are not designed for end users, hence it's a bit more complicated than it should be.

Usually, I would allocate the API keys for IMatch and then route every IMatch Map request through one of my servers to the Google servers (to not expose my keys to the public).
IMatch and IMatch Anywhere users would never get in touch with all the complicated stuff.

Unfortunately, this would also mean that I would have to pay the bill for all users. While one user would have to work hard to exceed his monthly free quota, all IMatch users together would probably exceed my free quota in hours or a day.

I don't have the deep pockets of Adobe, which can pay Lightroom's Google Maps usage from their petty cash.
I think that there may be even a kick-back from Google to Adobe - because Google gets so much valuable personal data from all the Lr users using Google Maps.
Adobe know a lot about each LR subscriber, and this data is probably more worth to Google than what Adobe has to pay for the map usage. I'm not sure whether or not there is some data flowing between the two companies, but Google has a certain reputation...

Which is why I go the extra mile and also support Bing Maps and OpenStreetMap so my users have a choice.

[HansS]

It's working fine. Maybe I am better in the morning.
Took 5 minutes to find the API's, restricted them to my IP address and removed the superfluous API's

Thanks again, Hans

[Mario]

Excellent!

Maybe, while your memory is fresh, you can write a short "how-to" and post it in the FAQ Forum?

Or maybe you have something to add to my description in the KB article: https://www.photools.com/imatch/api-keys-explained/
I'm happy to add more info or correct info no longer working. Google changes stuff around all the time...