Learn About Android Place Picker API

Introduction

Place Picker API

• Step 1: Creating a New Project with Android Studio
• Step 2: Enabling the API in the Google Console.
• Step 3: Setting up the library and AndroidManifest for the project.
• Step 4: Implementation of the Place Picker API.

1. Open Android Studio and select "Create new project".
2. Name the project as per your wish and select your activity template.
   
3. Click the “Finish” button to create the new project in Android Studio.

1. For using Google Places API, We need to know SHA1 Key, which is used in the Google Developer Console. You can get your SHA1 Key using Command Prompt.
   1. keytool -list -v -keystore "%USERPROFILE%\.android\debug.keystore" -alias androiddebugkey -storepass android -keypass android

2. Open Google Developer Console
3. Create a New Project or you can use your Existing Project.
4. Go to the Dashboard and click Enable API.
5. Click Google Places API for Android and Select Enable
6. Create a new API Key, which is used later.

1. Add Google Play service library dependency in your app level build.gradle file. Here, I used the following dependency. You can change as per your Android SDK.
   1. compile 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:9.2.0'

2. Then click “Sync Now” to add the library.
3. Now open your Manifest File (AndroidManifest.xml) and the following permission.
   1. <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />
   2. <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
   3. <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />

4. Add the following meta data to apply the API KEY.
   1. <meta-data
   2. android:name="com.google.android.geo.API_KEY"
   3. android:value="Your_API_Key"/>

1. Add the following to initialize the API.
   1. //Declaration of Google API Client
   2. private GoogleApiClient mGoogleApiClient;
   3. private int PLACE_PICKER_REQUEST = 1;

2. In the onCreate method of the Activity initialize the GoogleApiClient.
   1. mGoogleApiClient = new GoogleApiClient
   2. .Builder(this)
   3. .addApi(Places.GEO_DATA_API)
   4. .addApi(Places.PLACE_DETECTION_API)
   5. .enableAutoManage(this, this)
   6. .build();

3. Implement the onStart and onStop method and do the client connection task.
   1. @Override
   2. protected void onStart() {
   3. super.onStart();
   4. mGoogleApiClient.connect();
   5. }
   7. @Override
   8. protected void onStop() {
   9. mGoogleApiClient.disconnect();
   10. super.onStop();
   11. }

4. Start Place Picker Intent using the following snippet.
   1. PlacePicker.IntentBuilder builder = new PlacePicker.IntentBuilder();
   2. try {
   3. startActivityForResult(builder.build(MainActivity.this), PLACE_PICKER_REQUEST);
   4. } catch (GooglePlayServicesRepairableException | GooglePlayServicesNotAvailableException e) {
   5. e.printStackTrace();
   6. }
   After this, you will get Google Maps Screen like below. It has an interactive map and a list of nearby places, including places corresponding to geographical addresses and local businesses. Users can choose a place, and your app can then retrieve the details of the selected place.