Using JAK and Google Geocoder

In a previous post I mentioned that I would be doing some experimenting with the JAK - Java API for KML. I have now created a simple program that creates a KML file using co-ordinates obtained from calling the Google Geocoder.

If you wish to review the whole program I have made it available here (4mb).

The main parts of the code are as follows:

GeoCoder class

• converts a street address into a longitude/latitude point.
• call getLocation method with a string representing the address.
• class uses Google Geocoder.

Refer to the Geocoder.java class file in the download for more information on how this works.



Main Class

• assigns an address from the first command line argument
  

address = args[0];

• calls the GeoCoder.getLocation method with Address String
  

location = Geocoder.getLocation(address).toString(); 

• creates a KML file using the location value returned by the GeoCoder class
  

final Kml kml = new Kml();
kml.createAndSetPlacemark()
   .withName(address)
   .withOpen(Boolean.TRUE)
   .createAndSetPoint()
   .addToCoordinates(location);

try {
kml.marshal(new File("HelloKml.kml"));
} catch (FileNotFoundException ex) {
     Logger.getLogger(Main.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
}

In the future I will expand on this application to provide more information in the KML.