How to get GPS coordinates from a location in Google Maps

[ProximityCast]

Hello everyone. I look forward to getting acquainted with this forum. This is my first post. I hope most of you will find it useful.
As a GPS owner I often like to find the coordinates of a location I'm traveling too beforehand. I've used Google Earth and Delorme Street Atlas USA in the Past.
Google Maps is so convenient, but unfortunately does not conveniently show the Latitude and Longitude of locations. However I've found this method that works real nice.
1. I open Google Maps to the vicinity of where I would like coordinates.
2. I use my right click mouse button and select "center map here" from the drop down button.
3. I past this javascript code that I keep saved somewhere convenient on my computer into my browser's URL address window.
Here's the code:

[TOphotog]

Now THAT is a very useful tip! I'm a commercial real estate agent and I find that Mapsource Navigator doesn't seem to be able to find a lot of addresses, so this useful for me! Thanks!

[logistician]

Woah woah...this is WAY too complicated...you can get a "My Map" for google maps which will do this. I'm not sure how to link those, but if you go to google maps, then the my maps tab. From there, choose "browse the directory". I use one called "Position Finder"...works great!

[ProximityCast]

[ProximityCast]

This works with Google Maps is quick and easy, and does not need any add-ons.
1. Move the cursor over the spot you want coordinates for.
2. Right click and select "Directions to here" on pop-up menu.
3. Copy coordinates from "End Address": e.g. 29.199505,-90.041242
4. Paste them back into the "Search Maps" box and click to check position
and get them in DMS format: e.g. +29° 11' 58.22", -90° 2' 28.47"

[njenney]

You can also use the 'Link to this page' in the upper right hand corner.

I usually right-click on point of interest and 'Center map here.'

Then choose the 'Link to this page' option.

You should be able to copy and paste the URL and extract the coordinates from there.

i.e.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=63116&ie=UTF8&ll=38.561304,-90.263672&spn=0.002391,0.005879&t=k&z=18&iwloc=addr

38.561304,-90.263672

Lots of options. Hope this helps.

[dstewart]

Okay, like that! Now, how do you get elevation? Is that in Google Maps' data too?

[njenney]

I am sure there are a bunch of tools out there. This is one example.

Try this. Punch in coordinates or zip code and click the Find link.

http://www.heywhatsthat.com/profiler.html

The elevation will be displayed to the right of the coordinates.

i.e.

38.581532° N 90.268444° W 466 ft

It looks like you can also add this little Path Profiler applet and then get all sorts of good info right from Google Maps without having to go to a another site.
http://maps.google.com/ig/add?moduleurl=http://www.heywhatsthat.com/mapplets/profiler.xml&pid=mpl&synd=mpl

[lemodular]

...or you can get the coodinates using Google Earth. Your cursor is continually tracked, just put it over your desired location and record the coordinates (by hand) at te lower left hand corner. Never tried from Google map though.

Interestingly, Google Map uses Navteq while Google Earth uses Tele Atlas .

[Tim]

[debrafillingim]

Very useful info...but I have a another problem. I am in Arkansas on vacation. Their excellent guide book tells you about the place and gives you the GPS coordinates. GREAT IDEA!!! but after snooping thru my Garmin (it is brand new) I see no where that it lets me input coordinates rather than addresses. Any tricks for me?

Debra

[Tim]

Debra, I replied to your question in your other thread.

[debrafillingim]

I did finally find out how to do it-thank you so much for your reply!

[ProximityCast]

I find Google Maps more convenient than Google Earth because of the resources Google Earth requires. Tried the easiest method to get coordinates tonight: "Right click, directions to here" on the spot you want with Google Maps, and it didn't work...;-( Hopefully Google will make it that easy and convenient once again someday. Till then, fortunately some other methods are posted.

[dlehmann]

found position finder and "added" but nothing happened?????? what went wrong?

[ProximityCast]

[dlehmann]

I'm logged in..maybe I don't understand how it works..I thought there'd be marker that I move on map and it would show coordinates..If I type address in it'll show coordinates for that spot but can't move that marker around. I need something that I can move around on map and it'll show coordinates at that point.

[ProximityCast]

When I'm logged in depending on how many items I've added I'll have a check box on the left that needs to be selected for the item to work. When I only had "position finder" I don't remember seeing a check box.

Now for how position finder works: Simply click anywhere on the map that you want coordinates for. Then and only then will a marker appears at the spot you clicked with a text box showing the coordinates in decimal degrees.

If you want to see the coordinates in another format, copy the decimal degree coordinates from the text box and past them into the search box and click Search Maps. A new marker will appear with another text box showing the coordinates in decimal degrees and degrees, minutes, and seconds.

You can also zoom in the google map to a higher and higher detail for more precise placement of the click where you want the coordinates.

I hope this helps. If you find you're still having problems, let us know and we'll try to help. Good luck!

[dlehmann]

finally figured it out..went to "my maps" and there it was..one other question, is there a way to have an X on map instead of grabbing hand? the hand may actually cover the point that I want..thank you for all the help.

[ProximityCast]

Glad to hear you got it figured out. Google or the person who wrote the "position finder" applet would have control of an X over a hand unfortunately. What I would do is simply zoom in to the maximum level possible to make my click. Even if there was an X that would not necessarily give you the accuracy you think you are getting, but that's a whole new discussion.

Kind Regards,

ProximityCast.com

[T-Man]

Try this website. It uses a version of google maps and all you have to do is left click on the marker for coordinates. Search any address near your desired location. Then, if necessary, drag the marker to the exact desired location and click on the marker.
http://itouchmap.com/latlong.html

[jgombos]

Although iTouchmap.com is probably the easiest for those who just need one lookup, what about folks who have a list of 50+ street addresses they want converted?

It would be useful to have a script that queries itouchmap.com. If anyone knows how to process a list of addresses, please post.

[Tim]

[jgombos]

[Tim]

[jgombos]

BTW, is there a way to do the reverse? Eg. you capture fixes for homes for sale, and later want to convert them to approximate addresses to see if you can find an online listing?

[Tim]

There probably are, but it wouldn't likely be all that accurate at guessing the actual street number.

[jclear]

Seems way to complicated. For Google Maps, once you've located a point just click on the normal Send link in the upper right. Then click on GPS in the popup instead of Email. Select your GPS vendor, add any phone number or notes you want. The Send button then takes you to a vendor specific web based method to download to your GPS. Works for Garmin, Tom Tom and a few others.

[Tim]

That gets you the location in your GPS, but it doesn't give you the coordinates to use elsewhere.

[ProximityCast]

Played around on google maps recently and found a "What's here?" at the bottom of the pop up menu when you right click on a spot. Clicking "What's here? places a "green arrow" on the spot and the decimal, degrees coordinates in the Search Maps text box. If you click the green arrow you get a pop up box with the coordinates shown in Decimal Degrees, plus Degrees, Minutes, Seconds. Can't get much simpler than that, unless google changes it.
ps You can zoom in as desired to get the accuracy you desire.

[mscroggi]

I think the easiest way to get the coordinates is to -

1. add a bookmark to your browser (any bookmark page will do)
2. go to the bookmark manager and modify the bookmark to set the title to something like 'get GPS coordinates' and paste in the javascript code for the url.. and save the bookmark

Once you browse to any google map.. center the map around the place you wish to get the coordinates for.. and then simply select the bookmark from the bookmarks menu.. It doesnt get any easier than that!..

[mscroggi]

There are multiple google map plugins that will give the coordinates etc..

[fredmett]

I found a site where you can type in your address or just click on the map and get the latitude and longitude.

http://www.mapdevelopers.com/geocode_tool.php

[Tim]

No need to do it from a different site now, you can turn on the coordinates in Google Maps and do it right there. Go to the labs icon and enable the LatLng Tooltip. Done.

[Festus]

You could also use this link. You just type in any street address and it automaticly converts it to GPS coordinates http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/geocoding.html

JT

[rabbithutch]

[Tim]

Look for this at the top of the page:

(little image of a beaker) New!

[rabbithutch]

Thanks!

[salarcon]

Thanks for providing all of the great tips on this subject.

[Hip2b2]

As there are no Garmin maps available for Japan I was wondering if I could use Google to download POI's to my Garmin then use it as a sort of compass to find my way from one tourist trap to another?

Dopey idea or not? I'll let the more informed decide.

hip

[milo.oshea@virgin.net]

Getting GPS coordinates from Google Maps
Go to Google Maps
Search for desired location e.g. Filston Lane Car Park, Shoreham, Kent UK
Map opens
Pink ‘tennis racket’ marker appears on location.
Right click on marker
Left click on ‘What’s here?’ in drop down box:
A green arrow appears at the point where you’ve clicked on the map.
GPS coordinates for that location are simultaneously shown in the Google Maps Search Box!
These are expressed in the following format:
51.333052, 0.178056
Which can be used directly in TomTom’s Longitude & Latitude facility, without conversion.
(Google Maps uses Decimal Degrees, WSG84 format)
If you need to convert these to a different format there are a number of free converters available on the web.
Hope someone finds this useful - took me a little while to discover this elegant tool.

Milo

[put123456]

It didn't look like anyone posted this option (but it's really simple): once you've found the location you want in google maps, just right click (the map) and select "inspect element", "view source", etc (may vary depending on your browser). Google maps has the coordinates right there in the HTML it doesn't take two seconds. Even if you don't know markup language as long as you know what a coordinate looks like,then you should be able to pick them out.

It's logical that satellite images and overhead maps stored on a google server would be mapped by their coordinates and in my experience they are as I've done this on multiple occasions.

[cotati]

This sounds very simple but does not work for me:

"This works with Google Maps is quick and easy, and does not need any add-ons.
1. Move the cursor over the spot you want coordinates for.
2. Right click and select "Directions to here" on pop-up menu.
3. Copy coordinates from "End Address": e.g. 29.199505,-90.041242
4. Paste them back into the "Search Maps" box and click to check position
and get them in DMS format: e.g. +29° 11' 58.22", -90° 2' 28.47"

Your instruction makes it sound as though after step 2 that coordinates just appear in the 'TO' box. They don't, at least not for me. Therefore there is nothing to copy. And I don't know why you'd paste anything if you have the coordinates that you needed in the first place.

As near as I can tell, there is no way to simply get the coordinates for a point on a map. This is quite handy for getting coordinates to navigate to when using a handheld GPS for example.

Thanks.

[Tim]

From Google Maps, look for the Map Labs link at the very bottom left of the page near the copyright. Click it. Enable 'LatLng Tooltip' and 'LatLng Marker'. Then none of the above is necessary. Right click (or control click on Mac) any place on the map and select drop Latlng marker so you can copy the coordinates to the clipboard. Or if you just want to see the coordinates simply hold down the shift key and a popup will dynamically show you the coordinates you are hovering over.

[gatorguy]

Nice tip Tim! First time I'd seen it mentioned.

[Tim]

I'd mentioned it a few years ago in this thread too.
17 Jun 2010 09:11 pm

Back then it was in 'Google Labs', but it is the same tool.

[gatorguy]

Oh. So you did. I guess I ignore what you say more often than I should.

[Tim]

haha.

[Boyd]