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Asked: 2026-05-27T03:19:55+00:00

I’m having problems using geocoder and returning correct lat / lang coordinates. The controller

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I’m having problems using geocoder and returning correct lat / lang coordinates.

The controller address is returning correct geo location, but when I’m using the character ø in the address, I’m gettin som weird coordinates.

Here is my code:

$controller = "Skovveien+7+0257+oslo+norway";
// base = Strømmen Storsenter, Støperiveien 5, 2010 Strømmen, Norway
$t1 = htmlentities("Strømmen+Storsenter+2010+strømmen+norway", ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
$t2 = htmlentities("Støperiveien+5+2010+strømmen+norway", ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');


$adr = htmlentities($controller, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
$res = getGeoLocation($adr);
echo '<p>Controll<br/> Lat: '.$res['lat'].' Lng: '.$res['lng']. '<p/>';

$adr = htmlentities($t1, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
$res = getGeoLocation($adr);
echo '<p>Shopping mall<br/> Lat: '.$res['lat'].' Lng: '.$res['lng']. '<p/>';

$adr = htmlentities($t2, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
$res = getGeoLocation($adr);
echo '<p>Adresse + post code<br/> Lat: '.$res['lat'].' Lng: '.$res['lng']. '<p/>';



public function getGeoLocation($adr) {  
  // Decode special chars
  $adr = html_entity_decode($adr, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');

  $url = "http://maps.google.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=$adr&sensor=false";

  $jsonData   = file_get_contents($url);
  $geocode    = json_decode($jsonData);

  if($geocode->status == 'OK') {
    $geocode    = $geocode->results[0];
    $res['lat'] = $geocode->geometry->location->lat;
    $res['lng'] = $geocode->geometry->location->lng;
    return $res;
  } else {
    return false;
  }
}

I know it seems a bit pointless first using htmlentities, then using html_entity_decode in the function. But if I don’t, Google returns ZERO_RESULT.

Can anyone help me with correct code for fetching lat/lang address for street names with international characters?

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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    If your PHP file is UTF-8 encoded, this condensed example should work:

    $adr = urlencode("Strømmen Storsenter, Støperiveien 5, 2010 Strømmen, Norway");
$url = "http://maps.google.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=$adr&sensor=false";
$jsonData   = file_get_contents($url);

    Edit: Weirdly, I get an APPROXIMATE address when I use

    Strømmen Storsenter, Støperiveien 5, 2010 Strømmen, Norway

    but a ROOFTOP one when I use only the street address:

    Støperiveien 5, 2010 Strømmen, Norway

    Even though, as you can see on the map, Google is perfectly aware that a location named “Strømmen Storsenter” exits at that particular address!

    This doesn’t look like a character set issue after all, but a weirdness in the way how Google parses requests with place names in it.

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