Using the browser's address bar

Jun 12, 2007 13:21 GMT  ·  By

If you ever wanted to get the coordinates of a certain location displayed on Google Maps, this is probably the easiest way to obtain them. As you probably know, the parent company Google offers a considerable number of features for the web-based mapping solution but none of them addresses the latitude and the longitude of the locations displayed by the service. However, how can we obtain this valuable information that can help us in many other activities than just viewing it on Google Maps? The procedure was posted by Lifehacker and involves a simple code to be entered in the address bar from any browser.

So, here's what you must do: open your desired location in Google Maps, let's say Berlin, Germany. After the Google Maps brings the location in the center of the screen, enter the following code in the address bar of your browser:

code
javascript:void(prompt('',gApplication.getMap().getCenter()));
Please keep in mind that the command entered in the address bar shows only the coordinates for the location placed in the center of the screen. If you move your map by holding the left mouse click, it doesn't work! So, the only way to get the longitude and the latitude of a certain zone is to enter this address in the search field offered by Google Maps.

Google's mapping tool becomes more and more popular as it is often brought in the spotlights by innovations and new projects prepared by the search giant. Earlier this month, the Mountain View company debuted Street View, a revolutionary function that offers street-level panoramas from several US cities. Although the feature seems to be quite useful, a lot of users criticized its purpose, sustaining that it shows way too many things such as private details from their houses, details which should be hidden from the public eyes.