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Star it!!!!

i need this!

would be a great enhancement!

Would be great!

Would love to have it !!!

Would love to have the HTTP csv return include drive time and distance between two 
addresses!

Thanks!

yes, and the distance too!

yes, it would be great

YES! This would be amazing!

This will help us with generating PDF-print pages for driving-directions.

Star!

Please add distance as well.

Yesm ditto!

Yes we could definitely use this.

That helps a lot.

Would be awesome. Star.

I really need it too ! 

Instead of doing PHP -> Javascript (GDirection) -> AJAX -> PHP (Save distance) ... I
Could have : PHP -> HTML -> PHP ... 

Actually I only need distance and duration.

Having distance and duration would enable some incredible new integration options.

glompix,

You *can*, but you *may not*, do so as per the Terms of Service.  

It would be really great!!

 Issue 888  has been merged into this issue.

Yes this will be a GREAT ADDITION ! 

yes, it would be a great addition

do it fast !!! :)

I hope this feature makes it into the API soon :)

I'm sure I know the answer to this, but by any chance would we be allowed to scrape
the results from http://maps.google.com/?output=html&f=d until this becomes a public API?

Awesome addition.

i need this as well!!!

Yes! Nice idea!

would be a great enhancement!

I want this feature! :-)

Hi all,

No need to add a comment to vote for the feature; simply 'star' it by clicking the
empty star icon to the left of the feature title at the top.

- Roman

I saw a post at
http://groups.google.com.au/group/Google-Maps-API/browse_thread/thread/af1dd5cbeaccf32d
that showed this way of getting the info instead of javascript...

http://maps.google.com/maps/nav?key=ABQIAAAAzr2EBOXUKnm_jVnk0OJI7xSosDVG8KKPE1-m51RBrvYughuyMxQ-i1QfUnH94QxWIa6N4U6MouMmBA&output=js&doflg=ptj&q=from%3A%20500%20Memorial%20Drive%2C%20Cambridge%2C%20MA%20to%3A%204%20Yawkey%20Way%2C%20Boston%2C%20MA%2002215%20(Fenway%20Park)&callback=_xdc_._0fl8a133u

Is this something that Google allows?  It's essentially what most people want but is
it the right way?

Driving directions can only legally be accessed through the Javascript API/Flash API 
classes at this time.

I definitely need this functionality for use in an application... 

Routing via HTTP is the only thing keeping my company from making the switch to
Google Maps.

To those who commented on the thread-

Can you clarify what your use case is, exactly?

This will help us quite a bit, thanks!

USE CASE EXPLAINED:

Most importantly I would like to be able to get drive time and distance between two 
points added to the CSV return string from an HTTP API request between two locations 
(address/latlong --> address/latlong).

I see that others have requested that the driving directions also be added as comma 
delimited returns from the http request.  I like this idea as well, but it is not my 
main priority.

Right now I use Python to call the google maps geocode API via HTTP.  I don't have 
the time or the patience to learn java script, so being able to get drive time and 
distance in the same manner that I get my geocode results via HTTP and CSV would be 
fantastic.

I use this integrated into Geographic Information Science (GIS) scripting work.  If 
I were able to get these extra values (distance, duration) easliy through HTTP 
return it would simplify my code and project by so much and would open some very 
useful doors to grow the project in new directions.

Thanks!

Dwight

Please describe how the directions info would be used in your maps mashup. We don't
offer standalone services - so like geocoding, directions would have to be combined
with a map. Thanks!

@Pam: My use case is an accessible alternative user interface. I work in local
government where I'm required to provide accessible alternatives that use no
JavaScript and work with screen readers and the like. I would want to display text
directions requested over HTTP underneath a map image from the Static Maps API, much
like what maps.google.com does if you specify output=html in the query string.

@Pam: My use case is an accessible alternative user interface. I work in local
government where I'm required to provide accessible alternatives that use no
JavaScript and work with screen readers and the like. I would want to display text
directions requested over HTTP underneath a map image from the Static Maps API, much
like what maps.google.com does if you specify output=html in the query string.

@Pam:

My use case involves comparing different destination/route options for a certain set
of criteria based on the overall time in transit. This needs to be done on the
back-end for us since it involves multiple users of our service. 

@Pam: It occurs to me that to use this feature in conjunction with the static maps
API, which going by what you are saying we would be contractually obliged to do,
you'd want to be able to draw the directions line on the static map. Now, since by
definition you would be using these HTTP APIs to avoid using JavaScript, you wouldn't
be able to chain your requests together and draw the polyline on the static map from
the result of the HTTP directions request. Therefore, you'd need a companion feature
in the static maps API to draw a directions polyline based on start and end points
provided in the query string.

@ben, dwight: I don't think either of your use cases meet the Google Maps API terms
of service which state that the API must be used on a public website. The only use
cases I can think of for an HTTP directions API that won't conflict with the terms of
service are ones that a revolve around the need to display directions in a public
user interface without the use of JavaScript.

The only reasons I can think of to want to avoid the use of JavaScript are
accessibility, lack of JavaScript support in the target browser (particularly with
mobile devices), when the user has disabled JavaScript in their browser or when
bandwidth/performance is a major concern (the Javascript API is heavy on both
compared with an HTTP API).

If everyone says they want this feature so they can do their off-line processing with
the returned data, we are not going to get this feature given to us...

My use case involves a user visiting our public site (currently in development),
using the javascript maps api, but also having the server quickly compare their
entered data with pre-existing, saved location data and returning the result set
which will eventually be sorted on time-in-transit information. This data isn't
needed for display at that time, but instead is used to establish relationships
between entities in our data model. But all of this action is initiated through the
use of our public-facing service/map page.

I have seen dozens of implementations of the geocoding api via http in all forms of
libraries for use at the server-tier. Surely, this is no more a violation of TOS than
that is. Right?

Here's my use case: We operate a car tracking site which is publicly available,
however some functionalities are restricted to logged-on users. Programming is done
in Google Web Toolkit. One of the functionalities we require is that the SERVER
determines a route and stores it in its database and then sends it to the client. 

Oh, and - slightly off topic - there are two more functionalities we miss for exactly
the reason wwarby mentioned (no Javascript on mobile devices): 

1) REVERSE GEOCODING through HTTP and 
2) Network Link support in Google Maps for Mobile.

@m...@wwarby.com:
As far as I know, the need for a public website applies only to the free version.
Companies who are Premier or Enterprise partners do not have this particular restriction.

@Pam:
We have an application allowing companies to manage their field staff. This involves
central route planning for a number of people at once, so client-based per-user
routing does not solve our problem.

@Daniel: That is true, but as far as I can see there is not precedent for Google
developing features that are only useful to Premier or Enterprise partners Google
need to be convinced of the legitimate case for this feature within the community of
free users. Otherwise they just won't bother.

@m...@wwarby.com #44: Could you not parse the result of an HTTP directions request
server-side in order to create a static map url which contained a path? [I've starred
this issue too: it's necessary for fully-accessible maps]

@andrew: I'm no expert in Google's TOS but judging from what Pam has said in previous
threads, I'd say what your scenario is well within the TOS - the important thing is
that you're using the functionality in conjunction with the public presentation of
maps. For an HTTP directions API to be useful, you'd almost always have to call it
server-side and process the result - what else could you do? If you called it
client-side, you'd have to do so with JavaScript which would utterly defeat the purpose.

I am currently developing a applications that needs to create a route from point A to
point B and it would be really helpful to have a way to get this information from
google similar to what they have for geocoding.

full support of google services(routing, maping, markers, caching): http://
www.codeplex.com/gmap4dotnet

My company is happily using the Google maps/directions full API (javascript) to
direct our patients and visitors to our hospitals. Everything works great on our full
site, but my use case for static directions comes into play for our mobile site.
Roughly half of our  mobile users do not have javascript-enabled devices, so we are
displaying static maps. 

At this point, I cannot offer our mobile users driving directions. To me it seems
like this is the most important part of a mobile map for users on the go. Please help.

How soon this feature will be available?

???

I need too

Currently using the "raw" API for directions, but this is against the TOS,  I know. 
Use case: Mobile phone with small data plan, just keen to see a way from A to B via C 
as a textual description, getting the polyline and track the match with the internal 
GPS. As said, have this running on my N-series in Python, but slightly illegal. Not 
that fat, as Google Maps for Mobile currently is. :)

Stared the issue. 

I would love to be able to provide driving directions on my business profile pages
and my city pages.

I currently retrieve the users latitude, longitude, city, and state using maxmind's
IP address lookup feature. I have both the starting and endpoint when the page loads.
There should be no need for javascript to look that up when it can be provided
server-side.

I need it too

I need it.

that would be very useful for mobile browser without javascript!

@Pam - The San Francisco Unified School District is considering a redesign of the
student assignment system for the 2010/2011 school year.  It would be wonderful if
the school district could use Google maps to compute driving distance / public
transit distance from each applicant to each school.   This would be approximately
500,000 requests (5000 kindergardners * 100 schools), once per year.

The end result is that better decisions could be made on where to send children to
school given the districts conflicting goals of increasing student diversity while
minimizing travel time.

@Pam - Google Maps provides a great tool to enhance existing Mobile Based
applications. Unfortunately, bandwidth, JS limitations, etc. limit my company's usage
of the Google Map API. We build software for the Windows Mobile Platform and are
stuck using static maps without driving directions. 

This change to the Google Map API would add value to our application as well as
additional revenue for Google (we would be required to get the Enterprise License for
Google Map)

This is a must for our mobile web application. We use Google Static Map API, but it
is really poor without directions.

@Pam - with this feature Google Maps would be a valid option for my company. We
develop an application for optimal route planning, and need to store the driving
distance between all possible route stops. These distances will be cached, but any
addition of route stops should not require a user action to calculate the distance to
all other route stops. I we are allowed to do that over http it can be handled by a
server side service.

When this feature will be available to use?

We are developping an application that track vehicles via GPS, and we need to 
compare real travels against estimated travels (via Google GDirections). We also 
need to estimate travels between peoples' house and first action of their days (both 
geocoded). This is now legal data that must be provided to taxes services in Belgium 
(personnal travel that leads to taxes reduction). For both functionnality, we 
currently keep a web browser opened that do this job. This can't be a stable 
solution for production. GDirections via HTTP request would be much easier, 
scripting via Java server application! 

Changing status of "Accepted" issues to "Acknowledged", to clarify their 
state.

We may not be able to resolve all bugs or fulfill all feature requests, but 
we do thank you for filing them, and we will continually revisit all 
acknowledged issues and evaluate their feasibility. Thanks!

HI 

Driving Directions via http will really be of great help in my use case. 

Hello 
i too need this ,it would be really helpful ..as for now
My program is in java where i get the latitude and lngitude from mysql database 
and i need the distance between there two points as for now i am just calculating the
distance using the squareroot of (x1-x2)(x1-x2)+(y1-y2)(y1-y2)
can anyone let me know how to get the real driving distance
Thanks!

Driving Directions through WebService or Rest or Http would be really heplful for us.

http would be great. also, directions trough V3 seems a bit tricky :(

hello, 
i've managed to get the driving directions trough HTTP calls, it's very simple and
uses the same system of this demo:
http://gmaps-samples.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/gdirections/directions-static.html

I have written an article at my blog, feel free to check it at
http://mufumbo.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/server-side-driving-direction-with-google-maps-api-with-php-for-wap-and-web/
there's some PHP code also. 

Does anyone know if it goes against the terms of service?

thanks!
rafael

What is unclear about the Terms? Paragraph 10.1 seems quite explicit: this isn't
using a method allowed by the documentation, so it's not permitted. The /nav URL has
appeared in the Group, see this thread -
http://groups.google.com/group/Google-Maps-API/browse_thread/thread/6daebf2e2404e418/

Nothing has changed in the last two years. That's why this request was created and
why it's so popular.

I ask Google support, call /nav ... isn't allowed by the term of license. Not 
documented == not allowed.

My use is for the cyclists of the city of Austin TX.  Anyone who wants to go on group
rides can view available routes created and modified (for biycle rather than car use)
by the ride leaders.  Function for mobile devices is also very important.  

See: pickupultimate.com

I need it too

I really require this functionality. We have already paid for a premier api licence. 
However, we need to be able to retrieve distance calculations using server side 
methods (no javascript). This is already possible with geocoding so why not distance 
calculations.

Google need to be very careful as Microsoft's newly launched Bing Maps range 
includes not only interactive maps but also a full web service api. Currently it 
looks like we will not renew our contract with Google but instead move our 
applications to Bing Maps since it offers both client and server side integration.

This would be nice.

Many folks, including myself, have been asking for this functionality for over 16
months now. Can someone from Google please post something to let us know the status
of this request? I am sure all of us would like to know if Google is planning on
providing this in the future, or if we should stop wishing for something that may
never be available. Thanks!

We are still hoping to provide this service at some point. HTTP services take longer
to produce as they require commitment to preserving the output format, and it takes
time to produce a flexible and usable output format. Thanks for your patience.

(No comment was entered for this change.)

It’s a shame the Google TOS bans this:

There *is* an Australian mobile site that generates static Google maps with 
directions. I would be interested to know if the implemenation is legitimate and if 
so, how they do it.

To try go to:
http://virgin.truelocal.com.au/m1.5/welcome.action
Click on “Get Directions”
Enter addresses:
10 elizabeth st melbourne
10 collins st melbourne

Regards Brett

I starred this too. Would help my company out a lot and would probably make us buy the premium version. So... 
hurry ;-)

it would be an incredible addition. We are developing application for a mobile device
that does not support JavaScript/Flash. It will read the directions for drivers just
like voice prompts from nav systems. 

I just wanted to say that this would be extremely useful. For those interested,
MapQuest opened up their API this past July and their directions are free to all. 

http://devblog.mapquest.com/2009/07/20/our-new-directions-web-service-goes-to-beta-not-the-moon/

thanksfor the news theambig...,
i will be switching to mapquest asap. probably it's possible to use mapquest for
directions and google for maps. I hope to be able to migrate everything to mapquest
without much effort. 

We are currently using Google Maps go help citizens to find offices of a Gouvernement
du Québec department. The citizen can enter his postal code on our website and the
direction API is used to find the 3 nearest offices. Now, we need to make an
accessible version of this service using NO JavaScript. The search for the 3 nearest
offices has to be done server side. As I understand, based on the ToS, it's not
possible to use the "/nav" path to make direction requests. We really need this
feature quickly. As other posted, Bing Maps and MapQuest started to offer this kind
of Web Services. 

This is very help

In our case this is really helpful in our server-based activities. We have 
situations where we need to calculate distances between known points and then use 
those distances in server-based calculations and in some cases to store those 
distances within our database for furture analysis.

You can calculate distance as the bird flies via the Lat/Long of 2 points. But I
guess you probably mean distance on a road.

I also need this feature.
I develop apps for Windows and Windows Mobile in C#.
I cannot develop them as Web apps.
So the static maps with directions/routing support is very important.
It is certainly doable to dev a wrapper for the full Maps API, but it is a too big 
effort. Then why not using Bing Maps? The full WS API is there.
I think that Google should improve the static maps API so more developers could use 
it.

I am running a free community site and would love to have this feature. We like to
have a functionality where a user can send sms with two locations and we would be
able to send them directions through sms, targetting basic mob-phones and not advance
media or blackberry mobs. We have no problem in putting "powered-by:google" and or
anything similar whatever google prefers.

Is it possible to use the nav/ service in research purposes?

I’m writing a research paper on the difference between Android and Windows Mobile 
application development. I record GPS positions in timed intervals (5 or 10 minutes 
apart) for better battery life on the smart device. Later I need to calculate the 
driving distance between these recorded points. 
This is NOT a commercial application. And it works great with the /nav service.

Hi,
This feature for getting driving duration via http will be a great feature and it
will really help us out in implementing our functionality.

Would be so pleasant have driving duration via http.

This would be awesome. Go Google.

We need distance via http.