REQUEST DENIED with Google Places API KEY for Server Web used in an Android application

Question

I'm trying to get info from the API of Google Places for an Android application. To do that, first I have enabled this API in my Google Account.

Second, I have created an API KEY for Browser. I already have an API KEY Server due to another API.

So, in my code I have been tested with these two Keys and with both I've got always the same result!!!

{

"error_message" : "This service requires an API key.",

"html_attributions" : [],

"results" : [],

"status" : "REQUEST_DENIED"

}

The code that I'm using to make the call are ...

        @Override
    protected String doInBackground(LocationService... ls) {
        JSONObject result = new JSONObject();
        URL url;
        HttpsURLConnection urlConnection;

        // Making HTTP request
        try {

            //Define connection
            url = new URL("https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/nearbysearch/json");
            urlConnection = (HttpsURLConnection)url.openConnection();

            urlConnection.setRequestMethod("POST");
            urlConnection.setRequestProperty("Content-Type", "application/x-www-form-urlencoded");
            urlConnection.setRequestProperty("charset", "utf-8");
            urlConnection.setRequestProperty("Accept", "application/json");
            urlConnection.setDoOutput(true);
            urlConnection.setDoInput(true);
            urlConnection.setUseCaches(false);

            //Send data
            String parameters = "?location=" + String.valueOf(ls[0].getLocation().getLatitude()) + "," + String.valueOf(ls[0].getLocation().getLongitude());
            parameters+="&radius=5000";
            parameters+="&types=restaurant|health|city_hall|gas_station|shopping_mall|grocery_or_supermarket";
            parameters+="&sensor=false";
            parameters+="&key=" + Constants.API_KEY_BROWSER_APPLICATIONS;
            byte[] postData = parameters.getBytes(Charset.forName("UTF-8"));
            int postDataLength = postData.length;
            urlConnection.setRequestProperty("Content-Length", Integer.toString(postDataLength));
            DataOutputStream data = new DataOutputStream(urlConnection.getOutputStream());
            data.write(postData);
            data.flush();
            data.close();

            Log.d(TAG, "Datos enviados");
            Log.d(TAG, "ResponseCode: " + String.valueOf(urlConnection.getResponseCode()));

            //Display what returns POST request

            StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();

            int HttpResult = urlConnection.getResponseCode();

            if(HttpResult == HttpURLConnection.HTTP_OK){
                String json;

                BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(urlConnection.getInputStream(),"utf-8"));

                String line;

                while ((line = br.readLine()) != null) {
                    sb.append(line + "\n");
                }

                br.close();

                //System.out.println(""+sb.toString());
                Log.d(TAG, "json: " + sb.toString());

                FileService file = new FileService();
                file.writeLog(POIActivity.TAG, getClass().getName(), POIActivity.urlConnection + parameters);
                file.writeLog(POIActivity.TAG, "doInBackground", sb.toString());

                // Parse the String to a JSON Object
                result = new JSONObject(sb.toString());

            }else{
                //System.out.println(urlConnection.getResponseMessage());
                Log.d(TAG, "urlConnection.getResponseMessage(): " + urlConnection.getResponseMessage());
                result = null;
            }

        } catch (UnsupportedEncodingException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
            Log.d(TAG, "UnsuppoertedEncodingException: " + e.toString());
        } catch (JSONException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
            Log.d(TAG, "Error JSONException: " + e.toString());
        } catch (IOException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
            Log.d(TAG, "IOException: " + e.toString());
        }

        // Return JSON Object
        return result.toString();


    }

When I make the call to the API I've got like ResponseCode = 200 and the call that I build is finally like that ...

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/nearbysearch/json?location=38.26790166666667,-0.7052183333333333&radius=5000&types=restaurant|health|city_hall|gas_station|shopping_mall|grocery_or_supermarket&sensor=false&key=API_KEY

Remember, like API_KEY I have used both, Api Key for server applications and Api Key for browser applications and I've got the same result with both.

Sincerely, I'm desperate with this problem because I don't know what I am doing wrong!!!

Answer 1

The problem is that you are not using the Google Places API for Android, you are using the Google Places API Web Service.

Here is an example of using Google Places API for Android, and here is an example of using the Google Places API Web Service. You are definitely using the latter.

Enable the Google Places API Web Service and it will work:

If you go to this link while signed into your Google Cloud Console account: https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/library?filter=category:maps

This is the API that should be enabled:

Answer 2

From the documentation:

Note: You need an Android API key, not a browser key. You can use the same API key for your Google Maps Android API v2 apps and your Google Places API for Android apps.

Check this for more help.