gistfile1.py

# quick & dirty example

def get_placemark_point(raw_location):
    """Attempt to resolve ``raw_location`` using Google's geocoder.
    Returns a tuple with the canonical address and GEOS point
 
    """
    import cjson
    from urllib import urlencode
    from urllib2 import urlopen
    from django.contrib.gis.geos import fromstr
 
    # encode the request
    data = urlencode({
        'q': raw_location,
        'output': "json",
        'oe': "utf8",
        'sensor': "false",
        'key': "my_app_key"
    })
    
    url = "http://maps.google.com/maps/geo?%s" % data
 
    response = urlopen(url)
    geo_content = cjson.decode(response.read())
    
    placemark = geo_content['Placemark'][0]
    
    # convert to a geodjango point
    lng, lat = placemark['Point']['coordinates'][:2]
    point = fromstr("POINT(%s %s)" % (lng, lat))
        return (placemark['address'], point)