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Show HN: Trip Planner – A tool for planning a trip itinerary using Google Maps

110 points by adl1995 7y ago

gomangogo 7y ago
I got this error when running it : File "fetch.py", line 25 place_raw = requests.get(f'https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/details/json?placeid={place_id}&key={API_KEY}' https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/details/json?plac...) ^ SyntaxError: invalid syntax
- Eldt 7y ago
  What version of python are you using?
  - gomangogo 7y ago
    I use now python 3.6 but got this error : ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'wikipedia' (I installed requirements)
    - adl1995 7y ago
      That's odd. What output do you get from 'pip install wikipedia'?
      - diminoten 7y ago
        You do you, but if you're giving python support in HN comments, you might be here for a while!
- lalaithion 7y ago
  It looks like you need python 3.6+
lxe 7y ago
Why a CLI tool instead of a GUI? This sort of thing seems like a poor use-case for a CLI experience.
- orisho 7y ago
  Probably because the author wrote this for themselves and did not need a UI, but then thought that sharing it would be cool.
  - bordercases 7y ago
    Why wouldn't you need a UI? What makes a UI too bloated?
    - sachdevap 7y ago
      A UI is more work, and a CLI can be piped into all sorts of personal projects/workflows. I sure would like this.
    - orisho 7y ago
      I didn't say it's too bloated, but whipping up a script like this would take me time in the scale of minutes, while adding a basic UI would make that hours, and not be too useful. To be even a little useful the UI has to do quite a lot.
- chooseaname 7y ago
  Once you have the CLI working, you can then add the GUI. They don't have to be globbed together.
- adl1995 7y ago
  I'm not sure what extra features I could provide with a GUI. I mainly use the script just to create the CSV file and then import it into Google My Maps, as explained here: https://adl1995.github.io/programmatically-organising-your-backpacking-trip-using-google-my-maps.html https://adl1995.github.io/programmatically-organising-your-b...
pintxo 7y ago
The first paragraph from the readme is a better description: > This tool filters Google Maps places based on an input query and exports them to a CSV file.
tekknolagi 7y ago
I really enjoy this. I've also been interested in a tool that allows full itinerary planning on the command line.
nthitz 7y ago
It'd be cool if the tool could also figure out the shortest path between the attractions returned to optimize the trip!
- adl1995 7y ago
  Definitely! I'm now thinking of adding a 'radius' parameter which only returns places within a certain region.
mikeokner 7y ago
Neat project! If anyone's interested in more of a full-featured web app for travel planning, I've been working on developing https://www.naverator.com/ https://www.naverator.com/
- adl1995 7y ago
  Thanks! Maybe it would be useful if your app allows importing itinerary from CSV files (I'm guessing each item is added manually for now).
  - mikeokner 7y ago
    You're right, it is all manual for now. I do like the idea of some sort of import, but it's intended for a more general audience. I'm not sure my mom would figure out how to create and then import a CSV.
kweks 7y ago
I'd built out a similar tool that pulled in the Google Photos / Panoramio photos along a route / path, within a certain distance to find interesting things along your way. It got nuked when Panoramio died - would be interested in Open-Sourcing it if anyone wanted to pick up the project..
- adl1995 7y ago
  Sounds like a neat idea! I would be very interested in checking it out.
spking 7y ago
https://wanderlog.com https://wanderlog.com (formerly TravelChime - YC W19) is pretty great too. I used it over the summer to plan a family visit and it was very useful.
ym705 7y ago
Nice tool! Could also be used for data science ;) https://dokomaps.com https://dokomaps.com is a more human and user friendly alternative were locals create their own map, add comment and categories and share them.
s1mpl3 7y ago
Nice! Traveling can be overwhelming. This is another great tool folks can use to help prep for their trip [since it's a CLI your market will naturally be developer focused]. I built https://trrip.co https://trrip.co - much less about search and google maps, and much more about sorting itinerary in a chronological way. Both can coexist!
tathagatadg 7y ago
Very cool! love the simplicity ... A UI based tool that I have found very useful https://maps.sygic.com/ https://maps.sygic.com/
- mburst 7y ago
  Sygic is awesome! Used it to plan a trip to Japan and South Korea and it highlighted a bunch of cool attractions that I would have never known about otherwise
phsource 7y ago
I have to say, being able to add all the places to a list accessible from Google Maps is really key since it's one of my main tools while on a trip. I'm curious though -- what got you to choose exporting to Google My Maps vs. a Google Maps saved places place list? For Wanderlog (https://wanderlog.com https://wanderlog.com), we ended up exporting to Saved Places instead of Google My Maps. My Maps lets you do advanced things like create regions and polygons, but when using it on the Google Maps app, it seems strictly worse: 1. You have to explicitly turn on the My Maps layer, rather than the pins always showing, for it to show up on the app, and 2. When you tap on one of the My Maps pins, it doesn't show the underlying place's associated details (e.g., rating, etc.) which makes it a bit harder to go back to the source of the info. It's definitely nicer to build on top of Saved Places, which also seems more actively maintained by Google. Did you have any reason in mind to use My Maps rather than the Saved Places?
- adl1995 7y ago
  I do use Saved Places but only for storing bus terminals, Airbnbs addresses, etc. Google My Maps has the advantage of grouping places by a column (e.g. rating, reviews) and modifying icons based on the place type (which I frequently use). It also doesn't clutter the maps with landmarks (they only show up when the map is selected). 1. For me all layers are enabled by default when I load a map on the Maps application 2. I agree that this is quite annoying. The workaround I found was to add the missing information in the CSV file which then shows up in My Maps Having said that, there are still tons of features missing from My Maps, e.g. each layer can have a limited number of places and there's no API to import the CSV file programmatically. There's a pretty hectic list of feature requests here: https://issuetracker.google.com/issues?q=google%20my%20maps%20type:feature_request https://issuetracker.google.com/issues?q=google%20my%20maps%...
hkai 7y ago
I remember the time where you could plan your route on Google Maps and save it to your maps. Obviously they removed that feature circa 2012 because it was too useful.

110 points by adl1995 7y ago

I got this error when running it : File "fetch.py", line 25 place_raw = requests.get(f'https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/details/json?placeid={place_id}&key={API_KEY}' https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/details/json?plac...) ^ SyntaxError: invalid syntax

Eldt 7y ago
What version of python are you using?
- gomangogo 7y ago
  I use now python 3.6 but got this error : ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'wikipedia' (I installed requirements)
  - adl1995 7y ago
    That's odd. What output do you get from 'pip install wikipedia'?
    - diminoten 7y ago
      You do you, but if you're giving python support in HN comments, you might be here for a while!
lalaithion 7y ago
It looks like you need python 3.6+

lxe 7y ago

Why a CLI tool instead of a GUI? This sort of thing seems like a poor use-case for a CLI experience.

orisho 7y ago
Probably because the author wrote this for themselves and did not need a UI, but then thought that sharing it would be cool.
- bordercases 7y ago
  Why wouldn't you need a UI? What makes a UI too bloated?
  - sachdevap 7y ago
    A UI is more work, and a CLI can be piped into all sorts of personal projects/workflows. I sure would like this.
  - orisho 7y ago
    I didn't say it's too bloated, but whipping up a script like this would take me time in the scale of minutes, while adding a basic UI would make that hours, and not be too useful. To be even a little useful the UI has to do quite a lot.
chooseaname 7y ago
Once you have the CLI working, you can then add the GUI. They don't have to be globbed together.
adl1995 7y ago
I'm not sure what extra features I could provide with a GUI. I mainly use the script just to create the CSV file and then import it into Google My Maps, as explained here: https://adl1995.github.io/programmatically-organising-your-backpacking-trip-using-google-my-maps.html https://adl1995.github.io/programmatically-organising-your-b...

pintxo 7y ago

The first paragraph from the readme is a better description: > This tool filters Google Maps places based on an input query and exports them to a CSV file.

tekknolagi 7y ago

I really enjoy this. I've also been interested in a tool that allows full itinerary planning on the command line.

nthitz 7y ago

It'd be cool if the tool could also figure out the shortest path between the attractions returned to optimize the trip!

adl1995 7y ago
Definitely! I'm now thinking of adding a 'radius' parameter which only returns places within a certain region.

mikeokner 7y ago

Neat project! If anyone's interested in more of a full-featured web app for travel planning, I've been working on developing https://www.naverator.com/ https://www.naverator.com/

adl1995 7y ago
Thanks! Maybe it would be useful if your app allows importing itinerary from CSV files (I'm guessing each item is added manually for now).
- mikeokner 7y ago
  You're right, it is all manual for now. I do like the idea of some sort of import, but it's intended for a more general audience. I'm not sure my mom would figure out how to create and then import a CSV.

kweks 7y ago

I'd built out a similar tool that pulled in the Google Photos / Panoramio photos along a route / path, within a certain distance to find interesting things along your way. It got nuked when Panoramio died - would be interested in Open-Sourcing it if anyone wanted to pick up the project..

adl1995 7y ago
Sounds like a neat idea! I would be very interested in checking it out.

spking 7y ago

https://wanderlog.com https://wanderlog.com (formerly TravelChime - YC W19) is pretty great too. I used it over the summer to plan a family visit and it was very useful.

ym705 7y ago

Nice tool! Could also be used for data science ;) https://dokomaps.com https://dokomaps.com is a more human and user friendly alternative were locals create their own map, add comment and categories and share them.

s1mpl3 7y ago

Nice! Traveling can be overwhelming. This is another great tool folks can use to help prep for their trip [since it's a CLI your market will naturally be developer focused]. I built https://trrip.co https://trrip.co - much less about search and google maps, and much more about sorting itinerary in a chronological way. Both can coexist!

tathagatadg 7y ago

Very cool! love the simplicity ... A UI based tool that I have found very useful https://maps.sygic.com/ https://maps.sygic.com/

mburst 7y ago
Sygic is awesome! Used it to plan a trip to Japan and South Korea and it highlighted a bunch of cool attractions that I would have never known about otherwise

phsource 7y ago

I have to say, being able to add all the places to a list accessible from Google Maps is really key since it's one of my main tools while on a trip. I'm curious though -- what got you to choose exporting to Google My Maps vs. a Google Maps saved places place list? For Wanderlog (https://wanderlog.com https://wanderlog.com), we ended up exporting to Saved Places instead of Google My Maps. My Maps lets you do advanced things like create regions and polygons, but when using it on the Google Maps app, it seems strictly worse: 1. You have to explicitly turn on the My Maps layer, rather than the pins always showing, for it to show up on the app, and 2. When you tap on one of the My Maps pins, it doesn't show the underlying place's associated details (e.g., rating, etc.) which makes it a bit harder to go back to the source of the info. It's definitely nicer to build on top of Saved Places, which also seems more actively maintained by Google. Did you have any reason in mind to use My Maps rather than the Saved Places?

adl1995 7y ago
I do use Saved Places but only for storing bus terminals, Airbnbs addresses, etc. Google My Maps has the advantage of grouping places by a column (e.g. rating, reviews) and modifying icons based on the place type (which I frequently use). It also doesn't clutter the maps with landmarks (they only show up when the map is selected). 1. For me all layers are enabled by default when I load a map on the Maps application 2. I agree that this is quite annoying. The workaround I found was to add the missing information in the CSV file which then shows up in My Maps Having said that, there are still tons of features missing from My Maps, e.g. each layer can have a limited number of places and there's no API to import the CSV file programmatically. There's a pretty hectic list of feature requests here: https://issuetracker.google.com/issues?q=google%20my%20maps%20type:feature_request https://issuetracker.google.com/issues?q=google%20my%20maps%...

hkai 7y ago

I remember the time where you could plan your route on Google Maps and save it to your maps. Obviously they removed that feature circa 2012 because it was too useful.