Tutorial: Search for an address

Learn how to find an address or place.

Find the location of addresses with the geocoding service using API key authentication

Geocoding is the process of converting address or place text to a location. The geocoding service provides address and place geocoding and reverse geocoding.

In this tutorial, you use ArcGIS REST JS to access the geocoding service. You use a simple input control to accept text and a button to execute a search for an address or place. When an address or place is located, a pop-up will appear with the name, location, and address, and the view will pan to it.

Prerequisites

An ArcGIS Location Platform or ArcGIS Online account.

Steps

Get the starter app

Select a type of authentication below and follow the steps to create a new application.

You can choose one of the following to create a new CodePen:

Option 1: Complete the Display a scene tutorial; or,
Option 2: Start from the Display a scene tutorial .

Set up authentication

Create developer credentials in your portal for the type of authentication you selected.

Create a new API key credential with the correct privileges to access the resources used in this tutorial.

Go to the Create an API key tutorial and create an API key with the following privilege(s):
- Privileges
  - Location services > Basemaps
  - Location services > Geocoding
Copy the API key access token to your clipboard when prompted.

Set developer credentials

Use the API key or OAuth developer credentials created in the previous step in your application.

Add <script> elements in the HTML <body> and create an accessToken variable to store your access token. Set YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN with the access token you previously copied from your API key credentials.

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  <script>

    /* Use for API key authentication */
    const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

  </script>
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Set the defaultAccessToken included with Cesium to authenticate requests to the ArcGIS services used in this tutorial.

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  <script>

    /* Use for API key authentication */
    const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

    Cesium.ArcGisMapService.defaultAccessToken = accessToken;

  </script>
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In both the index.html and callback.html files, set the properties of clientId and redirectUri with the client ID and redirect URL of your OAuth credentials.

index.html
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    const session = await arcgisRest.ArcGISIdentityManager.beginOAuth2({
      clientId: "YOUR_CLIENT_ID", // Your client ID from OAuth credentials
      redirectUri: "YOUR_REDIRECT_URL", // The redirect URL registered in your OAuth credentials
      portal: "https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest" // Your portal URL
    })

    const accessToken = session.token;

callback.html
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    arcgisRest.ArcGISIdentityManager.completeOAuth2({
      clientId: "YOUR_CLIENT_ID", // Your client ID from OAuth credentials
      redirectUri: "YOUR_REDIRECT_URL", // The redirect URL registered in your OAuth credentials
      portal: "https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest" // Your portal URL
    })

Run the app and ensure you can sign in successfully.

If you are unable to sign in, make sure you have the correct redirect URL and port. This URL varies based on your application and typically takes the format of https://<server>[:port]/callback.html or http://my-arcgis-app:/auth. For example, if you are running an application on http://127.0.0.1:5500/, set http://127.0.0.1:5500/callback.html as your redirect URL in the index.html and callback.html file and your developer credential. They all have to match!

Set the defaultAccessToken included with Cesium to authenticate requests to the ArcGIS services used in this tutorial.

index.html
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    Cesium.ArcGisMapService.defaultAccessToken = accessToken;

Get a Cesium ion access token

All Cesium applications must use an access token provided through Cesium ion. This token allows you to access assets such as Cesium World Terrain in your application.

Go to your Cesium ion dashboard to generate an access token. Copy the key to your clipboard.

Create a cesiumAccessToken variable and replace YOUR_CESIUM_ACCESS_TOKEN with the access token you copied from the Cesium ion dashboard.

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  <script>

    /* Use for API key authentication */
    const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

    // or

    /* Use for user authentication */
    // const session = await arcgisRest.ArcGISIdentityManager.beginOAuth2({
    //   clientId: "YOUR_CLIENT_ID", // Your client ID from OAuth credentials
    //   redirectUri: "YOUR_REDIRECT_URL", // The redirect URL registered in your OAuth credentials
    //   portal: "YOUR_PORTAL_URL" // Your portal URL
    // })

    // const accessToken = session.token;

    Cesium.ArcGisMapService.defaultAccessToken = accessToken;

    const cesiumAccessToken = "YOUR_CESIUM_ACCESS_TOKEN";

  </script>

Configure Cesium.Ion.defaultAccessToken with the Cesium access token to validate the application.

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  <script>

    /* Use for API key authentication */
    const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

    // or

    /* Use for user authentication */
    // const session = await arcgisRest.ArcGISIdentityManager.beginOAuth2({
    //   clientId: "YOUR_CLIENT_ID", // Your client ID from OAuth credentials
    //   redirectUri: "YOUR_REDIRECT_URL", // The redirect URL registered in your OAuth credentials
    //   portal: "YOUR_PORTAL_URL" // Your portal URL
    // })

    // const accessToken = session.token;

    Cesium.ArcGisMapService.defaultAccessToken = accessToken;

    const cesiumAccessToken = "YOUR_CESIUM_ACCESS_TOKEN";

    Cesium.Ion.defaultAccessToken = cesiumAccessToken;

  </script>

Add references to ArcGIS REST JS

In the <head> element, reference the geocoding and request packages from ArcGIS REST JS.

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    <script src="https://cesium.com/downloads/cesiumjs/releases/1.121/Build/Cesium/Cesium.js"></script>
    <link href="https://cesium.com/downloads/cesiumjs/releases/1.121/Build/Cesium/Widgets/widgets.css" rel="stylesheet">

    <script src="https://unpkg.com/@esri/arcgis-rest-request@4/dist/bundled/request.umd.js"></script>
    <script src="https://unpkg.com/@esri/arcgis-rest-geocoding@4/dist/bundled/geocoding.umd.js"></script>

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Update the scene

CesiumJS supports both 3D models and geocoding. Update the scene to display 3D buildings so that you can search for them with the geocoding service.

Update the scene view to center on location [-122.4117, 37.769, 5000] in San Francisco, CA.

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        viewer.camera.setView({

            destination: Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(-122.4117, 37.769, 5000),
            orientation: {
                pitch: Cesium.Math.toRadians(-70)
            }

        })
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Initialize a terrain provider called geoidService that references the Earth Gravitational Model EGM2008. This provider will allow for geoid conversion between the gravity-based 3D object layer and the ellipsoidal-based Cesium World Terrain.

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        const geoidService = await Cesium.ArcGISTiledElevationTerrainProvider.fromUrl("https://tiles.arcgis.com/tiles/GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi/arcgis/rest/services/EGM2008/ImageServer");

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Add the data attribution for the elevation layer source.

Go to the EGM2008 item.
Scroll down to the Credits (Attribution) section and copy its value.

Create an attribution property and paste the attribution value from the item.

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        const geoidService = await Cesium.ArcGISTiledElevationTerrainProvider.fromUrl("https://tiles.arcgis.com/tiles/GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi/arcgis/rest/services/EGM2008/ImageServer");

        // Attribution text retrieved from https://arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=d798c71512404bbb9c1551b827bf5467
        viewer.creditDisplay.addStaticCredit(new Cesium.Credit("National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)", false));
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Add the San Francisco 3D Buildings scene layer to visualize the city of San Francisco.

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        viewer.camera.setView({

            destination: Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(-122.4117, 37.769, 5000),
            orientation: {
                pitch: Cesium.Math.toRadians(-70)
            }

        })

        // Add Esri attribution
        // Learn more in https://esriurl.com/attribution
        const poweredByEsri = new Cesium.Credit("Powered by <a href='https://www.esri.com/en-us/home' target='_blank'>Esri</a>", true)
        viewer.creditDisplay.addStaticCredit(poweredByEsri);

        const geoidService = await Cesium.ArcGISTiledElevationTerrainProvider.fromUrl("https://tiles.arcgis.com/tiles/GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi/arcgis/rest/services/EGM2008/ImageServer");

        // Attribution text retrieved from https://arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=d798c71512404bbb9c1551b827bf5467
        viewer.creditDisplay.addStaticCredit(new Cesium.Credit("National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)", false));

        const i3sProvider = await Cesium.I3SDataProvider.fromUrl("https://tiles.arcgis.com/tiles/z2tnIkrLQ2BRzr6P/arcgis/rest/services/SanFrancisco_Bldgs/SceneServer", {
            geoidTiledTerrainProvider: geoidService
        });

        viewer.scene.primitives.add(i3sProvider);
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Add the data attribution for the scene layer source.

Go to the San Francisco 3D Objects item.
Scroll down to the Credits (Attribution) section and copy its value.

Create an attribution property and paste the attribution value from the item.

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        viewer.camera.setView({

            destination: Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(-122.4117, 37.769, 5000),
            orientation: {
                pitch: Cesium.Math.toRadians(-70)
            }

        })

        // Add Esri attribution
        // Learn more in https://esriurl.com/attribution
        const poweredByEsri = new Cesium.Credit("Powered by <a href='https://www.esri.com/en-us/home' target='_blank'>Esri</a>", true)
        viewer.creditDisplay.addStaticCredit(poweredByEsri);

        const geoidService = await Cesium.ArcGISTiledElevationTerrainProvider.fromUrl("https://tiles.arcgis.com/tiles/GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi/arcgis/rest/services/EGM2008/ImageServer");

        // Attribution text retrieved from https://arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=d798c71512404bbb9c1551b827bf5467
        viewer.creditDisplay.addStaticCredit(new Cesium.Credit("National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)", false));

        const i3sProvider = await Cesium.I3SDataProvider.fromUrl("https://tiles.arcgis.com/tiles/z2tnIkrLQ2BRzr6P/arcgis/rest/services/SanFrancisco_Bldgs/SceneServer", {
            geoidTiledTerrainProvider: geoidService
        });

        // Attribution text retrieved from https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=d3344ba99c3f4efaa909ccfbcc052ed5
        viewer.creditDisplay.addStaticCredit(new Cesium.Credit("Precision Light Works (PLW)", false));

        viewer.scene.primitives.add(i3sProvider);
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Create geocoder controls

To trigger the geocode, users will type an address then click a button. Create an HTML <input> control to accept user input and a <button> control to initiate the query.

In the <body>, add a <div> containing a text input element and a button element.

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<body>
    <div id="cesiumContainer"></div>

    <div class="search">
        <input id="geocode-input" type="text" placeholder="Enter an address or place e.g. 1 York St" size="50" />
        <button id="geocode-button">Geocode</button>
    </div>

    <script type="module">
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In the <style> section, style the controls so that they appear in the top left corner of the app.

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    <style>
        html,
        body,
        #cesiumContainer {
            width: 100%;
            height: 100%;
            padding: 0px;
            margin: 0px;
        }


        .search {
            position: absolute;
            top: 8px;
            left: 8px;
        }

        #geocode-input,
        #geocode-button {
            font-size: 16px;
            margin: 0 2px 0 0;
            padding: 4px 8px;
        }

        #geocode-input {
            width: 300px;
        }


    </style>
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Call the geocoding service

When a user clicks the Geocode button, call arcgisRest.geocode to geocode the user's search query.

arcgisRest.geocode uses the geocoding service to perform a findAddressCandidates operation. To learn more about the operation, go to the REST API documentation.

Create a new arcgisRest.ApiKeyManager using your access token to authenticate requests to the geocoding service.

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        /* Use for API key authentication */
        const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

        // or

        /* Use for user authentication */
        // const session = await arcgisRest.ArcGISIdentityManager.beginOAuth2({
        //   clientId: "YOUR_CLIENT_ID", // Your client ID from OAuth credentials
        //   redirectUri: "YOUR_REDIRECT_URL", // The redirect URL registered in your OAuth credentials
        //   portal: "https://www.arcgis.com/sharing/rest" // Your portal URL
        // })

        // const accessToken = session.token;

        Cesium.ArcGisMapService.defaultAccessToken = accessToken;

        const authentication = arcgisRest.ApiKeyManager.fromKey(accessToken);
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Add an event listener to the geocoding button. When the button is clicked, call a new function called findAddress with the user's input as a parameter.

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        const geoidService = await Cesium.ArcGISTiledElevationTerrainProvider.fromUrl("https://tiles.arcgis.com/tiles/GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi/arcgis/rest/services/EGM2008/ImageServer");

        // Attribution text retrieved from https://arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=d798c71512404bbb9c1551b827bf5467
        viewer.creditDisplay.addStaticCredit(new Cesium.Credit("National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)", false));

        const i3sProvider = await Cesium.I3SDataProvider.fromUrl("https://tiles.arcgis.com/tiles/z2tnIkrLQ2BRzr6P/arcgis/rest/services/SanFrancisco_Bldgs/SceneServer", {
            geoidTiledTerrainProvider: geoidService
        });

        // Attribution text retrieved from https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=d3344ba99c3f4efaa909ccfbcc052ed5
        viewer.creditDisplay.addStaticCredit(new Cesium.Credit("Precision Light Works (PLW)", false));

        viewer.scene.primitives.add(i3sProvider);

        function findAddress(query) {

        }

        document.getElementById("geocode-button").addEventListener("click", () => {
            viewer.entities.removeAll();
            const query = document.getElementById("geocode-input").value;

            findAddress(query);
        });
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In the findAddress function, call arcgisRest.geocode and pass the authentication object. Set the singleLine parameter to the search query. Set the location parameter to the camera's current position to prioritize search results near the current extent.

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        function findAddress(query) {

            const cameraPos = Cesium.Cartographic.fromCartesian(viewer.camera.position);
            const center = [Cesium.Math.toDegrees(cameraPos.longitude), Cesium.Math.toDegrees(cameraPos.latitude)]

            arcgisRest
                .geocode({
                    singleLine: query,
                    authentication,
                    params: {
                        outFields: "*",
                        location: center.join(",")
                    }
                })

        }
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Access the service response to obtain query results. Alert the user if no results are returned.

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            arcgisRest
                .geocode({
                    singleLine: query,
                    authentication,
                    params: {
                        outFields: "*",
                        location: center.join(",")
                    }
                })

                .then((response) => {
                    const result = response.candidates[0];
                    if (!result === 0) {
                        alert("That query didn't match any geocoding results.");
                        return;
                    }

                })

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Check for issues in accessing the geocoding service (such as a network disruption or authentication problems) and alert the user.

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            arcgisRest
                .geocode({
                    singleLine: query,
                    authentication,
                    params: {
                        outFields: "*",
                        location: center.join(",")
                    }
                })

                .then((response) => {
                    const result = response.candidates[0];
                    if (!result === 0) {
                        alert("That query didn't match any geocoding results.");
                        return;
                    }

                })

                .catch((error) => {
                    alert("There was a problem using the geocoder. See the console for details.");
                    console.error(error);
                });
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Display results

If the query is successful, the candidates property of the response will contain a list of one of more address candidates. To display the top candidate, create a new entity and add it to your scene.

Add a new Entity to the viewer at the coordinates of the result. Set the name and description of the entity to display information about the result candidate.

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                .then((response) => {
                    const result = response.candidates[0];
                    if (!result === 0) {
                        alert("That query didn't match any geocoding results.");
                        return;
                    }

                    const location = Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(result.location.x, result.location.y);
                    const candidate = viewer.entities.add({
                        name: 'Search result',
                        description: `${result.address}`,
                        position: location,

                    })

                })
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Set the billboard property of your entity to display a pin on the map. Use a PinBuilder to set the image property of the pin.

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                    const pinBuilder = new Cesium.PinBuilder()

                    const location = Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(result.location.x, result.location.y);
                    const candidate = viewer.entities.add({
                        name: 'Search result',
                        description: `${result.address}`,
                        position: location,

                        billboard: {
                            verticalOrigin: Cesium.VerticalOrigin.BOTTOM,
                            heightReference: Cesium.HeightReference.CLAMP_TO_GROUND,
                            image: pinBuilder.fromColor(Cesium.Color.fromCssColorString('#5491f5'), 48).toDataURL()
                        }

                    })

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Select and track the result entity in order to display a pop-up and center the camera on the result.

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                        billboard: {
                            verticalOrigin: Cesium.VerticalOrigin.BOTTOM,
                            heightReference: Cesium.HeightReference.CLAMP_TO_GROUND,
                            image: pinBuilder.fromColor(Cesium.Color.fromCssColorString('#5491f5'), 48).toDataURL()
                        }

                    })

                    viewer.selectedEntity = candidate;
                    viewer.trackedEntity = candidate;
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Run the app

Run the app.

In the input box, type "Ferry building San Francisco" and then click the Geocode button to find its location. If a location is found, the map will zoom to it and display a pop-up with the address.

What's next?

Learn how to use additional ArcGIS location services in these tutorials:

Reverse geocode

Find an address near a location with the Geocoding service.

Find nearby places and details

Find points of interest near a location and get detailed information about them

Find a route and directions

Find a route and directions with the route service.