{"id":"698213487a565033981f8bf6","title":"2026 01 27","path":"how-to/committee/release-notes/2026-01-27","contentMarkdown":"# 27-Jan-2026 — add Google Places venue search with automatic details retrieval [ref: #132](https://github.com/nbarrett/ngx-ramblers/issues/132)\n\n## [build 458](https://github.com/nbarrett/ngx-ramblers/actions/runs/21635690700) — [commit a160de6](https://github.com/nbarrett/ngx-ramblers/commit/a160de63dcc9b8df48c4d122c8c3ce4a43124f8d)\n\n_____\n\n## What's New for Users\n### Find Venue Search\nThe venue search has been upgraded with Google Places integration, making it much easier to find pubs, restaurants, and other venues:\n- **Renamed to \"Find Venue\"**\n- The search tab is now called \"Find Venue\" instead of \"Search Previous\" to better reflect its expanded capabilities\n- **Google Places Search**\n- When you type a venue name, the system now searches Google Places for matches, showing results with a red \"Google\" badge\n- **Automatic Details**\n- Selecting a Google result automatically fills in the name, address, postcode, coordinates, venue type, AND website URL\n- **Local Results First**\n- Results are sorted by distance from your walk's starting point, so nearby venues appear at the top\n- **Smart Deduplication**\n- If a venue is already saved in your database, only that entry shows (no duplicates from Google)\n### New Venue Types\nTwo new venue types have been added to the dropdown:\n- **Point of Interest**\n- For landmarks, monuments, museums, castles, etc.\n- **Location**\n- For generic locations like greens, commons, parks, crossroads, etc.\n### How It Works\n1. Go to the venue section on a walk\n2. Click \"Find Venue\" tab\n3. Type the venue name (e.g., \"Kings Arms\" or \"Pig at Bridge\")\n4. Select from the dropdown - stored venues show with coloured icons, Google results show with a red \"G\"\n5. All details are automatically populated including the website URL\n## Technical Changes\n- Integrated Google Places API (New) for venue text search\n- Added `places.websiteUri` to field mask for URL retrieval\n- Implemented result deduplication by name+postcode and coordinate proximity\n- Added VenueSource enum (STORED, GOOGLE) for source tracking\n- Extended VenueTypeValue enum with POINT_OF_INTEREST and LOCATION\n- Added corresponding icons (faLandmark, faMapMarkerAlt) to walks-reference-data.service","contentHtml":"<h1>27-Jan-2026 — add Google Places venue search with automatic details retrieval <a href=\"https://github.com/nbarrett/ngx-ramblers/issues/132\">ref: #132</a></h1>\n<h2><a href=\"https://github.com/nbarrett/ngx-ramblers/actions/runs/21635690700\">build 458</a> — <a href=\"https://github.com/nbarrett/ngx-ramblers/commit/a160de63dcc9b8df48c4d122c8c3ce4a43124f8d\">commit a160de6</a></h2>\n<hr>\n<h2>What&#39;s New for Users</h2>\n<h3>Find Venue Search</h3>\n<p>The venue search has been upgraded with Google Places integration, making it much easier to find pubs, restaurants, and other venues:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Renamed to &quot;Find Venue&quot;</strong></li>\n<li>The search tab is now called &quot;Find Venue&quot; instead of &quot;Search Previous&quot; to better reflect its expanded capabilities</li>\n<li><strong>Google Places Search</strong></li>\n<li>When you type a venue name, the system now searches Google Places for matches, showing results with a red &quot;Google&quot; badge</li>\n<li><strong>Automatic Details</strong></li>\n<li>Selecting a Google result automatically fills in the name, address, postcode, coordinates, venue type, AND website URL</li>\n<li><strong>Local Results First</strong></li>\n<li>Results are sorted by distance from your walk&#39;s starting point, so nearby venues appear at the top</li>\n<li><strong>Smart Deduplication</strong></li>\n<li>If a venue is already saved in your database, only that entry shows (no duplicates from Google)</li>\n</ul>\n<h3>New Venue Types</h3>\n<p>Two new venue types have been added to the dropdown:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Point of Interest</strong></li>\n<li>For landmarks, monuments, museums, castles, etc.</li>\n<li><strong>Location</strong></li>\n<li>For generic locations like greens, commons, parks, crossroads, etc.</li>\n</ul>\n<h3>How It Works</h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Go to the venue section on a walk</li>\n<li>Click &quot;Find Venue&quot; tab</li>\n<li>Type the venue name (e.g., &quot;Kings Arms&quot; or &quot;Pig at Bridge&quot;)</li>\n<li>Select from the dropdown - stored venues show with coloured icons, Google results show with a red &quot;G&quot;</li>\n<li>All details are automatically populated including the website URL</li>\n</ol>\n<h2>Technical Changes</h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Integrated Google Places API (New) for venue text search</li>\n<li>Added <code>places.websiteUri</code> to field mask for URL retrieval</li>\n<li>Implemented result deduplication by name+postcode and coordinate proximity</li>\n<li>Added VenueSource enum (STORED, GOOGLE) for source tracking</li>\n<li>Extended VenueTypeValue enum with POINT_OF_INTEREST and LOCATION</li>\n<li>Added corresponding icons (faLandmark, faMapMarkerAlt) to walks-reference-data.service</li>\n</ul>\n"}