[NPC]

Hey, Steven! We have been using your plugin for several years (thanks for a wonderful product! :) ). This past week, Google Maps decided to give us a lovely “something went wrong” error in our CMap directory listings. Following your directions, I loaded the server and browser keys into the Connections plugin. The first map loaded great. However, the “something went wrong” error returned on the subsequent maps. In the F12 browser console, we are now being prompted that we “have exceeded [our] request quota for this API.” I can see that our map loads quota is set to 1, and it will not let me increase that quota unless I add a billing account. Strangely enough, I never had to load an API key prior to this issue, much less ever heard of a quota error. Do you have any experience with this issue? I certainly do not want Google to charge us for map loads without knowing the charges beforehand! : P Thanks and God bless!

[Steven Zahm]

@ NPC

As of July 16, 2018, to continue to use the Google Maps Platform APIs, you must enable billing on each of your projects.

You receive a recurring $200 credit on your billing account. This should be enough for normal usage. If you like to see your current usage, then you can do so in the Google API Console.

You can set budget alerts, this article explains how to do so. Setting up a budget alert will not prevent “overage” charges. They are more like a notice that you are going to be charged. I think you could set a $200 budget (or less) and when you receive the notification, you could disable the API key manually in the Google API Console so you will not get charged. But, then you will not have maps and the error you see now will be displayed instead.

Please keep in mind, using the Google Maps Platform APIs was never free, there were quota limits. When you reached that limit, Google would no longer serve maps to your site. Because the quota limit was generous most sites under normal usage would never hit the quota limit.

Google now requires a valid billing address and payment method so they can bill as you utilize their platform. They dub this “Pay as you go”. The recurring $200 credit on your billing account is roughly equivalent to the to the previous free quota limits in terms of usage of their platform.

All this said, unfortunately you only have two options. Set up billing with Google or disable the display of maps.

I hope this helps, let me know!

ps. I am working to add multiple map service provider support in Connections. There are free providers, but they are slow compared to Google and the geocoding (process of converting an address to a pin on a map) accuracy is not the greatest. The multiple map service provider support in Connections will default to the free providers. This will require updates to all templates after this support is fully implemented. In addition to the free providers, there will be support for commercial providers such as Google and Bing. So, at least this way you will be able to choose your poison, so to speak.

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