How to set a default value for a Google places API auto complete textbox

Question

I\'m working on a page close enough to the one in google samples https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/examples/places-autocomplete-addressform and it work

Answer 1

I had the same requirement of setting the initial location when the Map initally loads.

This is how I did it:

As Jon Hannah mentioned, I used the Autocomplete Service to get the prediction, then used the first prediction to get the Place (using place_id). Populated the Autocompelete input with my default location string. Finally triggered the place_change event.

  this.input.nativeElement.value = this.testLocationStr;

  let autocompleteService = new google.maps.places.AutocompleteService();
  let request = {input: this.testLocationStr};
  autocompleteService.getPlacePredictions(request, (predictionsArr, placesServiceStatus) => {
    console.log('getting place predictions :: predictionsArr = ', predictionsArr, '\n',
      'placesServiceStatus = ', placesServiceStatus);

    let placeRequest = {placeId: predictionsArr[0].place_id};
    let placeService = new google.maps.places.PlacesService(this.mapObj);
    placeService.getDetails(placeRequest, (placeResult, placeServiceStatus) => {
      console.log('placeService :: placeResult = ', placeResult, '\n',
        'placeServiceStatus = ', placeServiceStatus);

      this._handlePlaceChange(placeResult);

    });
  });

Plunker: https://plnkr.co/edit/9oN6Kg?p=preview