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Search API
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Category Search

 

Service version: 2.0
Last edit: 2019.02.01

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Purpose

If your search use case only requires POI (Points of Interest) results filtered by category, you may use the Category Search endpoint. This endpoint will only return POI results which are categorized as specified.

To view the list of available categories, see the following section. Click "...Show more" to expand/collapse the list and view its content.

List of available categories (note that this category list is subject to change with a new data release):

"(sub) urban", "access gateway", "administrative area", "administrative division", "adventure sports venue", "adventure vehicle", "advertising/marketing", "afghan", "african", "agricultural school", "agricultural supplies", "agricultural technology", "agriculture", "airfield", "airline", "airline access", "airport", "algerian", "ambulance unit", "american", "amphitheater", "amusement arcade", "amusement park", "amusement place", "anabranch", "animal services", "animal shelter", "antique/art", "apartment", ...Show more

Run this endpoint

You can easily run this and other endpoints.

  1. Go to the TomTom API Explorer page.
  2. Click an endpoint.
    1. Click Try it out.
    2. Enter/select all required parameter values and any optional parameter values.
    3. At the bottom of the form, click Execute.
  3. Review the Response.

Request data

Request formats

HTTPS Method: GET

URL format

For identification purposes:

  • Required constants and parameters are shown in bold text.
  • Optional parameters are shown in plain text.
https://api.tomtom.com/search/2/categorySearch/pizza.json?key=*****
&typeahead=false&limit=10&ofs=1000&countrySet=FR&lat=37.337&lon=-121.89&radius=100&topLeft=37.553%2C-122.453&btmRight=37.4%2C-122.55&language=en-us&extendedPostalCodesFor=PAD&view=Unified

curl command

curl -X GET "https://api.tomtom.com/search/2/categorySearch/pizza.json?key=*****
  &typeahead=false
  &limit=10
  &ofs=1000
  &countrySet=FR
  &lat=37.337
  &lon=-121.89
  &radius=100
  &topLeft=37.553%2C-122.453
  &btmRight=37.4%2C-122.55
  &language=en-us
  &extendedPostalCodesFor=PAD
  &view=Unified"
-H "accept: */*"

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Request parameters

The following table describes the parameters that can be used in a Request.

  • Required parameters must be used or the call will fail.
  • Optional parameters may be used.
  • A parameter's data type is beneath its name.
  • If there is a default value that will be assumed when an optional parameter is not used, it is shown in the table.
  • The order of request parameters is not important.
Required parameters
Parameter Description
baseURL
string		 Base URL for calling the API.
Value: api.tomtom.com
versionNumber
integer		 Service version number.
Value: The current value is 2.
query
string		 Query string. Must be properly URL encoded.
Value: A properly URL encoded query string.
ext
string		 A valid Response format.
Values: JSON, JSONP, JS, or XML
key
string		 An API Key valid for the requested service.
Value: Your valid API Key.
Optional parameters
Parameter Description
typeahead
boolean		 If the "typeahead" flag is set, the query will be interpreted as a partial input and the search will enter predictive mode.
Default value: false
limit
integer		 Maximum number of responses that will be returned.
Default value: 10
Maximum value: 100
ofs
integer		 Starting offset of the returned results within the full result set.
Default value: 0
Maximum value: 1900
lat
float		 Latitude, e.g., lat=37.337 lat/lon where results should be biased.
Note: Supplying a lat/lon without a radius will only bias the search results to that area.
Value: lat
lon
float		 Longitude, e.g., lon=-121.89 lat/lon where results should be biased.
Note: Supplying a lat/lon without a radius will only bias the search results to that area.
Value: lon
countrySet
string		 Comma separated string of country codes (e.g., FR, ES).

  • This will limit the search to the specified countries.
  • The choice of view may restrict which countries are available.
  • Incompatible combinations will return error 400.

Values: FR, ES, etc.
radius
integer		 If radius and position are set, the results will be constrained to the defined area.
The radius parameter is specified in meters.
Value: A radius.
topLeft
string (position)		 Top left position of the bounding box.

  • This is specified as a comma separated string composed by lat., lon. (e.g., 37.553,-122.453).
  • Important note: Point-Radius parameters and Bounding box parameters are mutually exclusive.
  • Point radius parameters take precedence when both are passed.

Value: A comma separated string.
btmRight
string (position)		 Bottom right position of the bounding box.

  • This is specified as a comma separated string composed by lat., lon. (e.g., 37.553,-122.453).
  • Important note: Point-Radius parameters and Bounding box parameters are mutually exclusive.
  • Point radius parameters take precedence when both are passed.

Value: A comma separated string.
language
string		 Language in which search results should be returned.

  • Should be one of supported IETF language tags, case insensitive.
  • When data in specified language is not available for a specific field, the default langauge is used.

Value: A supported IETF language tag.
extendedPostalCodesFor
string		 Indexes for which extended postal codes should be included in the results.

  • Available values are described in additional information indexes abbreviation values section.
  • Value should be a comma separated list of index types (in any order) or "None" for no indexes.
  • By default extended postal codes are included for all indexes except Geo.
  • Extended postal code lists for geographies can be quite long so they have to be explicitly requested when needed.

Usage examples:

  • extendedPostalCodesFor=POI
  • extendedPostalCodesFor=PAD,Addr,POI
  • extendedPostalCodesFor=None

Extended postal code is returned as an extendedPostalCode property of an address.
Availability is region-dependent.
Value: Indexes.
view
string		 Geopolitical View.

  • The context used to resolve handling disputed territories.
  • Views include Unified, along with IN, PK, IL, and MA which are respectively tailored for India, Pakistan, Israel and Morocco.
  • Unified: IN overrides in India.

Values: Unified, IN, PK, IL, and MA

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Response data

Response body

For illustrative purposes the example below is neatly indented and includes all possible Response fields.

  • Actual Responses are more compact and the fields present will vary based on the result type and the data available.
  • See the following Response field documentation for more information.
When requesting JSON output the Response has the following structure:
{
  "summary": {
    "query": "pizza",
    "queryType": "NON_NEAR",
    "queryTime": 95,
    "numResults": 10,
    "offset": 0,
    "totalResults": 247458,
    "fuzzyLevel": 1,
    "geoBias": {
      "lat": 36.98844,
      "lon": -121.97483
    }
  },
  "results": []
}
Each element of the results array is in the following format:
{
  "type": "POI",
  "id": "US/POI/p0/9033556",
  "score": 5,
  "dist": 0,
  "info": "search:ta:840061001865142-US",
  "poi": {
    "name": "Upper Crust Pizza & Pasta",
    "phone": "+(1)-(831)-4762333",
    "url": "www.uppercrustsc.com/",
    "categories": [
      "pizza",
      "restaurant"
    ],
    "classifications": [
      {
        "code": "RESTAURANT",
        "names": [
          {
            "nameLocale": "en-US",
            "name": "pizza"
          },
          {
            "nameLocale": "en-US",
            "name": "restaurant"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "address": {
    "streetNumber": "2501",
    "streetName": "Soquel Dr",
    "municipalitySubdivision": "Santa Cruz, Live Oak",
    "municipality": "Santa Cruz, Live Oak",
    "countrySecondarySubdivision": "Santa Cruz",
    "countryTertiarySubdivision": "Santa Cruz",
    "countrySubdivision": "CA",
    "postalCode": "95065",
    "extendedPostalCode": "950652023",
    "countryCode": "US",
    "country": "United States Of America",
    "countryCodeISO3": "USA",
    "freeformAddress": "2501 Soquel Dr, Santa Cruz, CA 95065",
    "countrySubdivisionName": "California"
  },
  "position": {
    "lat": 36.98844,
    "lon": -121.97483
  },
  "viewport": {
    "topLeftPoint": {
      "lat": 36.98934,
      "lon": -121.97596
    },
    "btmRightPoint": {
      "lat": 36.98754,
      "lon": -121.9737
    }
  },
  "entryPoints": [
    {
      "type": "main",
      "position": {
        "lat": 36.98817,
        "lon": -121.97487
      }
    }
  ],
  "dataSources": {
    "chargingAvailability": {
      "id": "442009000132285"
    },
    "geometry": {
      "id": "00004e4c-3100-3c00-0000-0000685e23c7"
    }
  }
}

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Response fields

The following tables describe all of the fields that can appear in a Response. Fields are listed by the Response section they belong to and in the order that they appear in the Response.

Primary fields
Field Description
summary{}
object		 Summary information about the search that was performed.
results[]
array		 Result list, sorted in descending order by score.
summary{} object
Field Description
query
string		 Query as interpreted by the search engine.
queryType
string		 Response type. See the following response types.
queryTime
integer		 Time spent on resolving the query.
numResults
integer		 Number of Results in the response.
offset
integer		 Starting offset of the returned Results within the full Result set.
totalResults
integer		 Total number of Results found.
fuzzyLevel
integer		 Maximum fuzzy level required to provide Results.
geoBias
string		 Position used to bias the Results:
LatLon
results[] array
Field Description
type
string (POI)		 Type of Result. One of:

  • POI
  • Street
  • Geography
  • Point Address
  • Address Range
  • Cross Street
id
string		 Non-stable id for this Result.
score
double		 Score of the Result. A larger score means there is a probability that a Result meeting the query criteria is higher.
dist
double		 Unit: meters.
info
string		 Information about the original data source of the Result.
poi
object		 Optional section. Only present if type = = POI.
address
object		 Structured address for the Result.
position
object		 Position of the Result:
Latitude, Longitude
viewport
object		 A viewport which can be used to display the Result on a map.
entrypoints
array		 List of entry points of the POI.
dataSources
object		 Optional section.
Reference ids for use with the Additional Data service.
poi{} object
Field Description
name
string		 Name of the POI.
phone
string		 Telephone number.
url
string		 Website URL.
categories
array
Deprecated		 The list of POI categories.
1 Refer to classifications instead.

  • May 1, 2018: The categories response field has been deprecated and will be withdrawn following a 12 month deprecation period.
  • The planned withdrawal date is May 1, 2019.
classifications
array		 The list of POI category classifications.
classifications{} object
Field Description
code
string		 Fixed top-level category code.
names
array		 List of category names with locale code information. Currently only "en-US" locale is returned.
names[] array
Field Description
nameLocale
string		 Locale code of this category name.
name
string		 Category name in given locale.
address{} object
Field Description
streetNumber
string		 The building number on the street.
streetName
string		 The street name.
municipalitySubdivision
string		 Sub / Super City
municipality
string		 City / Town
countrySecondarySubdivision
string		 Country
countryTertiarySubdivision
string		 Named Area
countrySubdivision
string		 State or Province
postalCode
string		 Postal Code / Zip Code
extendedPostalCode
string		 Extended postal code (availability dependent on region)
countryCode
string		 Country
country
string		 Country name
countryCodeISO3
string		 ISO alpha-3 country code
freeformAddress
string		 An address line formatted according to formatting
rules of a Result's country of origin,or in case
of countries its full country name.
countrySubdivisionName
string		 A full name of a first level of country administrative hierarchy.

  • This field appears only in case countrySubdivision is presented in an abbreviated form.
  • Supported only for USA, Canada and Great Britain.
viewport{} object
Field Description
topLeftPoint
string		 Top-left corner of the rectangle: LatLon
btmRightPoint
string		 Bottom-right corner of the rectangle: LatLon
entryPoints[] array
Field Description
type
string		 Main entry point: One of:

  • main
  • minor
position
string		 Position of the entry point: Latitude, Longitude
dataSources{} object
Field Description
geometry
object		 Information about the geometric shape of the result. Only present if type == Geography or POI.
charging availability
object		 Information about the charging stations availability.
Only present if type == POI. Charging Availability
geometry
Field Description
id
string		 Pass this as geometryId to the Additional Data service
to fetch geometry information for this result.
charging availability
Field Description
id
string		 Pass this as chargingAvailabilityId to the Additional Data service
to fetch charging availability information for this result.
LatLon
Field Description
lat
Double		 Latitude
lon
Double		 Longitude

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HTTP Response codes

The following data table contains Response codes signifying successful and failed Requests to an API server.

Code Meaning & possible causes
200 OK: The search successfully returned zero or more results.
400 Bad Request: One or more parameters were incorrectly specified.
403 Forbidden: Possible causes include:

  • Service requires SSL
  • Not authorized
  • Rate or volume limit exceeded
  • Unknown referer
405 Method Not Allowed: The HTTP method (GET, POST, etc) is not supported for this Request.
404/596 Not Found: The HTTP Request method (GET, POST, etc) or path is incorrect.
5xx Server Error: The service was unable to process your Request. Contact support to resolve the issue.

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Response headers

The following data table contains response headers sent back from an API server.

Header Description
Access-Control-Allow-Origin Ensures that clients that implement the CORS security model are able to access the response from this service.
Value: * - This asterisk signifies access to the TomTom API using the Access-Control-Allow-Origin (ACAO) header in its response indicating which origin sites are allowed.
Content-Type Indicates the format of the response, as chosen by the client. Format: type/subtype; charset=utf-8
Values: type/subtype is one of:

  • application/json
  • text/javascript
  • text/xml

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