AFNetwork and GoogleAPI returning NULL - iphone

Question

After being very disappointed with CLGeocoder, I decided to use the GoogleMaps API instead.
I have designed the call as following, using AFNetwork :
AFHTTPClient *new = [[AFHTTPClient alloc] initWithBaseURL:[NSURL URLWithString:#"http://maps.googleapis.com/"]];
NSDictionary *dict = [[NSDictionary alloc] initWithObjects:[NSArray arrayWithObjects:#"thorsgade",#"true", nil] forKeys:[NSArray arrayWithObjects:#"address",#"sensor", nil]];
NSMutableURLRequest *req = [new requestWithMethod:#"GET" path:#"maps/api/geocode/json" parameters:dict];
AFJSONRequestOperation *call = [AFJSONRequestOperation JSONRequestOperationWithRequest:req success:^(NSURLRequest *request, NSHTTPURLResponse *response, id JSON) {
NSArray *geos = [JSON objectForKey:#"results"];
DLog(#"Got result : '%#' %# from %# %# %#",JSON,geos,[NSHTTPURLResponse localizedStringForStatusCode:response.statusCode],response.allHeaderFields,request.URL.description);
} failure:^(NSURLRequest *request, NSHTTPURLResponse *response, NSError *error, id JSON) {
DLog(#"Failed %# %#",error.localizedDescription,request.URL.description);
}];
[call start];
I get this feedback:
Got result : '(null)' (null) from no error {
"Cache-Control" = "public, max-age=86400";
"Content-Encoding" = gzip;
"Content-Length" = 1603;
"Content-Type" = "application/json; charset=UTF-8";
Date = "Fri, 07 Dec 2012 08:51:58 GMT";
Expires = "Sat, 08 Dec 2012 08:51:58 GMT";
Server = mafe;
Vary = "Accept-Language";
"X-Frame-Options" = SAMEORIGIN;
"X-XSS-Protection" = "1; mode=block"; } http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?sensor=true&address=thorsgade
Null result, but no errors. The content is recognized in the headers as JSON, but the raw JSON is null.
The annoying thing is that if I open http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?sensor=true&address=thorsgade in a browser, i get plenty of results.
So far i have tried:
Flicking the sensor booleon true/false.
Faking the user-agent to be regular safari.
Use POST instead of GET.
With no luck...

Answer 1

If the problem persists, I would recommend using MKNetworkKit instead
Here is my solution -
GoogleGeocodeApi.h
//GoogleGeocodeApi.h
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
#import "MKNetworkEngine.h"
typedef void (^JsonResponseBlock)(NSDictionary *);
typedef void (^ErrorBlock)(NSError* error);
#interface GoogleGeocodeApi : MKNetworkEngine
-(MKNetworkOperation*) geocodeWithAddress: (NSString *) address
onCompletion:(JsonResponseBlock) completionBlock
onError:(ErrorBlock) errorBlock;
#end
GoogleGeocodeApi.m
//GoogleGeocodeApi.m
#import "GoogleGeocodeApi.h"
#implementation GoogleGeocodeApi
-(id)init
{
if (self = [super initWithHostName:#"maps.googleapis.com" apiPath:#"maps/api/geocode" customHeaderFields:nil]) {
}
return self;
}
-(MKNetworkOperation*) geocodeWithAddress: (NSString *) address
onCompletion:(JsonResponseBlock) completionBlock
onError:(ErrorBlock) errorBlock;
{
MKNetworkOperation *op = [self operationWithPath:[NSString stringWithFormat:#"json?sensor=true&address=%#", address] params:nil httpMethod:#"GET"];
[op onCompletion:^(MKNetworkOperation *completedOperation) {
NSDictionary *responseJSON = [completedOperation responseJSON];
if (responseJSON && [[responseJSON objectForKey:#"status"] isEqualToString:#"OK"]) {
completionBlock(responseJSON);
} else {
NSDictionary* errorDictionary = #{NSLocalizedDescriptionKey :#"Google geocode failed!"};
NSError *error = [NSError errorWithDomain:#"Failed response" code:100 userInfo:errorDictionary];
errorBlock(error);
}
} onError:^(NSError* error) {
errorBlock(error);
}];
[self enqueueOperation:op];
return op;
}
Somewhere in code
GoogleGeocodeApi *gma = [[GoogleGeocodeApi alloc] init];
[gma geocodeWithAddress:#"thorsgade"
onCompletion:^(NSDictionary *responseJSON) {
NSLog(#"Geocode succeeded: %#", responseJSON);
} onError:^(NSError *error) {
NSLog(#"Geocode failed with error: %#", [error localizedDescription]);
}];