2 Search Location
Tom Russo edited this page 2026-01-03 10:06:28 -07:00

Search Location dialog

Search Location

This dialog allows you to query a Nominatim server to find an address or other named location on the map.

The Nominatim server is a service provided by OpenStreetMap and the data it accesses is Copyright © OpenStreetMap.

In the "Search Query" field, enter an address to look up. Choose a country in the list below the query, or enter a country code in the "Custom Code" below that.

The "Search" button will send the query to the configured Nominatim server and return a list of matches in the "Results:" box. Select one and click "Go To" and the map will be recentered on that location. "Mark" will center the map on the location and place a large blue "X" at that location.

Search Location Success

The query can be more general than an address, such as "Post Office" and a town name or even a business name.

Configuring the Search Location feature

Geocoding Settings

There are several options you have to customize the feature. They are found in the Map->Configure->Geocoding Settings dialog.

  • Server URL: This is the address of the Nominatim server to query. The default at nominatim.openstreetmaps.org provides the service and need not be changed, but it is possible to run your own Nominatim server if you want and you would put the alternate address here to point Xastir at your own server.
  • Email Address: The hosts of the nominatim server ask, but do not require, that users provide an email address when they submit queries.
  • Default Country: If most of your searches are in one country, you can set a default here so that you don't have to choose it every time you use the dialog.
  • Custom Code: set a default country code to prepopulate the Search Location dialog.

Please keep your use of this feature in line with the geocoding policy . This especially means you must not make excessive use of this feature (they define unacceptable rate as more than one search per second).

If you need that much geocoding, you need to set up your own Nominatim server.