Google maps Places API V3 autocomplete - select first option on enter

Question

I have successfuly implemented Google Maps Places V3 autocomplete feature on my input box as per http://web.archive.org/web/20120225114154/http://code.google.com:80/intl/sk-SK/apis/maps/documentation/javascript/places.html. It works nicely, however I would love to know how can I make it select the first option from the suggestions when a user presses enter. I guess I would need some JS magic, but I am very much new to JS and don't know where to start.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Here is a solution that does not make a geocoding request that may return an incorrect result: http://jsfiddle.net/amirnissim/2D6HW/

It simulates a down-arrow keypress whenever the user hits return inside the autocomplete field. The ↓ event is triggered before the return event so it simulates the user selecting the first suggestion using the keyboard.

Here is the code (tested on Chrome and Firefox) :

<script src='https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.7.2/jquery.min.js'></script>
<script src="https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?sensor=false&libraries=places"></script>
<script>
    var pac_input = document.getElementById('searchTextField');

    (function pacSelectFirst(input) {
        // store the original event binding function
        var _addEventListener = (input.addEventListener) ? input.addEventListener : input.attachEvent;

        function addEventListenerWrapper(type, listener) {
            // Simulate a 'down arrow' keypress on hitting 'return' when no pac suggestion is selected,
            // and then trigger the original listener.
            if (type == "keydown") {
                var orig_listener = listener;
                listener = function(event) {
                    var suggestion_selected = $(".pac-item-selected").length > 0;
                    if (event.which == 13 && !suggestion_selected) {
                        var simulated_downarrow = $.Event("keydown", {
                            keyCode: 40,
                            which: 40
                        });
                        orig_listener.apply(input, [simulated_downarrow]);
                    }

                    orig_listener.apply(input, [event]);
                };
            }

            _addEventListener.apply(input, [type, listener]);
        }

        input.addEventListener = addEventListenerWrapper;
        input.attachEvent = addEventListenerWrapper;

        var autocomplete = new google.maps.places.Autocomplete(input);

    })(pac_input);
</script>