PowerShell Script – Get-ComputerGeolocation

<#
.Synopsis
    Retrieves the Computer's geographical location
.DESCRIPTION
   Retrieves the Computer Geolocation using the Windows location platform and Google geocoding API
.EXAMPLE
   Get-ComputerGeolocation
.NOTES
    Version 1.0
    Written by Alex Verboon

#>



function Get-ComputerGeoLocation ()
{

# Windows Location API
$mylocation = new-object –ComObject LocationDisp.LatLongReportFactory

# Get Status 
$mylocationstatus = $mylocation.status
If ($mylocationstatus -eq "4")
{
    # Windows Location Status returns 4, so we're "Running"

    # Get Latitude and Longitude from LatlongReport property
    $latitude = $mylocation.LatLongReport.Latitude 
    $longitude = $mylocation.LatLongReport.Longitude

    if ($latitude -ne $null -or $longitude -ne $Null)
    {
        # Retrieve Geolocation from Google Geocoding API
        $webClient = New-Object System.Net.WebClient 
        Write-host "Retrieving geolocation for" $($latitude) $($longitude)
        $url = "https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/xml?latlng=$latitude,$longitude&sensor=true"
        $locationinfo = $webClient.DownloadString($url) 
 
        [xml][/xml]$doc = $locationinfo
        # Verify the response
        if ($doc.GeocodeResponse.status -eq "OK")
        {
            $street_address = $doc.GeocodeResponse.result | Select-Object -Property formatted_address, Type | Where-Object -Property Type -eq "street_address" 
            $geoobject = New-Object -TypeName PSObject
            $geoobject | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name Address -Value $street_address.formatted_address
            $geoobject | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name latitude -Value $mylocation.LatLongReport.Latitude
            $geoobject | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name longitude -Value $mylocation.LatLongReport.longitude
            $geoobject | format-list
        }
        Else
        {
            Write-Warning "Request failed, unable to retrieve Geo locatiion information from Geocoding API"  
        }
    }
    Else
        {
            write-warning "Latitude or Longitude data missing"
        }
    }

Else
{
    switch($mylocationstatus)
    {
    # All possible status property values as defined here: 
    # http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd317716(v=vs.85).aspx
    0 {$mylocationstatuserr = "Report not supported"} 
    1 {$mylocationstatuserr = "Error"}
    2 {$mylocationstatuserr = "Access denied"} 
    3 {$mylocationstatuserr = "Initializing" } 
    4 {$mylocationstatuserr = "Running"} 
    }

    If ($mylocationstatus -eq "3")
        {
        write-host "Windows Loction platform is $mylocationstatuserr" 
        sleep 5
        Get-ComputerGeoLocation
        }
    Else
        {
        write-warning "Windows Loction platform: Status:$mylocationstatuserr"
        }
}
} # end function
Get-ComputerGeoLocation

8 Replies to “PowerShell Script – Get-ComputerGeolocation”

1. That’s such a great idea, very helpful – thanks for sharing Alex

2. thanks you for sharing ths script
   did your company can help us to deploy this for a team of field technical people ?
   regards
   Pascal Cuvilliez
   IT manager

3. hi
   this script is veru useful but on a windows 8 platform ,it can’t get tle location.
   i have received strange message in the event viewer like : error communicating wiht ORION inference server ..
   have you an idea ?
   pascal CUVILLIEZ
   pascal.cuvilliez@lasersymag.com

4. Pingback: Episode 265 – PowerScripting Podcast – Narayanan Lakshmanan from the PowerShell Team on DSC | PowerShell.org

5. I just tried to run this script and received 4 syntax errors. Has anyone used this on Windows 7 sp1? Here is the output that I got back:
   At C:\temp\Get-ComputerGeoLocation.ps1:40 char:15
   + [xml][/xml]$doc = $locationinfo
   + ~
   Missing type name after ‘[‘.
   At C:\temp\Get-ComputerGeoLocation.ps1:40 char:14
   + [xml][/xml]$doc = $locationinfo
   + ~~~~~~~~~~
   Unexpected token ‘[/xml]$doc’ in expression or statement.
   At C:\temp\Get-ComputerGeoLocation.ps1:60 char:5
   + }
   + ~
   Unexpected token ‘}’ in expression or statement.
   At C:\temp\Get-ComputerGeoLocation.ps1:86 char:1
   + } # end function
   + ~
   Unexpected token ‘}’ in expression or statement.
   + CategoryInfo : ParserError: (:) [], ParseException
   + FullyQualifiedErrorId : MissingTypename

   PS C:\temp>

6. I never tried this on Windows 7, I wrote the script on Windows 8.1

7. Eric, website is messing up with ps code, just delete [/xml].
   but, I’m getting: WARNING: Windows Loction platform: Status:Report not supported on two devices, Win8.1 and Win10. Alex, do you know what is the problem ?

8. Working for me perfectly without admin rights:-

   In a new folder make new batch file named “get_gps_without_admin.bat”
   & copy the text below:

   @ECHO OFF
   PowerShell.exe -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command “& ‘%~dpn0.ps1′”
   PAUSE

   then create a new file named “get_gps_without_admin.ps1” in the same folder and in it write:

   function Get-ComputerGeoLocation ()
   {

   # Windows Location API
   $mylocation = new-object –ComObject LocationDisp.LatLongReportFactory

   # Get Status
   $mylocationstatus = $mylocation.status
   If ($mylocationstatus -eq “4”)
   {
   # Windows Location Status returns 4, so we’re “Running”

   # Get Latitude and Longitude from LatlongReport property
   $latitude = $mylocation.LatLongReport.Latitude
   $longitude = $mylocation.LatLongReport.Longitude

   if ($latitude -ne $null -or $longitude -ne $Null)
   {
   # Retrieve Geolocation from Google Geocoding API
   $webClient = New-Object System.Net.WebClient
   Write-host “Retrieving geolocation for” $($latitude) $($longitude)
   $url = “https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/xml?latlng=$latitude,$longitude&sensor=true”
   $locationinfo = $webClient.DownloadString($url)

   [xml]$doc = $locationinfo
   # Verify the response
   if ($doc.GeocodeResponse.status -eq “OK”)
   {
   $street_address = $doc.GeocodeResponse.result | Select-Object -Property formatted_address, Type | Where-Object -Property Type -eq “street_address”
   $geoobject = New-Object -TypeName PSObject
   $geoobject | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name Address -Value $street_address.formatted_address
   $geoobject | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name latitude -Value $mylocation.LatLongReport.Latitude
   $geoobject | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name longitude -Value $mylocation.LatLongReport.longitude
   $geoobject | format-list
   }
   Else
   {
   Write-Warning “Request failed, unable to retrieve Geo locatiion information from Geocoding API”
   }
   }
   Else
   {
   write-warning “Latitude or Longitude data missing”
   }
   }

   Else
   {
   switch($mylocationstatus)
   {
   # All possible status property values as defined here:
   # http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd317716(v=vs.85).aspx
   0 {$mylocationstatuserr = “Report not supported”}
   1 {$mylocationstatuserr = “Error”}
   2 {$mylocationstatuserr = “Access denied”}
   3 {$mylocationstatuserr = “Initializing” }
   4 {$mylocationstatuserr = “Running”}
   }

   If ($mylocationstatus -eq “3”)
   {
   write-host “Windows Loction platform is $mylocationstatuserr”
   sleep 5
   Get-ComputerGeoLocation
   }
   Else
   {
   write-warning “Windows Loction platform: Status:$mylocationstatuserr”
   }
   }
   } # end function
   Get-ComputerGeoLocation

   Save both files and both files should be in same directory.

   Now the files are ready, simply double click “get_gps_without_admin.bat” and ..
   HAVE A NICE DAY.

   Hope this works for you also.