How to use google maps without api key

Question

I am using the following code to use get-directions in google maps. But when I run this from other machines, it is showing the error "invalid api key". How can one use this same map without an api key?

<script src="http://maps.google.com/maps?file=api&amp;v=2&amp;sensor=false&amp;key=ABQIAAAAuPsJpk3MBtDpJ4G8cqBnjRRaGTYH6UMl8mADNa0YKuWNNa8VNxQCzVBXTx2DYyXGsTOxpWhvIG7Djw" type="text/javascript"></script>
    <style type="text/css">
    body {
      background:#FFE1C7;
      font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans serif;
      font-size: 11px;
      margin: 2px;
    }
table.directions th {
      background-color:#EEEEEE;
    }

    img {
      color: #000000;
    }
    </style>
    <script type="text/javascript">

    var map;
    var gdir;
    var geocoder = null;
    var addressMarker;
    
    function initialize() {
      if (GBrowserIsCompatible()) {      
        map = new GMap2(document.getElementById("map_canvas"));
        gdir = new GDirections(map, document.getElementById("directions"));
        GEvent.addListener(gdir, "load", onGDirectionsLoad);
        GEvent.addListener(gdir, "error", handleErrors);
    
        setDirections("Bangalore", "Mysore", "en_US");
      }
    }
    
    function setDirections(fromAddress, toAddress, locale) {
      gdir.load("from: " + fromAddress + " to: " + toAddress,
                { "locale": locale });
    }
    
    function handleErrors(){
     if (gdir.getStatus().code == G_GEO_UNKNOWN_ADDRESS)
       alert("No corresponding geographic location could be found for one of the specified addresses. This may be due to the fact that the address is relatively new, or it may be incorrect.\nError code: " + gdir.getStatus().code);
     else if (gdir.getStatus().code == G_GEO_SERVER_ERROR)
       alert("A geocoding or directions request could not be successfully processed, yet the exact reason for the failure is not known.\n Error code: " + gdir.getStatus().code);
     
     else if (gdir.getStatus().code == G_GEO_MISSING_QUERY)
       alert("The HTTP q parameter was either missing or had no value. For geocoder requests, this means that an empty address was specified as input. For directions requests, this means that no query was specified in the input.\n Error code: " + gdir.getStatus().code);
    
    //   else if (gdir.getStatus().code == G_UNAVAILABLE_ADDRESS)  <--- Doc bug... this is either not defined, or Doc is wrong
    //     alert("The geocode for the given address or the route for the given directions query cannot be returned due to legal or contractual reasons.\n Error code: " + gdir.getStatus().code);
       
     else if (gdir.getStatus().code == G_GEO_BAD_KEY)
       alert("The given key is either invalid or does not match the domain for which it was given. \n Error code: " + gdir.getStatus().code);
    
     else if (gdir.getStatus().code == G_GEO_BAD_REQUEST)
       alert("A directions request could not be successfully parsed.\n Error code: " + gdir.getStatus().code);
      
     else alert("An unknown error occurred.");
    }
    
    function onGDirectionsLoad(){
        // Use this function to access information about the latest load()
        // results.
    
        // e.g.
        // document.getElementById("getStatus").innerHTML = gdir.getStatus().code;
      // and yada yada yada...
    }

    </script>

Answer 1

Note : This answer is now out-of-date. You are now required to have an API key to use google maps. Read More

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you need to change your API from V2 to V3, Since Google Map Version 3 don't required API Key

Check this out..

write your script as

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/api/js?sensor=false"></script>