Send a Location

In this code snippet you learn how to send a location to WhatsApp using the Messages API. This uses Nexmo's Custom object feature. Further information on the specific message format can be found in the WhatsApp developers Location message documentation.

Example

Ensure the following variables are set to your required values using any convenient method:

Key Description
BASE_URL For production use the base URL is https://api.nexmo.com/. For sandbox testing the base URL is https://messages-sandbox.nexmo.com/.
MESSAGES_API_URL For production use the Messages API endpoint is https://api.nexmo.com/v0.1/messages. For sandbox testing the Messages API endpoint is https://messages-sandbox.nexmo.com/v0.1/messages.
WHATSAPP_NUMBER The WhatsApp number that has been allocated to you by Nexmo. For sandbox testing the number is 14157386170.
TO_NUMBER The phone number you are sending the message to.

NOTE: Don't use a leading + or 00 when entering a phone number, start with the country code, for example, 447700900000.

  • cURL
  • Node.js

    • Prerequisites

    Create an application
    If you do not have an application you can create one. Make sure you also configure your webhooks.

    Write the code

    Add the following to send-location.sh:

    Copy to Clipboard 
    curl -X POST $MESSAGES_API_URL \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer' $JWT \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
  "from": {
    "type": "whatsapp",
    "number": "'$WHATSAPP_NUMBER'"
  },
  "to": {
    "type": "whatsapp",
    "number": "'$TO_NUMBER'"
  },
  "message": {
    "content": {
      "type": "custom",
      "custom": {
        "type": "location",
        "location": {
          "longitude": -122.425332,
          "latitude": 37.758056,
          "name": "Facebook HQ",
          "address": "1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}'

    View full source

    Run your code

    Save this file to your machine and run it: 

    bash send-location.sh

    Prerequisites

    Create an application
    If you do not have an application you can create one. Make sure you also configure your webhooks.
    Install dependencies

    npm install nexmo@beta

    Write the code

    Add the following to send-location.js:

    Copy to Clipboard 
    const Nexmo = require('nexmo');

const nexmo = new Nexmo(
    {
        apiKey: NEXMO_API_KEY,
        apiSecret: NEXMO_API_SECRET,
        applicationId: NEXMO_APPLICATION_ID,
        privateKey: NEXMO_APPLICATION_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH,
    },
    {
        apiHost: BASE_URL,
    }
);

nexmo.channel.send(
    { type: 'whatsapp', number: TO_NUMBER },
    { type: 'whatsapp', number: WHATSAPP_NUMBER },
    {
        content: {
            type: 'custom',
            custom: {
                type: 'location',
                location: {
                    longitude: -122.425332,
                    latitude: 37.758056,
                    name: 'Facebook HQ',
                    address: '1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025',
                },
            },
        },
    },
    (err, data) => {
        if (err) {
            console.error(err);
        } else {
            console.log(data.message_uuid);
        }
    }
);

    View full source

    Run your code

    Save this file to your machine and run it: 

    node send-location.js

    Try it out

    When you run the code a WhatsApp location message is sent to the destination number. The location appears as a pin on a map within the WhatsApp message window.

    Further information