# resolve_names

Resolves a batch list of specific location queries (landmark names or exact addresses) into canonical Google Maps Place IDs. Input Requirements (CRITICAL): 1. queries (array of objects - MANDATORY): A list of location queries to resolve. You may specify up to 20 queries. * Each query object must have: * text (string - MANDATORY): The text query representing a specific place name or address to resolve. * Examples: 'Googleplex, Mountain View, CA', '1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy, Mountain View, CA', 'Eiffel Tower, Paris'. 2. location_bias (object - OPTIONAL): Use this to prioritize results near a specific geographic area. * Format: {"viewport": {"low": {"latitude": [value], "longitude": [value]}, "high": {"latitude": [value], "longitude": [value]}}} 3. region_code (string - OPTIONAL): The Unicode CLDR region code (two-letter country code, e.g., US, CA) of the user to bias the results. Instructions for Tool Call: * Specificity (CRITICAL): Queries must represent a specific place name or address. General searches like 'restaurants' or chain names like 'Starbucks' are not supported. * Do NOT call this tool if the downstream tools you plan to invoke already accept raw address or place name strings directly. Error Handling (CRITICAL): * This is a batch processing tool. A request might return "mixed results" (e.g. some queries resolve successfully while others fail). * The output list of results is guaranteed to map 1:1 with the input queries indices. A failed query will result in an empty Result message (no entity is set) at its corresponding index in the results list. * You MUST check the failed_requests map field in the response to identify which specific query index failed. The key of failed_requests represents the 0-based index of the failed query in the request. Do not assume the entire batch call failed because of a partial failure.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `resolve_names`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-mapstools-mcp/resolve-names

## Facts

- Tool: `resolve_names`
- Server: Mcp (`https://mapstools.googleapis.com/mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-mapstools-mcp.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/https://mapstools.googleapis.com/mcp
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade C, identity unverified
- Server auth posture: open
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 3 (1 required)
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `queries` | array | yes | Required. A list of location queries to be resolved. You may specify up to 20 queries. |
| `regionCode` | string | no | Optional. An optional region code to bias the resolution results. If specified, the resolution results will be biased towards the entities that are in or near t |
| `locationBias` | object | no | Optional. An optional region to bias the resolution results. If specified, the resolution results will be biased towards the entities that are closer to this re |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "resolve_names",
    "arguments": {
      "queries": []
    }
  }
}
```

## Why resolve_names is rated Low

This tool only reads/looks up data by converting location names or addresses into Place IDs. It has no side effects, does not modify any data, and only retrieves canonical identifiers from Google Maps.

From the tool's own definition: "Resolves a batch list of specific location queries (landmark names or exact addresses) into canonical Google Maps Place IDs"

## Use case

AI agents call resolve_names to retrieve information from Mcp without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Mcp:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "resolve_names": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on Mcp (4)

- `compute_routes` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-mapstools-mcp/compute-routes.md
- `lookup_weather` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-mapstools-mcp/lookup-weather.md
- `resolve_maps_urls` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-mapstools-mcp/resolve-maps-urls.md
- `search_places` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-googleapis-mapstools-mcp/search-places.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=com-googleapis-mapstools-mcp · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/com-googleapis-mapstools-mcp