title: Google Geocode Javascript API - How to get coordinates?
body: <p>I would like Google Maps to convert a user submitted address into map coordinates. I only want these coordinates to be stored in a variable, to be accessed later:</p>
  
  <pre><code>function map_search() {
      console.log("search form functional"); // sanity check
      var searchLoc = $('#search_location').val();
      console.log(searchLoc);
      var searchCoords = geocoder.geocode( {'address': searchLoc});
      console.log(searchCoords);
  
      ...
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I am setting it up like so:</p>
  
  <pre><code>var geocoder = new google.maps.Geocoder();
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This works up to the point where <code>var seachCoords</code> is defined. In console, it simply prints as <code>undefined</code>.</p>
  
  <p>Other Google Maps functions are operating successfully on this page. 
  Is my JavaScript wrong, or am I using this geocoder improperly?</p>