How to include Canadian locator style in default location (ArcGIS10.2)

Question

Hi,
I have the following files:
1. Street_Addresses_CAN (LOC)
2. Street_Addresses_CAN.loc (XML)
3. Street_Addresses_CAN (LOX)

I am trying to build a new locator based on this and my own reference file. Currently, there are only US styles available to build off of. Can any one give me any hints as to how to go about so that the Canadian styles are also included with the default styles?
Do I need to make any changes to the "DefaultLocators" in the "C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.2\Locators"?

cheers

Kazi_IshtiakAhmed · Answer

Hi Carma,
I have advanced quite far since my last post (I thank myself only as I didn't get any help from here). I have finished developing my custom Canadian dual ranges and it works well!

To customize it is better to work with a sample. I used the 'USAddress.lot' file that you can find in the 'C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\Desktop10.0\Locators' and worked my way from there. I would suggest (and this only applies for Canadian or US addresses) you go through the XMl codes. The changes I needed to make and probably you will too are as below:

-First, I copied the .lot file in another directory and renamed it. Once all the changes were made, I put it back in the same place where I found it and voila...when you create a address locator, your style will be shown in the default styles...

1. Change the 'Input' section to meet your needs [I had to change state to province, zip to Canadian postal code]
2. Next I changed the 'Grammer' section to include some characters (not many and left the scoring values, 'spell', and cost similar to the others)
3. Build the 'Street name', 'city', and 'province' Aliases [this took most of my time as I had to remove the Spanish stuff from the US style with French ones]
4. CAREFULLY changed the grammer for the 'top level elements' to include province and postal code information
5. CAREFULLY changed the 'Nikel' and 'Dime' mapping schema to make sure that they conform to the previous changes I made
6. Lastly made some changes to the primary table definition so that they match the reference table I have (not really necessary but if you do so, the locator automatically detetcs the mandatory fields)

Above are the major changes I made. There are some smaller steps but it too many to list here. I'm sure you'll figure it out. When I started customizing it in January, I knew nothing...absolutely nothing about geocoders. I ran the first successfull locator in March. So you see it is quite time consuming....Hi Ishtiak,

I've come across your post in my search for some insight into custom locator styles and how to customise these from the default. Did you have any luck here?

What I am trying to achieve is a single field locator style to use for linear features.

Look forward to hearing from you

Cheers
Carma

CarmaGerber · Answer

Hi Ishtiak,

I've come across your post in my search for some insight into custom locator styles and how to customise these from the default. Did you have any luck here?

What I am trying to achieve is a single field locator style to use for linear features.

Look forward to hearing from you

Cheers
Carma