Geocoding Service with suggestions enabled returns invalid matches

ChrisCarter · ‎08-21-2015

I have a 10.3 geocoding service with suggestions enabled which is based on address points. The endpoint can be accessed here: http://gis.anaheim.net/arcgis/rest/services/AddressPointGeocoder/GeocodeServer

Everything works correctly except for the suggestions, which seem to be returning invalid matches. For example, if you test the Suggest functionality here: http://gis.anaheim.net/arcgis/rest/services/AddressPointGeocoder/GeocodeServer/suggest and type in 1240 E Diana, you get 3 suggestions: http://gis.anaheim.net/arcgis/rest/services/AddressPointGeocoder/GeocodeServer/suggest?text=1240+e+d...

but only one is valid (1240 E Diana Ave).

Where did the other two come from? Maybe I am misunderstanding how suggestions work, but I expected the geocoding service to query the data on the fly and only present valid matches.

-Chris

DrewDowling · ‎11-03-2016

I haven't heard anything about them fixing this, I think they consider it more of a feature than a bug. The work around I used was to abandon using a locator and instead use a search dijit on the map layer in the map service. This also allows suggestions and didn't throw up any false ones. More info here.

YeonKim · ‎11-07-2016

Drew,

Thank you for the update!

I don't understand how 'making up non-existing addresses' can be considered a feature. Search widget is nice, but geocoding service is also required for using other widgets (I am working with near me widget at the moment), and sometimes features such as reverse-geocoding is needed.

Thanks for the link for another thread - it is a rather long thread, but I will take time to read it.

Yeon

user1portal · ‎05-09-2017

Hi All,

Anyone found a solution for this? I am also having this issue while using the search widget on portal.

Subin

JeffRogers · ‎09-25-2017

This looks like a similar issue to issue #181310.

The ArcGIS Geocoding team is aware of this issue, it was a limitation of the original implementation of the suggestions capability. We have already implemented a new suggestions strategy (which is available to test in the current release of the World Geocoding service). The new strategy verifies the house number as you type and only shows address suggestions for addresses with a verified house number. If the house number cannot be verified it shows a suggestion for a street name. We are working to support this new suggestions strategy for locators that organizations build with ArcGIS.

AZendel · ‎07-17-2018

It's almost a year later and we are experiencing the "phantom unit numbers" on a 10.5.1 locator service that hits our address points. More specifically, if you type "400 Main S" it'll return these suggestions:

400 MAIN ST

400 MAIN ST, APT 1001

400 MAIN ST, APT 1002

400 MAIN ST, APT 1003

There are no address points with unit numbers at 400 Main St... no 1001 or 1002, only 400 Main St. Additionally, there are no unit numbers of 1001 or 1002 at any house number on Main St (our Main St is only a few blocks).

JeffRogers · ‎07-17-2018

The ArcGIS Geocoding team are currently working on a solution for improving suggest results for locators organizations build from data. We are targeting the solution for release for the first half of 2019.

MichaelVolz · ‎07-17-2018

Jeff:

You say first half of 2019, so does this mean this issue will be fixed (at least improved) with ArcMap 10.7?

ShanaBritt · ‎12-18-2018

We have addressed some of the problems with suggestions from geocode services in ArcGIS Pro 2.3. There is a new tool called Create Locator that will create locators that:

Return suggestions with verified house numbers in local locators and geocode services
Support suggestions when used locally in ArcGIS Pro

Include enhancements to reverse geocoding to return matches to the most relevant feature (point or polygon) near your location, which may be an address, point of interest, or postal code.

Pro 2.3 will ship with support to build locators with the Create Locator tool for US, US territories, and Canada. We will be working on releasing additional countries in upcoming releases. If you have access to ArcGIS Pro 2.3 beta, you can test out creating locators with the Create Locator tool and testing out the suggestion in ArcGIS Pro or as a service.

The installed help is included with the beta where the Geocoding help has been update, which can be found under Help > Data > Geocoding . The "Build your own locator" book is geared towards the Create Locator tool, which has its own help topic under Tool Reference > ArcGIS Pro tool reference > Geocoding toolbox.

The locators created with the Create Locator tool in ArcGIS Pro cannot be added to ArcMap.

If you publish the locator to ArcGIS Server or Portal (federated) you can access the service in ArcMap through an ArcGIS Server connection in ArcMap/ArcCatalog.

Share to federated portal:

Share to ArcGIS Server via Python (Pro): Requires a publisher or administrator ArcGIS Server Connection file that is created in ArcMap or ArcGIS Pro. http://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/arcpy/functions/creategeocodesddraft.htm

http://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/help/projects/connect-to-a-gis-server.htm#GUID-E3F3174D-3895-4BFC-9...

ShanaBritt · ‎01-24-2019

ArcGIS Pro 2.3 went live today, now you will be able to create locators with the Create Locator tool that when published as a service will return valid house numbers for addresses when using the suggest operation or autocomplete. They will also return suggestions locally in the Locate pane. The new tool supports building locators for the US, Canada, and US Territories and supports English, French, and Spanish languages. We will be working on releasing additional countries and languages in upcoming releases. The Geocoding section of the help has been overhauled as well and the following topics would be a good place to start reading before using the tool.

MichaelVolz · ‎01-25-2019

Shana:

Will this same capability be added to ArcMap 10.7 address locators when that version of the software is released?