For as long as I can remember (which any more isn't that far back) the rule of thumb for creating geocoding locators was to use data that had all the address components in separate fields. Is that still the case?
For example; if you are matching against centerlines, you want the pre_dir, name, suf_dir & street type all in separate fields. Same would be true for address points: house_number, street components, and unit designator all split out in their own fields.
Now I see not only in the old style address locators, but the new style locators mapping to 'FULL STREET NAME' or 'FULL ADDRESS' which indicates to me that S MAIN ST in a single street name field or 1234 E ELM AVE #2 in a single address field isn't such a bad thing.
