Add what3words to the ArcGIS World Geocoding Service

[manuciao]

At what3words we have a number of ArcGIS users that have requested we make the what3words integration process much simpler, and suggested we look at integrating what3words as an additional data source to the World Geocoding Service.

Could you let us know if you would consider this request? What data or information we could provide you to support our case?

[jcarlson]

w3w is not a free service. Handing out access to a proprietary locator like that doesn't seem likely.

[RobertBorchert]

W3W is a brilliant idea, and flawed at the same time. 

We looked at it in 2014 or so and were all excited. 

Brilliant in that you can find a location anywhere in the world without having to memorize and type in coordinates.

It is flawed in that a single character error can change locations. 

It is flawed in that it costs money to use.

It is flawed in that most people don't need it and for companies like mine that GPS things for centimeter accuracy.  W3W is 3 square meters.  Which is great for finding a place, but not great for GIS accuracy. 

It is excellent for telling people where to go without and address.  But transcribing those words can be an issue especially for people with bad diction and spelling.  Granted lat long has issues, but I have never told somebody to go to -94.33245 45.83293 I would say got to home depot on Roosevelt Road. I can then speak to google maps and tell it to find home depot on Roosevelt road. 

[RobertBorchert]

And it is not universal. It is language specific. It is not a universal language.  to many interpretations of the same word exist. 

Web Mercator in Decimal Degrees is a universal language.  A language of numbers. 

In fact lat long can be applied to any planet in the Galaxy once the poles are determined and a prime meridian is defined. 

[jcarlson]

@RobertBorchert  I think many of the words in w3w are localizable, but the point is still valid.

Have you ever seen what2numbers? A very cheeky response to w3w, but I really enjoy it.

[RobertBorchert]

@jcarlson  I had not but now I have. 

That is a hoot.

While I do appreciate W3W it just isn't accurate enough for GIS.  

I could see it having more application for 911.  Someone calls 911 from a cell phone and the phone knows which 3 words it is located at that could be transmitted to the State Patrol. 

Unfortunately for address people make a lot of mistakes as well. 

A friend of mine is on the board of directors for a local firearm shooting range.

They were upset because Google and Bing maps could not get people to their location.

So I looked at it and pointed out they are using the wrong town name.  

They were across the MSAG Boundary for that city, they need to tell people the correct city.

Suddenly it was working.  W3W would have been a good solution.

[BillFox]

pick this up at And Now a Word From Monty Python 

https://community.esri.com/t5/state-local-government-questions/what-three-words-global-addressing-sy...

Reference:

That brings me back to Dr Mike from DuaneMarble's post above.

And Now a Word From Monty Python

Consider the fictional scenario presented below. I thought about scrapping the blog above and using this skit instead, but decided it might be better to discuss some of the issues with w3w in more depth. However, the scenario below is a pretty good summary.

It was a cold and dreary night. I had no idea where I was, so I called Rescue Services.
The operator asked, “What Three Words. Please?”

I replied, “I Am Lost.”

“No,” was the reply. “We couldn’t find any results for ‘I.AM.LOST’.”

I retorted, “But, I.AM.LOST.”

“No, sir. We require three words, not four words.”

I replied, “MY.CHOICES.ARE?”

“No, we did not get any result for those three words”

I responded, “HELP.ME.OUT?”

“Sir, you need to use a three word combination that contains three words from the forty-thousand or so recognized by what3words.”

“OK” I replied. “WHICH.THREE.WORDS?

“No,” was the response followed by, “And, that’s WHAT3WORDS. Although if you choose to use French or Portuguese the dictionary is only twenty-five thousand words because they do not cover the oceans and seas. Are you asea?”

“No, but how do I get the correct what three words that locate my position?”

“Use a What3Words App to identify your location on a map and it will return the three words defining that position.”

“But if I gave you my What3Words, what would you do with them?”

“Convert them to lat/lon and run a route to you.”

I was incredulous – “WHY.DO.THAT? You can read my lat/lon directly from the GPS chip in my phone and you can JUST.FIND.ME!”

[BenVanderford1]

When our AGOL organization added and then shared the What 3 Words locator as a utility for our organization it required us to move it to the top of the list of locators.  I thought that odd and then when using Field Maps mobile we discover the What 3 Words locator became the only locator service available.  So all the Field Maps mobile people had their regular address locator go missing. Not sure if this is a limitation with mobile Filed Maps but it would have been nice if they told us this would happen. 

i like What 3 Words for what it is but not suitable for use in AGOL.   

[JonDolphin]

I managed to add W3W in ArcGIS online but on Portal doesn't allow to add. Did someone succeed to add the locator to ArcGIS Enterprise Portal?