geocode issue

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10-03-2013 07:53 AM
BrianRizzo
New Contributor II
I've attached a zip file that contains a small street file and a list of addresses.  I can't get the geocoding to work.  Not sure why.  I'd appreciate some help.

Brian
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7 Replies
JoeBorgione
MVP Emeritus
I've attached a zip file that contains a small street file and a list of addresses.  I can't get the geocoding to work.  Not sure why.  I'd appreciate some help.

Brian


I just downloaded your data and created a us streets locator.  All five addresses hit at 100%.  Without a few more details I can't be more specific for you...
That should just about do it....
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BrianRizzo
New Contributor II
Interesting.  I see you are using 9.x.  I'm using 10.1.  US street dual range.  Not sure why this would cause a problem but I can't get mine to work.

Thanks for trying.
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JoeBorgione
MVP Emeritus
Interesting.  I see you are using 9.x.  I'm using 10.1.  US street dual range.  Not sure why this would cause a problem but I can't get mine to work.

Thanks for trying.


I'm actually using 10.0 but I use the 9.3 locators.  Try a us streets type; I've never quite understood what a dual range is good for, at least in my area of operations.  Good luck.
That should just about do it....
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BrianRizzo
New Contributor II
This raised 3 questions,  First how do I get access to the 9.x locators, next why wouldn't you use the 10.x locators.  Would this work on your station IF you used the 10.x locator?

Very strange problem.

Brian
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GeorgeHaskett
Occasional Contributor III
FYI

Starting with 10.1 sp1, ESRI is pretty much forcing everyone to use their world geocode service, which is a $FEE$, not free, based service that requires an online subscription.  Its designed to eat up your credits, if you have any.

Prior to that you could use any one of the free online locators happily at no cost.

In theory you should be able to still create your own address locator if you have high quality street data, however that seems to be getting harder as well.  I have the streetmap data and am not easily figuring it out.

It use to be so simple and free....

Read the ESRI article for more info:

http://blogs.esri.com/esri/arcgis/2012/12/07/batch-geocoding-in-arcgis-for-desktop-10-1-sp1/

Haskett
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JoeBorgione
MVP Emeritus
This raised 3 questions,  First how do I get access to the 9.x locators, next why wouldn't you use the 10.x locators.  Would this work on your station IF you used the 10.x locator?


1.  They are in your 9.x install disc.  I simply saved mine and then installed them after the 10.0 migration.

2.  I use third party software that requires them.

3.  Sounds like you've already answered that; this is odd behavior for sure.


Starting with 10.1 sp1, ESRI is pretty much forcing everyone to use their world geocode service, which is a $FEE$, not free, based service that requires an online subscription.  Its designed to eat up your credits, if you have any.

Prior to that you could use any one of the free online locators happily at no cost.

In theory you should be able to still create your own address locator if you have high quality street data, however that seems to be getting harder as well.  I have the streetmap data and am not easily figuring it out.


I'm not aware of an ESRI conspiracy to force anyone to use their online services, and in the business I'm in (9-1-1 dispatch), my clients,the public in public safety insist on the highest quality data available as well as the most reliable service.  One of the dispatchers I worked with thought we should use Google Map for dispatch instead of what I provide .  I told him he could use Google Map to dispatch to his mothers house, but I wanted him to use my data if my Wife or sons called 9-1-1. (BTW, that guy doesn't dispatch any more.... Now he's a cop....)

None the less, depending on your needs and your area of operation, there is a lot of good data out there to geocode against.
That should just about do it....
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GeorgeHaskett
Occasional Contributor III
jborgion,

Thank you for your insight.  If you were a politician I would gladly vote for you, no pun intended.

I admit my last post was written out of frustration on the day I realized that the services, which were provided free for years, now REQUIRE an online subscription.  For some reason that didn't sit well with me.  I haven't had to use the service for myself during the past year.

Although the service pak in question came out in October, a detailed explanation of the changes in their policy for geocoding was, as far as I could tell, not released until December of the same year in a manner that left many users in the dark until they happened to tripped over the issue.  One such example on this forum occurred during a workshop.  I'll admit, the individual in question should have tested everything prior to the workshop, however in their defense, its easy to take for granted that what has worked will continue to do so as it has in the past.  Now that I said that, it doesn't sound too logical when dealing with software, etc...

Anyways, the major problem I have is that not all entities out there can afford the extra cost.  The software alone is costly enough.  According to esri staff, the current US Address Locator has the same accuracy as the new World service when using the street address method.  I understand that in theory they will eventually move towards a rooftop solution, which is more than worth the extra cost.  However, until they do, charging a fee for something that was once free seems fundamentally wrong when they could have broken it into two separate plans, one traditional service for free with only the street line based data and one premium service for fee that would include all the new bells and whistles.

I agree that ESRI's service is most likely the most reliable one out there, this is not in question.  However for the entity I am currently working for, ESRI's service is not accurate enough and is only part of the equation.  We currently use their World service to get a best approximate location, then manually geocode the address using pre-existing photos and Google Street View.  The finished product places the dot on the house exact house in question.  IF given the choice of which end product I would like the local EMS services to use to respond to my house, I wouldn't think twice.  The last thing I want is for them to respond 3 houses down the street, which is were ESRI's current service places it...

But what a business does with or without the service is not my argument, nor the point of my concern. 

I have used ESRI software since ArcView 3 and have pitched their solutions to many large entities who could afford it, including international ones.  My concern is over all the little guys out there that either cannot afford the software or can just barely do so.  I find myself pointing more and more people to open source solutions.  ESRI always seems to be on the edge of opening up to a larger pool of potential users and then for what ever reason steps back and places yet another barrier in the way for small businesses.

Okay, at this point I am rambling on.  Enough said.  Thanks for your service...
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