Geocoder not using the "Side offset" specified in the address locator

[DanNarsavage]

All,

     I've got an address locator I'm using to geocode addresses.  It's working as expected except for the fact that the points it produces aren't the correct distance away from the reference centerlines.  My address locator has a "side offset" of 20 feet, however it's placing points just a couple thousandths of a foot away from straight centerline segments.  Also, the locator is placing points along each curve's chord rather than along the curves themselves.

     This address locator was created in a SQL Server database running ArcSDE 9.3, but I used ArcGIS Desktop v10 to create it.  I am also doing the geocoding in version 10 (as part of a geoprocessing script).  Could that have something to do with it?

Thanks,
Dan

[BruceHarold]

Dan

Can you please log a support call and make your source data available to the analyst?  We'll try and repro your experience and see if SDE has anything to do with it.

As an aside, we do not recommend SDE workspaces as places to store locators, file geodatabases or the filesystem are preferred.

Regards

[DanNarsavage]

The support call has been made.  Any specifics on why not to include locators in SDE?  I'm a newby to addressing but I seem to remember ArcGIS yelling at me once when I tried to create a locator outside the workspace in which the reference data resided.  Thanks Bruce!

Dan

[DanNarsavage]

From the ESRI support person regarding side offset:

Thanks for getting back on this issue. The offset issue has been logged as a software defect and will be taken into consideration for a future release. The reference number for this bug is: NIM053213. For updates on this issue, please see the ESRI Customer Care Portal by going to https://customers.esri.com or contact ESRI Support Services.
There is a workaround though to use the old address locator. Please copy the 9.3 locator style from the below mentioned link: http://resources.arcgis.com/gallery/file/geocoding/details?entryID=12D8D400-1422-2418-34B0-4FE1CC06C...

Dan's note: The workaround worked.


From the ESRI support person regarding curves:

The Curve offset issue has been logged as a software defect and will be taken into consideration for a future release. The reference number for this bug is: NIM061830. For updates on this issue, please see the ESRI Customer Care Portal by going to https://customers.esri.com or contact ESRI Support Services.

[BradNiemand]

Was your data projected?  If so, there was an issue that is resolved for 10 SP1 with regards to projected data and side offset.

As for storing a locator in SDE, it is not recommended because locators that are stored in a file folder are much faster because the locator is not slowed down by the database and SDE overhead.  In previous releases, SDE was suggested because it was a "Server Side" geocoding process.  This would help with performance compared to Desktop geocoding but there is no longer SDE server side geocoding.  We now suggest ArcGIS Server for server side geocoding but it is still recommended to store the locator in a file folder even when hosted by ArcGIS Server.

Brad

[DanNarsavage]

Thanks Brad!  Yep, the reference data is projected.  Sounds like that might be the issue.

And thanks for the explanation of locators in SDE too.  Partially in response to Bruce's recommend above, I'm now using a locator in a pGDB.

Thanks,
Dan

[JeffWard]

Brad and Bruce,

Is there any progress with bug NIM061830?  I checked the bug page and it listed the status as "New" but it was posted over a year ago.  I am having trouble with my locator created in ArcGIS 10 using the long chord of curves to place geocoding results instead of on the curve.  I really don't want to replace all of those curves with vertices.  Is this something that is fixed in SP3?

Thanks,

Jeff