Latitude Longitude Geocoding

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02-19-2011 02:32 PM
TimRichard
New Contributor
I have spreadsheet data with columns of Lat/Longs, along with the data that I'd like to display on the map. Can anyone tell me how to use the Lat/Long data to geocode and tie the data to the specific points. This is for a world map.
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11 Replies
JoeBorgione
MVP Emeritus
Search on Add xy:

ArcGIS 10.x online help

ArcGIS 9.3 online help
That should just about do it....
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sharoncondon
New Contributor
Hi

I am going around in circles trying to get addresses displayed in ArcGIS - can someone please help??

First i tried importing lists of addresses - didn't work - then i added to the addresses - that didn't work either. Then i read that longitude/latitude addresses usually import better - so I have used geocoder software (http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/geocoder/) to find the longitude and latitude of the addresses in Perth, Western Australia that I am working with.

The format that the geocoder gave didn't work - i got error messages.  So i've fiddled again and again with the data before reading that the format for importing longitude and latitude data needs to have decimals and a dash between the two numbers. 

Feeling way to confident I again altered my data.   These are an example with three longitude/lattitudes:

32.128471-116.041298 32.1152-116.024395 32.002944-115.870365

I put this data in an excel file and saved as a CSV file - then tried to import to ArcGIS - here: http://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html - selecting the 'add' button - then 'add layer from file' button.

Then i get this message:
Error
The layer was not created because no locations could be found. Make sure your data has valid addresses or geographic coordinates (latitude/longitude).

Its been four hours (today, that is) trying to get my data to display on a map.  will it ever work?? 

what i am trying to do - i have a whole bunch of addresses - these relate to interviews of people who were impacted by a bushfire (wildfire) in western australia - then i have addreses of where they evacuated to first, then later, and then later than that.  I want to create 'trips' from this data - on the one map - and be able to filter according to basic demographic data. 
So - each person starts from their home address - then there's a line from there to where they went first - then another line to the second place etc - and the map shows all the 'trips' these people took. 

can anyone please help??

thanks

Sharon
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SachinKanaujia
Occasional Contributor III
Sorry....I could not clearly understand what your requirement is.

As far as the lat/long values are concerned, they look incorrect (if they are near Perth, Australia). You should try this.

Y,X
-32.128471,116.041298
-32.1152,116.024395
-32.002944,115.870365

or

latitude,longitude
-32.128471,116.041298
-32.1152,116.024395
-32.002944,115.870365

The basic process is to create a points layer from a address file.

1) You can use any geocoding service to geocode the data or else if you have ArcGIS Desktop, you can create a locator file using streets data

http://webhelp.esri.com/arcgisdesktop/9.3/index.cfm?TopicName=Creating%20an%20address%20locator

2) then use this locator to create your own Geocoder. Use this Geocoder to then geocode and create points

http://webhelp.esri.com/arcgisdesktop/9.3/index.cfm?TopicName=Geocoding_a_table_of_addresses


Hope this gives you some idea. Let me know if you have specific questions.
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sharoncondon
New Contributor
Hi

thanks very much for your response. 

First problem - if i use the format you suggest for the longitude/latitude the excel program thinks that i'm trying to do some calculation as there is a '-' at the front of the line.  So copying and pasting into a fresh sheet of excel doesn't work.  As far as i understand you can only create a CSV file from an excel file?  I've tried saving a word document as a 'text document' with the '-' at the front of the longitude/latitude but that doesn't work either. 

any idea how to turn off the calculation thing in the excel file so i can use an '-' at the beginning of data in a datacell??

If i could solve that then i could try again - to import that data and see if i can get it mapped on the ArcGIS i have open.

can you advise?

thanks

sharon
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SachinKanaujia
Occasional Contributor III
I dont know if you have any specific requirement to save it in csv. You can use txt files as well. It just works fine in ESRI softwares. I have tested this in text file format with http://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html

You have to format the column to have numbers in excel
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JoeBorgione
MVP Emeritus
If you must use excel, put your Latitude (Y) and Longitude (X) in two seperate numerical columns.  Be sure to set the number of decimal places that will accomodate your data.

Personally, I use excel for billing and taxes; it's a great accounting tool. For real-live data, I prefer a real-live database.
That should just about do it....
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sharoncondon
New Contributor
Hi

I would gladly use an alternative to excel - not wedded to it at all.  can you please suggest what software i can use and how to lay it out so that i can import those longitude and latitude co-ordinates?

I tried saving the data in a word document as a text file and then importing that - but error message.

I have tried importing the addresses - error message.

I am still a mile away from where i want to be with this - but it would feel slightly positive if i could just import some data that displayed.

thanks!

sharon
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SachinKanaujia
Occasional Contributor III
Simply use a notepad to create a text file. I am attaching the one for you to try.

You can use http://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html to test the attached file.

This file can also be used in other softwares like ArcMap etc whatever is your requirement to look at it.

Let me know how it goes !!
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JoeBorgione
MVP Emeritus
I sugggest you use a file geodatabse or a personal geodatabse.
That should just about do it....
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