Multiple Matches Returned in Composite Locator

[StephanieMacuga]

Hi!

I have a composite locator created from an address point locator, then a centerline locator.  The idea is that 95% of the addresses should match to our address locator, with only a small handful needing to drop down to the centerlines.  However, inside the composite locator (both in ArcMap 9.3.1 and ArcGIS Server .NET 9.3.1) is returning multiple results for each address.  In many cases, it is returning results from the address points (with match rates above 80) and then also from centerlines (again, with match rates above 80).

Is there any way to prevent this from happening?  My understanding of composite locators was that if a match was found in the first locator, the geocoding process ends and the second locator is not used - correct?  If so, why am I returning sometimes dozens of matches when there are perfectly acceptable returns already?  I stumbled across this old post but it didn't provide any answers: http://forums.esri.com/thread.asp?c=93&f=1113&t=282943.

Thanks!
Stephanie

[JoeBorgione]

I think it depends on how you score a match. In the limited experience Ive had with composites, I set the score at 100%.  That way it's either a hit or not. It makes sense to me that if you are okay with a match scoring less than 100% that both might return partial hits.

[BradNiemand]

It depends on what mechanism you are using to geocode.  If you are using the find dialog, you will get multiple candidates when you geocode.  The find dialog returns all candidates that are above the minimum match score, if the "Show all candidates" checkbox is unchecked, and all candidates above the minimum candidate score if the "Show all candidates" checkbox is checked.

If you are batch geocoding, the composite locator will only return the first candidate that returns with a score above the minimum match score.

I hope this clarifies the situation.
Brad

[StephanieMacuga]

Thanks for the responses!  I did test the "Find" dialog and see what you are refering too - multiple results (only above my match score) are returned if "Show all Candidates" is unchecked.  As long as the batch geocode is functioning properly, which I believe it is, then that is good enough for me!

The only glitch I am still running into is that my ArcGIS Server geocoding service is sometimes returning over 100 results when there is a 100% match already returned.  It almost seems as though the application is ignoring the minimium match and candidate scores that are set in ArcGIS Server Manager.  Even though I am entering custom settings rather than just using the locator's default settings, I'm still returning too many results.  Thoughts?

[StephanieMacuga]

After another issue arose regarding the multiple returned geocode results in ArcGIS Server.Net, I did find that apparently there is a bug (NIM037331) that disregards the minimum match scores inside the web application.  The workaround is to adjust the default.aspx page to the score you want, then restart IIS and viola - everything works. 

However, in my situation, the default.aspx page is showing the correct score, but somehow the application is returning all search results even though it is set to not do so ("Show all results = FALSE").  Any ideas on why all candidates are still being returned?

[TomWayson]

The only glitch I am still running into is that my ArcGIS Server geocoding service is sometimes returning over 100 results when there is a 100% match already returned.

I'm having a similar issue.  I've published my composite locator to ArcGIS Server, and whenever I access the findAddressCandidates method through the REST API it always seems to return all candidates from all of the locators, even though the first locator returned a single candidate that was a 100% match.  On the one hand this makes sense since the name of the method is findAddressCandidates.  This really is not the behavior that I'd expect based on the first graphic on this documentation page:

http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/Creating_a_composite_address_locator/0...

I was expecting it to not query the subsequent locators after finding a match.

I guess what I need is findAddressMatches.  Does anyone know how to do that w/ an ArcGIS Server locator service? 

Thanks,

Tom