MapInfo Products KnowledgeBase

Product: MapInfo Professional
Version: 8.5
Platform: Citrix; Windows 2003 Server Enterprise; Windows XP Home; Windows XP Home SP1A; Windows XP Home SP2; Windows XP Professional; Windows XP Professional 64 - 32 Bit Mode; Windows XP Professional SP 1A; Windows XP Professional SP 2; Windows 2000 Professional SP4
Category: Geocoding Services

Summary:
Geocoding a table using a geocoding service (MapInfo Professional v8.5).

Question:
Geocoding a table using a geocoding service (MapInfo Professional v8.5).

Answer:

The process for geocoding a table of addresses is the same using an Envinsa or a MapMarker service. There are two processes for geocoding.

a. Geocode a table automatically, which means the service does its best to match the addresses in the table without user interaction.
b. Geocode a table interactively, which means the service gives choices when there are multiple matches and you select the best match.

Frequently, users perform an automatic geocode and then an interactive one to match the records that the service couldn’t match the first time. This method has been very successful in achieving the most accurate geocoding results.

To geocode a table of data using a geocoding service:

1. Open the table that contains the data to geocode.

2. From the Table menu, choose the Geocode Using Server option to display the Geocode using Server dialog box.

3. Select a service from the Geocoding Server drop-down list and select the table to geocode in the Geocode from Table list.

4. From the Store Results in Table box, select one of the following:

• Select Update Input Table to update the current column information with the newly geocoded data
• Select the name of the table to use to store the geocoding results from the Insert into Table drop-down list

Note: The output table must be writable.

5. Select the type of geocode to perform from these options:

Street Level
Use street data as the basis for geocoding the data in the selected table.

Postal Centroid Level
Use postal code data as the basis for geocoding the data in the selected table.

Geographic Centroid Level
Use the City/Town Subdivision as the basis for geocoding the data in the selected table.

Note: The option selected in this list determines which data (fields) are enabled and required in the next dialog box. The Fallback options are disabled if you select the Postal- or Geographic-level geocoding methods.

6. To specify the country, select one of the following options. This option is required.

Specify Country
Use this option to select the appropriate country abbreviation for the data you are geocoding from the drop-down list.

From Column
Use this option if the country you are geocoding is listed in a column of the table you are geocoding.

Note: Click Get Countries to retrieve a list of countries available from the selected geocoding service.

7. Click Next to continue. The Geocode Properties dialog box displays.

Note: To change a geocode type or service selection, click Back to return to the Geocode using Server dialog box.

For more information about the options of the Geocoding Properties tabs, see:

• Setting the Input Options for Service Geocoding-->MapInfo Products Knowledge Base
• Setting the Output Options for Service Geocoding-->MapInfo Products Knowledge Base
• Setting the Table Options for Service Geocoding-->MapInfo Products Knowledge Base
• Setting the Common Options for Service Geocoding-->MapInfo Products Knowledge Base
• Setting the Advanced Output Options for Service Geocoding-->MapInfo Products Knowledge Base

8. When you have set your options and selections in the tabs of this dialog box click Geocode to begin the geocoding process. A progress bar displays the status of the geocoding process. A summary dialog box displays to report the geocoding results.

• If you selected Automatic mode, the geocoding process runs to completion.
• If you selected Interactive mode, and there is more than one matching record for an entry an Interactive Geocode dialog box displays.



Note: The column widths in this interactive list are maintained throughout the session. Any changes you make here remain.

a. If you do not like the results returned by the geocoding server, enter more complete address data in the selection fields or change the options you selected in the Options dialog box. Then click Search to perform the geocode again.

b. Review the entries on the list to determine which is the closest match. Then do one of the following:

Highlight the closest match and click Accept to move on to the next record.

If none of the matches is close enough, click Ignore. If you want to skip the interactive mode process, click Ignore All to run the rest of the process in automatic mode.

c. Once you have matched all of the records in interactive mode, the summary dialog box displays reporting the results of the geocoding process. Click OK to close this dialog box.


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Geocoding a table using a geocoding service (MapInfo Professional v8.5).^94D558E22EF30F1885257178006983E0^Y