Batch geocoding from simple text output using Yahoo! maps
Friday, 20. January 2006, 23:45:42
James Fee (www.spatiallyadjusted.com) provided a pointer to this batch geocoder that I just had to check out. The page requests the user simply provide "any kind" of address data from a "simple" format - ie. simply paste address, city, state, ZIP, description, url from an excel spreadsheet. the app validates the source code, then requests the user to specify columns (I was a bit lost on what exactly step 4 does!). Finally, the geocoder runs and displays the output in tabular format with the geocoding output (lat/long) as well as on a map - using Yahoo! maps. Some info provided about the technology behind the scenes... This tool makes primary use of JavaScript ON Demand (JSOD) and JSON to dynamically call and interact with the Yahoo! REST Geocoding API. All you need is somple simple tabular address data and your web client. Ironically, shortly after posting this I heard from the developer, Phillip Holmstrand. He share's this information about the app... You can copy/paste directly from Excel, geocode, and then copy right back into Excel, and/or see addresses on a map instantly. It uses Yahoo's Geocoding API, which is nothing new, but what's nice is it allows batch processing of tabular data. Best news, it's free, and you can geocode up to 50,000 addresses per day.Check it out at http://www.batchgeocode.com/
