- This document defines the input, output and behavior of the web service operations in DOTS Address Geocode – US. Each operation has its own unique behavior and output, though some of the operations are very similar.
Important Note!
Every geocoding system is different, and some even use different standards for gathering and calculating coordinates. Because of this, using coordinates from one system may not look to be at the exact location on a different system. For example, Google Maps is a great tool for plotting geocoding coordinates on a viewable map. However, the data used for generating these maps is different than the data that Service Objects uses for generating geocoding coordinates. Thus, some points plotted on Google Maps may not look to be in the precise location; they may look exactly right or look to be several hundred feet away.
- You should examine your own business needs first before exploring what DOTS Address Geocode – US can provide. Different operations may be necessary based on the information you have, and the granularity of data you need.
List of Operations
- GetBestMatches_V4 (Recommended Operation)
- Returns the latitude and longitude for a given US Address, along with additional location information. Will attempt to geocode at the property level, zip+4 level, zip+3, zip+2, zip+1, zip, and city/state.
- GetZipInfo
- Returns extensive and various information about a given zip code, including census information and centroid latitude/longitude coordinates.
- GetDistance
- Returns an estimated distance between two given locations.
- GetDistanceToWater
- Returns an estimated distance from a given latitude and longitude to the nearest saltwater.
- GetDistanceToWaterByAddress
- Returns an estimated distance from a given address to the nearest saltwater.
- GetReverseLocation
- Returns an estimated address for a given latitude and longitude.
- NOTE: If you are not using any of these operations you may be using the older version of the DOTS Address Geocode US service. Please refer to the developers guide for information about integration with that service.