[postgis-users] RE: geocoding

[Ron Mayer]

Ralph Mason wrote:
> Randy George wrote:
>>     Address => longitude, latitude
>>
> I cant answer your question specifically, but it's not a spatial 
> problem, more text processing / parsing.  PostGIS really would add noshing.

I think postgis does indeed help in some ways.

For one example, using "line_interpolate_point(geometry,proportion)"
to avoid writing the code to walk the MULTILINESTRING yourself.

Another way PostGIS can help geocoding is handling "dirty" addresses
that often incorrectly have the neighboring zip-codes or cities on
streets close to borders.  An indexed spatial query to provide a bit
of extra tolerance around zip codes & cities is one way of helping
those cases.


I think a couple additional functions they're thinking of adding
to postgis (something to find the tangent to the line at that point
so you can put a point to the left or right of a street?) will
eventually help even more.

     Ron

PS: and yes, Paul, we're still looking for the $$$ to hire you
     guys to help us with that ;-)