Geocoder

Uses various external web services to convert addresses to latitude/longitude coordinates, or to find the closest addresses to latitude/longitude coordinates (reverse geocode). Some services have additional information available, such as time zone or elevation.

Jump to Configuration

Typical Uses

  • Find coordinates and create geometry for a list of street addresses
  • Find addresses that match coordinates

How does it work?

The Geocoder provides a single interface to numerous geocoding web services. Once a service is selected, the appropriate parameters are presented, including connection credentials and the expected attributes the service needs to perform geocoding.

As features pass through the transformer, these attributes are passed to the service, and the results retrieved.

If the feature is successfully matched by the service, the results (attributes and/or geometry) are added to the feature and it is output through the Output port.

If the feature geocoding fails for any reason (including addresses not found, invalid coordinates, or failed credential authentication), it is output through the <Rejected> port.

Modes

The Geocoder can perform a variety of tasks, dependent upon which service you choose to use. Each service will provide one or more of these modes of geocoding:

Forward Street Address Geocoding

Single free form street address to latitude/longitude values, for example:

"7445, 132nd Street, Surrey, BC, V3W 1J8"

Discrete street address elements to latitude/longitude values, for example:

"7445"

"132nd"

"Street"

"Surrey"

"BC"

"V3W 1J8"

Forward IP Address Geocoding

IP address string to latitude/longitude values

Forward Address Geocoding to Service ID

Single free-form street address or discrete street address elements to a service-specific identifier

Reverse Street Address Geocoding

Latitude/longitude values to a single street address string

Reverse Elevation Geocoding

Latitude/longitude values to elevation in meters

Reverse Timezone Geocoding

Latitude/longitude values to timezone code, name and offset

Reverse Street Address Geocoding from Service ID

Service specific lookup key to a single street address string

The geocoding service result is stored in output feature attributes, feature geometry, or both. For example, latitude/longitude output is represented on the feature as a point geometry, and also as ‘_latitude’ and ‘_longitude’ attributes.

Usage Notes

  • Many services have restrictions on how their results may be used or displayed. Check with your chosen service for terms and conditions. See available services.
  • The expected input address format varies between services. See documentation provided by your chosen service for details.
  • If you need to create address strings for your chosen service, you can build them right in the Geocoder using the Text Editor, or consider using the AttributeManager to construct them as persistent attributes.

Configuration

Input Ports

Output Ports

Parameters

This is a complete list of possible parameters for all services accessed by the Geocoder. Only the service-specific required parameters will be shown in the transformer once a service has been chosen.

Geocoding Services

Editing Transformer Parameters

Using a set of menu options, transformer parameters can be assigned by referencing other elements in the workspace. More advanced functions, such as an advanced editor and an arithmetic editor, are also available in some transformers. To access a menu of these options, click beside the applicable parameter. For more information, see Transformer Parameter Menu Options.

Defining Values

There are several ways to define a value for use in a Transformer. The simplest is to simply type in a value or string, which can include functions of various types such as attribute references, math and string functions, and workspace parameters. There are a number of tools and shortcuts that can assist in constructing values, generally available from the drop-down context menu adjacent to the value field.

Dialog Options - Tables

Transformers with table-style parameters have additional tools for populating and manipulating values.

Reference

Processing Behavior

Feature-Based

Feature Holding

No

Dependencies External geocoding web service(s)
Aliases  
History This FME Package transformer replaces the Geocoder originally shipped with FME 2021.1 and older versions.

FME Community

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Examples may contain information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver and/or the Open Government Licence – Canada.