Geocode with German Address Rules in ArcGIS Server 9.3.1

Summary

This article was contributed by Esri Deutschland, the Esri distributor for Germany.

The instructions provided describe how German address rules for German address formats can be used in ArcGIS Server 9.3.1 within a geocode service. Based on suitable reference data, a new address locator is created (ArcGIS Desktop machine), this locator is used as a resource of the geocode service on the ArcGIS Server machine. The described procedure assumes that ArcGIS Desktop with German Supplement and ArcGIS Server 9.3.1 are installed on two different machines.

Procedure

1. Prepare the locator on a machine with ArcGIS Desktop 9.3.1.
   
   
   A. Verify that ArcGIS Desktop 9.3.1 SP2 and the German Supplement are installed.
   
   
   B. On the ArcGIS Desktop machine, generate an address locator based on German rules and suitable reference data.
   
   
   The files relating to the German rules for geocoding can be found under C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Geocode as well as in C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Locators.
   These files can be recognized by their names which start with one of the following prefixes:
   

   • chdt_
   • ger_
   • plz_
   • CH
   • D
   
   

   Note:
   The functionality to access the rules is implemented in GerIdxFunc.dll, which can be found in C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Bin, when ArcGIS Desktop and the German Supplement are installed.

   
   

   Street data provided by Tele Atlas
   

   
   
   
   

   Creation of address locator in ArcCatalog
   

   
   
   
   
2. Test address locator in ArcMap on the ArcGIS Desktop machine.
   

   Using the address locator to search for an address.
   

   
   
   
3. Copy the GerIdxFunc.dll library to the ArcGIS Server machine.
   
   
   GerIdxFunc.dll is the only system library ArcGIS Server needs to implement to get the German rules for geocoding. Copy this DLL file from the ArcGIS Desktop machine to the ArcGIS Server machine with corresponding directories C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Bin.
   After copying, re-start the ArcGIS Server services:
   
   A. Open the Services console.
   

   • Administer the services within Computer Management console, click Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services, or
   • Click Start > Run and type services.msc.

   
   B. Re-start the following services:
   

   • ArcGIS Server Object Manager
   • ArcGIS SOC Monitor

   
   

   
   

   Note:
   ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS Server must be on the same version and patch level.

   
   

   
   
   
   
4. Copy the address locator.
   
   
   Copy the newly created address locator from the ArcGIS Desktop machine to the ArcGIS Server machine. For this purpose connect in ArcCatalog to the other machine and copy/paste the address locator.
   

   
   

   Note:
   Using copy/paste guarantees that all three files (.loc, .xml, .lox) that belong to the address locator are copied. Whereby the defined rules of geocoding don't need to be copied to ArcGIS Server, the address locator already contains the rules.

   
   

   
   
   
5. Publish the geocode service stored on the ArcGIS Server machine.
   
   
   Publish the geocode service based on the address locator by right-clicking and selecting Publish to ArcGIS Server.
   Test the geocode service within a Web application by setting up the task FindAddress and using this service as the geocode service. Start the task in the Web application and verify the results.
   

   Address input when starting the task
   

   
   
   
   

   Result