Place of Interest -> Post Code -> Address service?

[minestrone]

ClientCo want me to write a page that will take a place of interest or an address from a customer and turn it into a postcode for the next step of processing. In future they also want to take a post code and turn it into an address.

Does anyone know of an online service that can do this?

Ideally this might get me some mess about time with google maps or something interting that would look good on the CV.

TIA.

[Menelaus]

ClientCo want me to write a page that will take a place of interest or an address from a customer and turn it into a postcode for the next step of processing. In future they also want to take a post code and turn it into an address.

Does anyone know of an online service that can do this?

Ideally this might get me some mess about time with google maps or something interting that would look good on the CV.

TIA.

I'd imagine Royal Mail would have something that could help with that, mebbe?

[gingerjedi]

Royal mail

You only get 15 a day.

[Zippy]

Yes but it will cost you. PostcodeAnywhere rings a bell.

[RichardCranium]

ClientCo want me to write a page that will take a place of interest or an address from a customer and turn it into a postcode for the next step of processing.

You add a large amount of granularity that way. In built up areas postcodes can be tiny. In rural areas they can be vast. You will need either licensed software or a 'pay per conversion' service because the Royal Mail makes money out of the postcodes - they are their jealously guarded property.

You can also convert a PointX (a point of interest) or an address into a unique reference number (e.g. a TOID) and store it that way.

Alternatively into a grid reference.

Which is the correct method depends upon want you might want to do with the data in the future.

If you are planning on storing the data for any length of time don't forget: postcodes DO get changed.

In future they also want to take a post code and turn it into an address.

You can go from a postcode to a list of postal addresses (bought from Royal Mail again). Is that definitely what you want? It probably is, but be aware it is not a list of all buildings.

Does anyone know of an online service that can do this?

You will need to start with the Royal Mail if you want to use addresses.

Ideally this might get me some mess about time with google maps or something interting that would look good on the CV.

GIS pay is crap. Amazingly crap. I know.

[xoggoth]

You could always use a page ripper to get it off of Yell. Not strictly legal of course but it works.

[minestrone]

It's for a taxi service so someone might want to pick 'Tower of London' alternatively they might put in an address, the pricing system which is outwith our control takes postcodes so we are not to bothered about how they store the data.

It's the getting the post code from the place of interest that is the main problem and I can see that google must have that data stored as it does return the postcode from 'tower of london' on googlemaps.

[NickFitz]

It's for a taxi service so someone might want to pick 'Tower of London' alternatively they might put in an address, the pricing system which is outwith our control takes postcodes so we are not to bothered about how they store the data.

It's the getting the post code from the place of interest that is the main problem and I can see that google must have that data stored as it does return the postcode from 'tower of london' on googlemaps.

Google will have licensed the postcode data from Royal Mail. An "End user per click" licence for the entire Postcode Address File is £3,750.

[MPwannadecentincome]

It's for a taxi service so someone might want to pick 'Tower of London' alternatively they might put in an address, the pricing system which is outwith our control takes postcodes so we are not to bothered about how they store the data.

It's the getting the post code from the place of interest that is the main problem and I can see that google must have that data stored as it does return the postcode from 'tower of london' on googlemaps.

Why can't taxi service just used google maps, it even has directions and recognises place names - don't even need a postcode!

[DimPrawn]

http://www.postcodeanywhere.co.uk/products/

Pay per use webservices. You buy credits up front, they last 6 months and then expire (if you don't use them).

Worked for me.