Link Map to DBF?

[Keith Hubert]

Hi Guys,

I have watched some of the Map charting videos. (I'm honest and said "some").

Is there one that shows how to link to a DBF table? What I have seen so far, shows how to work with SQL data.

I would like to learn how to get markers on map.

I have run the script to get Longitude and Latitude, this works very well.

All help greatfully received.

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: Link Map to DBF?

Keith,

You can't use lat/long w. dbf. You can use regular addresses - except Google will limit you to a max of 6 addresses at one time on a map.

[Keith Hubert]

Re: Link Map to DBF?

Hi Peter,

I will only need one marker at a time.

[ADCO Service]

Re: Link Map to DBF?

Hi Keith

Is there a reason why we can't use Lat and Long with a DBF?

Just like Peter, I am also trying to create a Google map. When I select the Address option using the below code I get an error of "could not evaluate this expression: error reported was: extra characters at the end of the expression". Any ideas how to correct this error?

tbl.data("SVC_ADD1")+", "+ tbl.data("SVC_CITY")+", "+ tbl.data("SVC_STATE") +", "+tbl.data("SVC_ZIP")+", "+tbl.data("SVC_CNTRY")

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: Link Map to DBF?

Is there a reason why we can't use Lat and Long with a DBF?

SQL has what is called a geographic or geometry field type which dbf doesn't have. You need that field type for G-maps to properly identify the lat/long.

tbl.data("SVC_ADD1")+", "+ tbl.data("SVC_CITY")+", "+ tbl.data("SVC_STATE") +", "+tbl.data("SVC_ZIP")+", "+tbl.data("SVC_CNTRY")

Your expression looks good to me. Make sure there are no invisible characters at the end of the expression in the dialog.

[ADCO Service]

Re: Link Map to DBF?

Thanks for the for the feedback.

I've removed all spaces in my expression and doubled checked that there are no invisible characters as the end, but I continue to get the same error?

[Keith Hubert]

Re: Link Map to DBF?

Hi Peter,

I used the following code to create the Long and Lat values in the DBF table.

dim t as p
t = table.open("addresses")
dim pa as p
while .not. t.fetch_eof()
    pa = geocode_address(t.address,"Google")
    t.change_begin()
    t.latitude = pa.lat
    t.longitude = pa.lon
    t.change_end(.t.)
    t.fetch_next()
end while
t.close()

Now all I need to do is link the addresses table to a google map on a web page one record at a time.

How do I use the values of Longitude and Latitude in the table with the Map Properties?

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: Link Map to DBF?

Keith,

You're not reading me. It won't work w. dbf. See post#5 above.

[Keith Hubert]

Re: Link Map to DBF?

Hi Peter,

I am reading you load and clear, over.

I found this video There is no mention here that this must be SQL table.

Just a little long winded to link the data to a map for people who are not programers.

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: Link Map to DBF?

Keith,

Nonetheless, it's a no-go. You need the sql field type. In MySQL it's called "geometry" In MS SQL Server it's called "geographic". DBF doesn't have that field type. You can try it, of course, but it's not going to work. The geocode_address() function geo-codes the "geometry" field type using the lat/long fields. Sorry.

[madtowng]

Re: Link Map to DBF?

I think the location/geometry field in question is used for determining distance and other geometry objects.
If your only goal is to place a marker on a map, I think you can do that with data from a dbf file.
I'll give it a try. I know I posted a question on it before V11 was released, but I was apparently ahead of the
curve at that time.

[Keith Hubert]

Re: Link Map to DBF?

From Selwyn,

if the dbf stores lat/lng then it can display markers on the map

He also advised,

many future enchancements that we make will not be available for .dbf

So, just for the present, as I can get the map to display with dbf, I would like to know how to display a marker, as shown in video FP11_DLGMAP6.

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: Link Map to DBF?

if the dbf stores lat/lng then it can display markers on the map

Wow, I stand corrected. I'll have to try it.

[Keith Hubert]

Re: Link Map to DBF?

Peter,

Just one clarification, "you can't store geography objects in a .dbf table".

I look foward to your's and Gregg's results.

Thank you for looking at this, I'm sure others would benefit from this too.

[madtowng]

Re: Link Map to DBF?

Nice to know I had the right thinking on it.
Have you been able to make it work yet Keith ?