GeoStan Geocoding Suite Utilities Reference for Windows and UNIX - geostan_1 - GeoStan - centrusdesktop

Centrus Data Formatter and ASCII Text Files

Centrus Data Formatter is a 32-bit Microsoft Windows application designed to automate the process of creating and updating format files. Centrus Data Formatter reads field and record information from the existing format file, if there is one, or from the actual ASCII text file. This information is then displayed, along with a section of the first part of the text file so that you can see how the data is interpreted by Centrus Data Formatter. You can accept Centrus Data Formatter's settings or make changes as necessary. When you're satisfied that your data is correctly described, Centrus Data Formatter updates any existing format file or creates a new one.

Installing Centrus Data Formatter

Centrus Data Formatter is installed automatically when you install Centrus Desktop. For information about this program, refer to the user guide that came with the installation package.

Batch Indexer (Batchind.exe)

The GSD files contain street segment information for the entire United States. Smaller regions defined by Finance Area are described by index files with the GSX extension. In some circumstances, it is preferable to process street segment information packaged in multiple GSX files. The Batchind.exe utility builds all the index (GSX) files for the U.S. from the GSD files in a batch process. Use the following command-line arguments to run Batchind.exe:


        BatchInd
        searchPath
        outputDir

`searchPath`	The path of the GSD files.
`outputDir`	The directory in which to output the resulting index files.

You can also run Batchind with the following command line argument:

BatchInd batchind.ini

The batchind.ini file should have two entries:

searchPath=<path>
outputDir=<dir>

Two GSX files are generated when you run Batchind. The primary file is typically named us.gsx. It contains finance area index information. The other file is named uscity.gsx and is used by GsGetMbr when you request a city.

Batchind creates the primary GSX file name based on the input GSD files. If you are building against a point data set, then the GSX file name will have the same base name as the GSD (cpoints, points, npoints). Otherwise it will have the name us.gsx.

Batchind can be run against input directories containing multiple GSDs and still create only two GSX files.