| Location database | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The MapTron 1207 product has a built-in micro XML database system used in performing searches either by attributes such as city and state or by distance from a zip code. Each location record in the database is specified by a <location> tag with attributes. The attributes are the fields in a record. The attribute values are the contents of the fields in the record. The following instructions detail the product setup from flat XML data files (text files) on a server. The product is also designed to received data from server-side scripts as an alternative method of entering data. The same structure applies should such dynamic methods be employed. The <location> data method may be changed (flat files to dynamic or vice versa) at any time. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Entering data | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| There are two basic methods of entering location records into the system. One method is to specify one <location> tag for each record. The other method is to specify a batch of locations with the <locations_batch> tag. The batch method XML code can be partially generated from a spreadsheet (rows and columns) export. See the figures below for examples in setting locations. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
The method chosen is dependent by the number of location records, personal choice, and performance; time required for system to be ready to perform a search after the web page finishes loading. Performance optimization should be considered for systems that will contain 200 to 1000 records. Performance is typically not an issue for systems with less than 100 location records. The product has been tested with 1100 records optimized; system is typically ready to perform searches in 2 to 4 seconds. XML file size is also important. Force feeding the system too much data at once will reduce overall performance. Each location XML files may contain many <locations> or <location_batch> records. Limit file size to no more than 125 kilobytes, 50 kilobytes limit is recommended. Limit to 50 <location> records per file (aprox. 1 kilobyte per location record) when using the individual <location> tag. Each <location> records is identified by the id attribute containing an unique identifier value. The value may just be a number, the line number of a spreadsheet table will work. Location data may be updated at any time by specifying the <location> record with same id value. To perform distance searches from a zip code, each location record must contain both latitude and longitude geographic coordinates. The <location> record must contain the lat and lon attributes. Section 3.4.1 details the setting of single <location> records and section 3.4.2 explains the use of <locations_batch> tag for setting multiple locations. Section 3.4.3 describes methods in optimizing the locations for faster application startup. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location files | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place all files containing <location> and <location_batch> data into the locations directory previously created during the organization process. The loading of locations is specified in the startup XML MapTron1207.xml file. Edit the file to load one or more location data files. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
