{"id":438,"date":"2011-10-27T18:38:56","date_gmt":"2011-10-27T18:38:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.johncanning.net\/?p=438"},"modified":"2011-10-27T18:38:56","modified_gmt":"2011-10-27T18:38:56","slug":"get-accessing-to-uk-postal-code-data-for-use-in-mapwindow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/johncanning.net\/wp\/?p=438","title":{"rendered":"Get accessing to UK postal code data for use in MapWindow."},"content":{"rendered":"

The relationship between postal codes and latitude and longitude has only recently come into the public domain (see www.freethepostcode.org<\/a>). This has been something of problem for users of GIS software.<\/p>\n

Here are two ways to plot UK postcode data on a map in MapWindow.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Method 1 is probably the easiest.\n
      \n
    1. Add the google Geocoder plugin by clicking on Plugin in MapWindow and selecting google geocoder.<\/li>\n
    2. Add addresses and the points should be generated on your map. A bit more detail here. http:\/\/www.mapwindow.org\/phorum\/read.php?2,7770<\/a>.<\/li>\n
    3. Generally seems to work quite well, but was hanging when coping with larger amounts of data. The main problem is that it is limited to 2000 postcodes a day. A bit of a problem if you have a very large dataset.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Method 2: A work around using a free utility called batchgeo.com www.batchgeo.com<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. \n
          \n
        1. Paste your data from excel into the area indicated on their website.<\/li>\n
        2. (Optional) Validate data\u2014good idea to check that the part it thinks is your postcode data really is.<\/li>\n
        3. Press \u2018Map Now!\u2019<\/li>\n
        4. You will be given the option of a public map or a private one just for you. If you give your email address you can edit your map later.<\/li>\n
        5. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on save as google earth .kml file. NB: It took my ages to find this bit!<\/li>\n
        6. Save the .kml file to your hard drive.<\/li>\n
        7. Map Window does not read .kml or. kmz, so you will need to convert your .kml file to a shapefile (.shp).\u00a0 You can do this online at http:\/\/www.zonums.com\/online\/kml2shp.php<\/a>, but I\u2019m sure that there are other converters.<\/li>\n
        8. Save you .shp (and the partner files it generates to your hard drive.<\/li>\n
        9. Go back to MapWindow and Add layer selecting the shapefile you have just created.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

           <\/p>\n

          I\u2019m sure that someone has been able to find another way of doing all, but these are the ways I managed to get it done.<\/p>\n

          \"Map<\/a><\/p>\n

          The yellow symbols on the map above are the locations of the Links into Languages lead universities. Click to see it more closely.<\/p>\n\n\n