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What3words

  • 1.  What3words

    Posted 04-02-2019 12:20
    ​Has anyone incorporated the What3words locations into MapInfo?

    ------------------------------
    John Ievers
    CDR Group
    Hope Valley, United Kingdom
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: What3words

    Posted 04-02-2019 12:28

    Not.very.likely

     

    Sorry, John. Coundn't resist. ��

     

    Regards,

    Warren Vick

    Europa Technologies Ltd.

     




    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: What3words

    Posted 04-02-2019 12:50
    You're chuckling at that, aren't you @Warren Vick ;-)
    ​

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    John Ievers
    CDR Group
    Hope Valley, United Kingdom
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: What3words

    Posted 04-03-2019 12:24
    I can get to note.every.likely but that is in Greensboro, North Carolina.
    You can also have note.note.note but not not.not.not

    ------------------------------
    John Ievers
    CDR Group
    Hope Valley, United Kingdom
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: What3words

    Employee
    Posted 04-02-2019 12:41
    Hi John,

    @Andrei Veselov and I created an Addin to integrate what3words into MapInfo Pro a few years ago for a "hack day" project.
    We have been intending​ to polish it up and make it available some day but it has not happened yet.
    If there is interest we could make it available.

    What kind of integration were you looking for?

    -Bob
    ​

    ------------------------------
    Bob Fortin
    Software Architect and Distinguished Engineer
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: What3words

    Posted 04-02-2019 12:52
    Hi Bob
    It's a question that keeps cropping up - and both ESRI and QGIS have plugins for it.!!
    What3words is certainly gaining momentum amongst Emergency Services

    ------------------------------
    John Ievers
    CDR Group
    Hope Valley, United Kingdom
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: What3words

    Posted 04-02-2019 15:02
    Hi John - This is interesting.   Can you share what kind of use cases you're seeing or hearing about within Emergency Services or other?

    Thanks,
    Heidi

    ------------------------------
    Heidi Geronimo
    Director, Product Management

    San Jose, CA
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: What3words

    Posted 04-03-2019 03:22
    This was in the news recently - Three-unique-words 'map' used to rescue mother and child

    The company I work for has an ideas portal and there's been a number of suggestions about using W3W, and Google's alternative, instead of postcodes to identify locations, such as sites or offices and more worryingly, individual assets.  My first re-action is, why not just use a grid reference, but I guess a lot of people aren't that familiar or comfortable using them and this seems a more 'user-friendly' and app-based approach.

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    Greg Driver
    Knowledge Community Shared Account
    Shelton CT
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: What3words

    Employee
    Posted 04-13-2020 03:15

    Hi

    Google plus location codes apart from What3Words are also gaining popularity and can be generated offline using a simple algorithm.
    I have a Simple function based addin designed for MapInfo Pro which allow to get Plus code from Lat/Lon and reverse.

    Let me know if interested.

    Thanks
    Anshul



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    Anshul Goel
    Knowledge Community Shared Account
    Shelton CT
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: What3words

    Posted 04-14-2020 11:44
    Yes that utility can be useful: I have seen a few websites locating hard to address areas like hunting and fishing camps deep in the woods with other locating systems like WhatThreeWords or GooglePlusCodes. Your utility could definitely be useful to me.

    Louis​

    ------------------------------
    Louis Rousseau
    GQ MIN DES TRANSPORTS Secteur
    Quebec QC
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: What3words

    Employee
    Posted 04-15-2020 01:38
    Edited by Anshul Goel 04-15-2020 01:41
      |   view attached
    Hi Louis,
    I have attached the Google Plus Code MapInfo Pro Addin. Below are some details about the addin usage.

    When the addin is loaded into MapInfo Pro v19.0 onwards, it will add three function into MapInfo Pro UI for generating Google Plus Codes.
    These function can be used anywhere in MapInfo Pro where you will get expression dialog like in SQL Dialog/Window, Update Column etc. or can also be used in mb scripts using Exec function or run command.

    1.) PlusLocationCode : Returns code which is a valid full Open Location Code (plus code).

    Parameters:
    Latitude (Y)-> float
    Longitude (X)-> float

    2.) PlusLocationCodeX : Returns X coordinate for Open Location Code (plus code).

    Parameters:
    Plus_code -> string

    3.) PlusLocationCodeY : Returns Y coordinate for Open Location Code (plus code).

    Parameters:
    Plus_code -> string


    Functions:


    Example1:


    Example2:

    Thanks
    Anshul

    ------------------------------
    Anshul Goel
    Knowledge Community Shared Account
    Shelton CT
    ------------------------------

    Attachment(s)

    zip
    pluscodes.zip   101 KB 1 version
    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: What3words

    Posted 08-18-2020 19:01
    Hi Anshul and thank you very much for your GooglePlusCode utility.

    Louis Rousseau



    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: What3words

    Posted 04-03-2019 07:21
    Hi Heidi
    Plenty of news coverage on their site https://what3words.com/news/ and use cases.
    Both Saudi Arabia and Mongolia have adopted it as their national addressing standard.
    The drawback is that you need the app​ and an internet connection.
    There are no signposts or labels or logic to walking down a street to find a location
    like you can with a street and a house number.
    But this is more about being able to locate anywhere and not just properties/buildings.

    ------------------------------
    John Ievers
    CDR Group
    Hope Valley, United Kingdom
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: What3words

    Employee
    Posted 04-03-2019 03:25
    Bob,

    Maybe we can just share it "as is" on the Community Download page and include it in the prerelease of the MapInfo Marketplace?

    ------------------------------
    Peter Horsbøll Møller
    Pitney Bowes
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 15.  RE: What3words

    Employee
    Posted 04-03-2019 10:05

    I was thinking of putting in in the mapinfo market place after we ship 17.03.

     

    It needs a little bit of work before we can share it.

     




    Original Message


  • 16.  RE: What3words

    Employee
    Posted 04-09-2020 16:51
    Just to revive this discussion.

    We are currently working with the what3word development team and we are close to dropping the first release into the MapInfo Marketplace.

    I will respond to this thread once it goes live. 


    ------------------------------
    David Oneill
    Principal Software Engineer and Digital Transformation
    MapInfo Pro
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 17.  RE: What3words

    Posted 05-03-2020 10:30
    w3w came out with an official extension: https://developer.what3words.com/tutorial/installing-the-mapinfo-plugin/

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    Kobi Irom
    Map42
    Ramat Gan
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 18.  RE: What3words

    Posted 05-04-2020 05:56
    Hi Kobi
    I can't find the actual download, can you point me in the right direction?
    Thanks​

    ------------------------------
    John Ievers
    CDR Group
    Hope Valley, United Kingdom
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 19.  RE: What3words

    Posted 05-04-2020 06:14

    John,

     

    You have to click on the Step by Step bit

     

     

    Took me a while to spot it too...

     

    Nick

     

     

     

     

     

    Nick Hall 

    Mapchester Ltd 

     

    Office : 0161 773 5021

    Mobile: 07855 250360

     

    email: nick.hall@mapchester.co.uk

    web:   www.mapchester.co.uk

     

    Pitney Bowes Certified in MapInfo Pro

     

    MapInfo training:

    Standard 32 bit or Standard 64 bit

    Expert 32 bit or Expert 64 bit

    SQL for MapInfo

    Mapchester Ltd, 3 Piccadilly Place, Manchester, M1 3BN

    Registered in England No 9286237

     




    Original Message


  • 20.  RE: What3words

    Posted 05-04-2020 06:46
    I saw that Nick but certain browsers do not respond to even 2,000 clicks​!!
    It does work in Chrome though...

    ------------------------------
    John Ievers
    CDR Group
    Hope Valley, United Kingdom
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 21.  RE: What3words

    Employee
    Posted 08-18-2020 19:53
    What3Words + MapInfo Pro integration has arrived in the MapInfo Marketplace.

    Once downloaded I highly recommend going through their getting started guide:
    https://developer.what3words.com/tutorial/installing-the-mapinfo-plugin/


    ------------------------------
    David Oneill
    Principal Software Engineer and Digital Transformation
    MapInfo Pro
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 22.  RE: What3words

    Posted 08-19-2020 09:25
    Hi David
    Still not working for me...

    ------------------------------
    John Ievers
    CDR Group
    Hope Valley, United Kingdom
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 23.  RE: What3words

    Employee
    Posted 08-19-2020 09:56
    Edited by Peter Møller 08-19-2020 10:01
    I guess what John is saying is that it doesn't return a what3word code when you click in the map using the tool after having entered an API key.

    Right, John?

    On my what3words account, I can see requests have been sent, but for some reason, the value isn't shown in the notification popup.



    ------------------------------
    Peter Horsbøll Møller
    Distinguished Engineer
    Precisely | Trust in Data
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 24.  RE: What3words

    Posted 08-19-2020 10:28
    Can you see my screen Peter?   That is exactly what is happening!!
    Is it a projection issue?
    Puzzling...

    ------------------------------
    John Ievers
    CDR Group
    Hope Valley, United Kingdom
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 25.  RE: What3words

    Employee
    Posted 08-19-2020 14:43
    Edited by Peter Møller 08-20-2020 01:53
    Hi John

    No, your image didn't come through, or at least I can't see it.
    I did find your message a bit puzzling - it makes a lot more sense if you did add an image.

    Maybe the image doesn't come through if you include it in an email reply?

    BTW, as David said the problem is caused by the Session Projektion being different than Lat/Long WGS84. At least that's our guess right now.

    PS: We also noticed that there seems to be a problem if you aren't using English/American number formatting.

    ------------------------------
    Peter Horsbøll Møller
    Distinguished Engineer
    Precisely | Trust in Data
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 26.  RE: What3words

    Posted 08-20-2020 06:55
    Edited by John Ievers 08-20-2020 06:55
    Hi Peter
    No - I was referring to your uncanny sixth sense of being able to put your finger on the problem ;-)

    English/US number formatting?
    Do you mean that you state 46,25 but we would state 46.25?

    If you are using a  web mapping service like Bing or OSM, then you cannot change the projection!
    If you are using raster tiles in a projection like British National Grid, then changing projection to WGS84 would have adverse effects too.

    ------------------------------
    John Ievers
    CDR Group
    Hope Valley, United Kingdom
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 27.  RE: What3words

    Employee
    Posted 08-20-2020 07:25
    I guess 20 years of experience help me spot these issues :-)

    And yes, the number formatting is exactly what you say. I don't think that is a problem for you - mostly for us in mainland Europe.

    It's the session projection that you change via Preference, Map Window, Projection. You may have to restart Pro. I'm not sure about the restart as I also had the number formatting issue.

    ------------------------------
    Peter Horsbøll Møller
    Distinguished Engineer
    Precisely | Trust in Data
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 28.  RE: What3words

    Employee
    Posted 08-19-2020 10:27
    Edited by David Oneill 08-19-2020 10:49
    Looks like a re-projection issue. It works when the projection is WSG-84. We know what needs to happen in the MapBasic and reaching out to What3words now. 

    I created a short video of the Addin in MapInfo Pro and its functionality.



    ------------------------------
    David Oneill
    Principal Software Engineer and Digital Transformation
    MapInfo Pro
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 29.  RE: What3words

    Posted 09-07-2020 14:12
    Hi David
    Any progress with w3w yet?

    ------------------------------
    John Ievers
    CDR Group
    Hope Valley, United Kingdom
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 30.  RE: What3words

    Employee
    Posted 09-11-2020 07:43
    I heard back from What3Words yesterday, they said it is in final testing and then they will pass it along to us.

    I will pass it to you privately for testing once I get a copy.

    David

    ------------------------------
    David Oneill
    Principal Software Engineer and Digital Transformation
    MapInfo Pro
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 31.  RE: What3words

    Posted 09-11-2020 08:04
    Thanks David
    And then I guess version 2 will appear as if by magic in the Marketplace and we will all be updated accordingly.

    ------------------------------
    John Ievers
    CDR Group
    Hope Valley, United Kingdom
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 32.  RE: What3words

    Posted 05-17-2021 06:36
    Are we any nearer to getting a fully working integrated W3W working, It seems very intermittent, last week it worked for a day in 2019.3 but today it is back to just returning no word coordinates just the X&Y, Was confident last week this had been fixed but back to square one this this! Frustrating as I was hoping to confidently demo this to our emergency services.

    ------------------------------
    Alan Leach
    Suffolk County Council
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    Original Message


  • 33.  RE: What3words

    Posted 05-17-2021 07:13
    Alan,

    I currently have a support call outstanding with them about getting w3w to work in V19.3.  I cant even get it to to load the .dll file.

    They tried sending me an updated version but I got the same error.  It also gave me the same error on a V17 install on a different machine.

    Coincidently I got an update today that they are still looking at it. 

    I have a couple of emergency services clients who really want this to work so I will update here when I get a response (that works!).

    Regards,

    Nick




    ------------------------------
    Nick Hall
    Mapchester LTD
    Manchester
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 34.  RE: What3words

    Posted 05-17-2021 08:58
    Thanks for the update Nick, really odd as Friday it was working well and I even demo'd to our emergency services. Today in 2019 just getting the coordinates, tried updating my 17 version and now getting the 'unhandled exception error,' mentioned in another thread. It certainly has the potential to be a very valuable plug in, hope you hear something soon, and thanks for keeping me in the picture. Alan

    ------------------------------
    Alan Leach
    Suffolk County Council
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 35.  RE: What3words

    Employee
    Posted 05-17-2021 09:13
    Hi

    I installed the latest version from the MapInfo Marketplace that came a few days ago.
    According to MapInfo Marketplace, it's 1.02 even though the application itself reports it as v1.0.


    It does seem to report the location correctly when I click on the map.
    I did however have to reconfigure the tool and specify the desired language and my API key.

    The panel also captures the what3words where I click.

    I can also use the panel to search for w3w which takes me to that location. When I afterward click inside the location, it shows the w3w name I searched for.

    Did you install the new release from the MapInfo Marketplace?

    ------------------------------
    Peter Horsbøll Møller
    Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
    Precisely | Trust in Data
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 36.  RE: What3words

    Posted 05-17-2021 09:30
    Hi Alan
    What is the date of your What3Words.mbx?
    Mine is 10/09/2020

    ------------------------------
    John Ievers
    CDR Group
    Hope Valley, United Kingdom
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 37.  RE: What3words

    Posted 05-17-2021 09:41
    Thanks again for the updates, I have just u[dated again from 2019 and the date of the mbx is 10/09/2020. I have restarted the Mapinfo Pro session and cleared and re-entered the API key language just set to EN, and whilst in general it is still not displaying anything some clicks to seem to populate the box as below, however using these words it just states 'no location found' I could certainly use both the display and search for address as I would expect it to work on Friday.  All a bit strange and varied checking on my phone mops.making.pretty certainly is in the right area!!



    ------------------------------
    Alan Leach
    Suffolk County Council
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 38.  RE: What3words

    Posted 05-17-2021 10:43
    Just returned to it again to retry and it was just giving coordinates, and then suddenly kicked into life !! At the moment it is working as it was on Friday and very responsive, I can only think if the software is working ok that it must be a connection issue to W3W?



    ------------------------------
    Alan Leach
    Suffolk County Council
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 39.  RE: What3words

    Employee
    Posted 11-10-2021 10:04
    We had a chat with what3words yesterday so I want to see if all is working fine now?

    Does anybody have any issues with the current add-in from the MapInfo Marketplace?

    ------------------------------
    Peter Horsbøll Møller
    Principal Presales Consultant | Distinguished Engineer
    Precisely | Trust in Data
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 40.  RE: What3words

    Posted 11-10-2021 12:27
    Hi Peter
    Like Alan (above) it is laggy to start and would also guess that the internet connection is the issue. Once it gets going it is fine. It also zooms in far too close to the individual 3m square on the "find" function.
    Much patience required....

    ------------------------------
    John Ievers
    CDR Group
    Hope Valley, United Kingdom
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 41.  RE: What3words

    Posted 11-11-2021 05:15
    Still no joy here with this I am afraid, have downloaded the latest version (in case) but still no detail being returned sadly. Never really had this working to any level of consistency or with confidence. Would be good to get this sorted as users are asking for it. Thanks for the help.

    ------------------------------
    Alan Leach
    Suffolk County Council
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    Original Message