Postcode Programming API  .Net Assembly - Advanced Search

The “Advanced Search" word search facility is available when using our Web Based data. The code and operation is identical to Full Address search.


How to use Advanced Search:

On the Full Address search window, simply click on the [Advanced Search] button

Advanced Search Example:

This function adds an [Advanced Find] button to the search window provided by SearchForFullAddressWithDialogue call (See previous section). This allows users to enter address words to search for, to return Full address information:

Advanced search using .NET Assembly

When the [Advanced Find] button is pressed the following is displayed:

Advanced postcode search results

Results:

Results of Advanced Postcode Search

  This call can ONLY be used with Internet based data

Step 6 Testing

Final step is to test, to enable easy testing please use our special test postcodes.

Postcode Software Full Address - Example Code 

Simply download the example code.   The code is in the "NET assembly/Csharp NET Assembly Example" or "NET assembly/VB NET Assembly Example" directory of our example downloads.

These two examples demonstrate postcode lookup software using Full Address.

Full Address using the .NET Assembly and implement your own User Interface:

This is a two-step process. First we present a list to the user, then wait for user selection. After selection we retrieve the full address from the database.

Follow steps 1-4 above.

Step 5 Sign up for trial

Simply use the "Sign Up for Trial" link at top right of this page to open a trial account.   We will then send you a data key, which is used to identify your account, when using the following service.

Step 6 Present a list fo addreses from postcode entered

Simply call GetFullAddressToList(Postcode), with the Postcode the user has entered in search box.

  This call can be used with Local Data or Internet based data. 

Parameters

Parameter name Description
Postcode as string Postcode to find. If using our Internet based data, then the user can enter words, and wildcard, to search for address data.

Returns

Returns true if address search completed and General_credits_display_text contains summary of Credits/License status. Else errors reported in General_errormessage. 

Step 7 Call for each line to display

And then call GetFullAddressLineForSelection() to get each line for list selection for display, discussed in next section.

Example Full Address search code

  VB.Net

'Set Data key, to identify your account
SimplyPostCodeLookup.SetDataKey(Me.txtDataKey.Text)

Me.ListBox1.Items.Clear()

With SimplyPostCodeLookup

  If .GetFullAddressToList(Me.txtPostcode.Text) Then

   'Make list + Cancel button visible
   Me.ListBox1.Visible = True
   Me.ButCancelSelection.Visible = True

   'Now Populate the List box
   Dim Line$
   Line = .GetFullAddressLineForSelection()
   Do Until Line = ""
     Me.ListBox1.Items.Add(Line)
     Line = .GetFullAddressLineForSelection()
   Loop

  Else
    MsgBox(.General_credits_display_text & vbCrLf & .General_errormessage,
               vbCritical, "Simply Postcode Lookup")
  End If

  Me.Text = "Simply Postcode Lookup : " & .General_credits_display_text

end With


  C# .NET

string DataKey;
DataKey = "Your Data Key"
SimplyPostCodeLookup.SetDataKey(ref DataKey);

ListBox1.Items.Clear();

string PostCodeToFind = txtPostcode.Text;
if (SimplyPostCodeLookup.GetFullAddressToList(ref PostCodeToFind) == true)
{
   //Make list + Cancel button visible
   ListBox1.Visible = true;
   ButCancelSelection.Visible = true;

   //Now Populate the List box
   string Line="";
   Line = SimplyPostCodeLookup.GetFullAddressLineForSelection();
   while (Line != "")
   {
      ListBox1.Items.Add(Line);
      Line = SimplyPostCodeLookup.GetFullAddressLineForSelection();
   }

} else {
   MessageBox.Show(SimplyPostCodeLookup.General_credits_display_text + " " +
   SimplyPostCodeLookup.General_errormessage, "Simply Postcode Lookup");
}

this.Text = "Simply Postcode Lookup : " +
SimplyPostCodeLookup.General_credits_display_text;

Step 8 Get Address Reord Selected

Now get Address record, when user double clicks on address line in selection box

Calling GetFullAddressRecord(SelectedListIndex as long)

Parameters

Parameter name Description
SelectedListIndex as long The index number of the item selected in the listbox. Zero being the first item on the list

Returns

Returns true if address search completed and General_credits_display_text contains summary of Credits/License status. Else errors reported in General_errormessage. 

Example get address record

  VB.Net

With SimplyPostCodeLookup
   If .GetFullAddressRecord(Me.ListBox1.SelectedIndex) Then

      Me.CompanyName.text = .Address_Organisation
      Me.Line1.text = .Address_Line1
      Me.Line2.text = .Address_Line2
      Me.Line3.text = .Address_Line3
      Me.Town.text = .Address_Town
      Me.County.text = .Address_County
      Me.Postcode.text = .Address_Postcode

   Else
      MsgBox(.General_credits_display_text & vbCrLf & .General_errormessage,
                  vbCritical, "Simply Postcode Lookup")
   End If

    Me.Text = "Simply Postcode Lookup : " & .General_credits_display_text
End With

  C# .NET

int SelectedIndex=ListBox1.SelectedIndex;
if (SimplyPostCodeLookup.GetFullAddressRecord(ref SelectedIndex)==true)
{
   CompanyName.text = SimplyPostCodeLookup.Address_Organisation;
   Line1.text = SimplyPostCodeLookup.Address_Line1;     
   Line2.text = SimplyPostCodeLookup.Address_Line2;     
   Line3.text = SimplyPostCodeLookup.Address_Line3;
   Town.text = SimplyPostCodeLookup.Address_Town; 
   County.text = SimplyPostCodeLookup.Address_County;
   Postcode.text = SimplyPostCodeLookup.Address_Postcode;

} else {
  MessageBox.Show(SimplyPostCodeLookup.General_credits_display_text + " " +
            SimplyPostCodeLookup.General_errormessage, "Simply Postcode Lookup");
}

this.Text = "Simply Postcode Lookup : " +
               SimplyPostCodeLookup.General_credits_display_text;

Step 9 Testing

Final step is to test, to enable easy testing please use our special test postcodes.

Postcode Software - Example Code 

Simply download the example code.   The code is in the "NET assembly/Csharp NET Assembly Example" or "NET assembly/VB NET Assembly Example" directory of our example downloads.

These two examples demonstrate postcode lookup software using Full Address.


Alternative using Address ID:

In the previous two steps we used the NET assembly to remember, in the background, the actual address record IDs used to get the resultant address record.   This makes implementing for traditional desktop software easier.

When implementing for a web site we need to store the actual address ID’s in the combo box we allow the user to select from since we cannot keep the state of the NET Assembly alive between calls from the users web page.   Indeed the SimplyPostCodeLookup object life is only the duration of the address query.

Follow steps 1-4 above.

Step 5 Present a list fo addreses from postcode entered

To obtain the Address ID and the line information, we use:

.GetFullAddressLineForSelectionWithID(ID as string)

Instead of .GetFullAddressLineForSelection()

Example code to get list:

  VB.Net

Dim SimplyPostCodeLookup = New ISimplyPostCodeClass.ISimplyPostCodeClass(CurDir)

'Set Data key, to identify your account
SimplyPostCodeLookup.SetDataKey("Your Data key")

'If using Local Mode data files then the following code sets the PATH.
'SimplyPostCodeLookup.LMSetDataPath(DataPATH)

Dim PostCode$ = "PE13 2QL";
Me.ListAddresses.Items.Clear()

With SimplyPostCodeLookup

  If .GetFullAddressToList(PostCode$) Then

    'Now Populate the List box
   Dim Line$ = "", ID$ = ""
   Line = .GetFullAddressLineForSelectionWithID(ID)

    Do Until Line = ""

      Me.ListAddresses.Items.Add(New ListItem(Line, ID))
      Line = .GetFullAddressLineForSelectionWithID(ID)
    Loop
  Else
    'Display errror
    Me.Label2.Text = .General_credits_display_text & vbCrLf & .General_errormessage
  End If

  If Me.ListAddresses.Items.Count = 0 Then Me.Label1.Text = "Nothing found..."

  Me.Label2.Text = "Simply Postcode Lookup : " & .General_credits_display_text
End With

SimplyPostCodeLookup = Nothing

Step 6 Get Address Reord Selected

Then we need to get the Address record, when user double clicks on address line in selection box.

This time we call GetFullAddressRecordByAddressID(addressID as string)

Parameters

Parameter name Description
addressID as string The Address ID is returned in this string

Returns

Returns true if address search completed and General_credits_display_text contains summary of Credits/License status. Else errors reported in General_errormessage. 

Example code to get address

  VB.Net

Dim addressID$ = "11570840_0E"

Dim SimplyPostCodeLookup = New ISimplyPostCodeClass.ISimplyPostCodeClass(CurDir)

'Set Data key, to identify your account
SimplyPostCodeLookup.SetDataKey("Your datakey")

'If using Local Mode data files then the following code sets the PATH
'SimplyPostCodeLookup.LMSetDataPath(DataPATH)

Dim DataToDisplay$ = ""

With SimplyPostCodeLookup
   If .GetFullAddressRecordByAddressID(addressID$) Then
      DataToDisplay = "Organistaion:" & .Address_Organisation & "<br>"
      DataToDisplay += "Line1:" & .Address_Line1 & "<br>"
      DataToDisplay += "Line2:" & .Address_Line2 & "<br>"
      DataToDisplay += "Line3:" & .Address_Line3 & "<br>"
      DataToDisplay += "Town:" & .Address_Town & "<br>"
      DataToDisplay += "County:" & .Address_County & "<br>"
      DataToDisplay += "Postcode:" & .Address_Postcode & "<br>"
   Else
      'Display error
      MsgBox(.General_credits_display_text & vbCrLf & .General_errormessage,
                     vbCritical, "Simply Postcode Lookup")
   End If

   DataToDisplay += "Simply Postcode Lookup : " & .General_credits_display_text
End With

SimplyPostCodeLookup = Nothing

Step 7 Testing your Address Search Software

Final step is to test, to enable easy testing please use our special test postcodes.

Postcode Software Advanced Search - Example Code 

Simply download the example code.   The code is in the "NET assembly/Csharp NET Assembly Example" or "NET assembly/VB NET Assembly Example" directory of our example downloads.

These two examples demonstrate postcode lookup software using Full Address.


Data Returned:

This type of license returns: (see example below)

Public Address_Id As String ● 
Public Address_Organisation As String
Public Address_Line1 As String
Public Address_Line2 As String
Public Address_Line3 As String
Public Address_Town As String
Public Address_County As String
Public Address_Postcode As String
Public Address_Country As String

'Note: When using getting Thoroughfare only:
    'Address_Organisation is Not returned
    'Address_Line1 may return road name, but the user must supply the Building 
    'Name/Number in your software, so you will need to prompt them for this data

'Extra Address information contained in PAF data file
Public Address_Deliverypointsuffix As String  ●
Public Address_NoHouseHolds As String  ● 
Public Address_Smallorg As String ● 
Public Address_PoBox As String ● 
Public Address_Rawpostcode As String ● 
Public Address_Mailsort As String ● 
Public Address_Unique As String  ●   *
Public Address_UDPRN As String  ●  *
Public Address_Spare As String   ●    *

* = Not available in Local Mode

● see Additional Data Returned by Postcode Finder API for more information