Just registered ... quick Q

Just registered with the forum. Am in market research for a company in the newspaper distribution business.

I started out 3 yrs ago with Map Point 02 & now have 04. I construct many maps based upon zip code data including territory mapping.

I enjoy using 04 but have read a bunch about 06 & GIS data import.

Can someone tell me if 04 has GIS capability? I'm not totally technical when it comes to things so please bear with me. Just curious if maybe I should try to upgrade to 06 because a group here works with GIS data which I don't currently use.

Or, if 04 has it, I'd just like to know.

Appreciate your feedback.

Functionally, MapPoint 2006 is virtually the same to 2004. It has better GPS abilities and some minor improvements at the programming level. The biggest reason to upgrade are the data updates. More recent road networks, updated demographics, more demographics, etc.

What "GIS abilities" do you need? It is possible that a third party supplier sells an add-in that does what you want. Or it might be possible to code something up to meet your needs.


Richard

Appreciate your feedback, Richard.

I have a group that utilizes "Route Smart" software for mapping tons of addresses in planning newspaper delivery routes.

I don't know much about this software but plan on sitting down with a couple of the people in the group to see how they work with addresses, etc.

What I would really like to see is how the addresses are intertwined with GIS and how I could conceivably map a file in Map Point that I might get from someone in this group.

I'm not familiar at all at this point with using GIS.

Welcome! and I hope your wanderings in here are happy.

MapPoint can definitely work with addresses, in fact is often does a better job with lists of addresses than most "GIS" software because MapPoint has the built-in ability to geocode.

MapPoint also does routing.. there is an high-end add-in called TourSolver that expands on MapPoint's built-in routing capabilities.. I'd bet it's probably similar to the Route Smart software you mention.

Eric

Eric,

Thx for your comments.

I've used Map Point for some time but there is so much more that I am not aware of about this product!

Appreciate your feedback. Great forum here.

I am still learning myself.. and there are so many uses for MapPoint!

Eric