I'm not sure conceptually how to do what I'd like to do in databases...essentially, there is a body of data that is linked to latitude and longitude that when the two numbers are given it returns average household income, demographic breakdown, etc. In programming you could use a sparse matrix or two-dimensional array or something...but in databases (particularly filemaker) how could you design something that given those two coordinates would return the record with the appropriate statistical data?

Hi 'charlener',

I'm not completely clear on what it is you want to do. I'm thinking you would like to 'capture' various data when you enter a longitudinal & latitudinal coordinate... similar to a GIS map data system.

I've never tried this with FMP... although, conceptually, FMP should be capable... albeit, somewhat limited in functionality compared to a full blown GIS system.

I would probably approach this from the stand point of creating data records with two coordinate fields... for longitude & latitude. I would then probably have a search screen that would prompt the user for the 'search-point' and radius of the search. Using a calculation... it should be able to find all the records within the radius of the 'search-point'.

EXAMPLE:

I could have a ClientDB with various info such as... purchase history (dates & dollars), business category (retail, service, etc.), business size (employees, income, etc.), and any other data I would track. Each client would also have proper map coordinates.

I would then have a search screen that would request the 'search-point' and radius. The 'search-point' would also be coordinates. A 'geometric' calculation, based on the radius, would be used to determine the coordinate range for the find process, then have the system find all clients within that range and display the results.

The system could be further expanded to find only clients with other details such as... "only clients that generate over $X.XX of business", or "only client that are retail businesses with over 100 employees", etc.

SOME CONCERNS:

Can FMP 'handle' the complex 'geometric' calculation to perform the find needed for a 'radial' area. I've never tried that type of calc before... it must be possible.

Beware that distances change at different latitudes. As a former surveyor... I had to deal with these differences.

Hope this Helps!!!

Bob Kundinger

[email protected]

Hi Bob,

Have a lookie here:

http://www.briandunning.com/weblets/zipcodes/#

It's pretty cool.

Hi John,

Yes... that is a very nice product. 'charlener' could use this data for the system I described above. Definitely don't need to research all the longitude & latitude coordinates for lots of records.

Bob Kundinger

[email protected]

Hi charlener

Maybe you could provide some more information about your data:

- How is the statistical data