How to use Online Content Services

This page has links to instructions for using Esri UK’s online map and gazetteer services across ArcGIS.

Enquire about subscribing to premium map services.

Furthermore we have made available a number of free locators which allow you to search for locations (e.g. streets, places and postcodes), batch geocode and reverse geocode.

Locators help you find locations and geocode within ArcGIS. At Esri UK we have built three locators which are free to use in the software:

• Code-Point® Open is an OpenData postcode-level dataset providing a point location for all geographic postal codes in Great Britain. The gazetteer service allows geocoding and postcode searching against this dataset.
• OS Open Names is an OpenData dataset that includes place names, road names and numbers and postcode for Great Britain and includes 2.5 million locations. The OS Open Names locator allows geocoding and searching against postcodes, street names, road numbers and places all in a single locator.
• The BNG Locator is a coordinate system locator that allows you to enter coordinates in British National Grid format for example TL12341234 or 123456,123456. This allows you to navigate to a known grid reference.
   

The online content services are delivered through ArcGIS Online as REST services that can be consumed directly by any client either within or outside the Esri Platform.

1. Go to File > Add Data, click on the drop down arrow and select Add Basemap
2. The Add Basemap dialog will be shown with basemaps from the UK and around the world.

Using the Free Locators - From the Geocoding Toolbar - Single Line Search, Single Result

1. Click the drop-down in the first field to select the locator or, if the one you want is not there, select Manage Address Locators (from the drop-down), navigate to the one you want, Add it and Set Active.
2. Type or paste the location to search for (e.g. a postcode for the OS CodePointOpen Postcode Locator) in the text box.
3. Press Return, and if a match is found, it will flash on the map and hovering over the address field will display a popup of the full address.

Note: If a single result is not found, a no match is returned. Use the Find button for best results.

From the Find Button - Single Line Search, Multiple Results

1. On the main toolbar, click the Find icon.
2. Select the Locations tab.
3. Click the drop-down to choose a locator or, if the one you want is not there, click the folder icon to browse to it.
4. Type the single line location to search for (e.g. a postcode for the OS CodePointOpen Postcode Locator).
5. Click Find.
6. In the Results panel, clicking on a match makes it flash on the map, and right clicking options include flashing or zooming to the location on the map and bookmarking the location.

Batch Geocoding - Multi Line Search

1. Batch geocode tables from the Geoprocessing tool, using ANALYSIS >Tools to open the Geoprocessing pane. Select Geocoding Tools > Geocode Addresses, creating output in a new feature class (see About geocoding a table of addresses and Geocoding a table of addresses using a geoprocessing tool)
2. Right click a table of addresses and select Geocode Addresses from the context menu (see Geocoding a table of addresses in ArcMap)
3. Interactively rematch batch geocoded results (see Rematching a geocoded feature class using the Interactive Rematch dialog box)
    

Add free basemaps to ArcGIS Pro

1. Go to MAP > Basemap.
2. The Add Basemap dialog will be shown with basemaps from the UK and around the world.

Using the Free Locators - Add Locators

To add locators to Pro, Add them to your Organisation in ArcGIS Online or Portal for ArcGIS. They will automatically be added to your project's Locator list.

Locate Pane

1. Use the Locate Pane to search the locators, enabled from MAP > Locate.
2. Use the Settings panel to select which locators are searched using the Locate panel.

Batch Geocoding

1. Batch geocode tables from the Toolbox, using Geocoding Tools > Geocode Address, creating output in a new feature class (see About geocoding a table of addresses and Geocoding a table of addresses).
2. Right click a table of addresses and select Geocode Addresses from the context menu.
3. Interactively rematch batch geocoded results (see Rematching geocoding results)
   
   

The free map services can be added as a basemap simply by selecting the Basemap button from within a Map. A dialog is shown listing basemaps from the UK and around the world.

Using the Free Locators - Locator Services in ArcGIS Online

Users who belong to an Organisation can use locator services set up by an administrator (i.e. in addition to the World Geocoding Service).

Administrators set up locator services by adding the locators to Utility Service:

1. Select MY ORGANISATION
2. Select EDIT SETTINGS
3. Select UTILITY SERVICES
4. Click ADD GEOCODER
5. In the dialog, specify:
   
   1. The URL of the DataHub geocoding service
   2. A Geocoder Name (will be displayed in drop-down list of geocoders)
   3. Placeholder Text to describe it (will be shown in grey in the search box)
   4. Tick Allow place finding
   5. Tick Allow batch geocoding
   6. Click OK to close the dialog
   7. At the top left of the page, click SAVE

The service should now be available to ArcGIS Online users in your organisation

To use a locator service for single line search:

1. View a map
2. In the search dialog at the top right, click the drop-down list, and select a geocoder
3. Enter a search string (e.g. a postcode for a postcode locator)
4. Press Return or click the search icon
5. The map should zoom to the location
6. To see other matches and possible matches, click Not what you wanted?, in the dialog pointing to the best match on the map
   

To use a locator service for batch geocoding a CSV file:

1. View a map
2. Add the data in one of two ways:
   
   • Drag and drop the file from your desktop onto the map
   • In the browser, select Add Layer from File, navigate to a CSV file and click IMPORT LAYER
3. In the dialog:
   
   1. Select to Locate features using Address
   2. Select the Geocoder from the drop-down list
   3. Select which fields in the data correspond to types of location, e.g. streetlocality in the CSV may map to Full Street as a location field
   4. Click Add Layer to start geocoding
4. When geocoding is finished, successfully matched points will be marked on the map and a message will tell you how many records did not match

A document detailing how to gain access to and use Esri UK’s Premium Services. It also contains information on securing access to the services:

• Esri UK Premium Services - Guidelines