The  CDXZipStream toolbar has a button third from the left that looks like a small certificate or drivers license.  It's the License Information and Software Updates (LISU) button, and it's the main portal through which you can get and maintain your CDXZipStream software.  We'd like to review all the things you can do when you press this button. 

But first, a couple of things before we start.  To use the LISU button, the CDXZipStream toolbar must be visible (duh!).  If you can't see the toolbar, we've posted a couple of support articles that address this problem.  Also, many of the activities described below will require you to login to your CDX Technologies account. (Once you've purchased CDXZipStream, this account will have already been created for you.)  If you've lost your account information, or can't remember your password, please don't hesitate to contact us at support@cdxtech.com and we'll quickly get your information to you.

Purchase CDXZipStream:  If you've downloaded and installed the CDXZipStream free demo, press the LISU button to initiate the purchasing process.  We've covered all the details of the purchasing process in a previous blog post, so please refer to that for more information.

Once you've purchased and installed CDXZipStream, the following functions are available:

Get Data Updates:  Press the LISU button, then press "Data Updates' and login to your account.  You'll be directed to a webpage where you can click on the Product drop-down list to see the data updates available for your version of CDXZipStream.  Then just follow the purchasing process on the website.

Get Product Updates:  Press the LISU button, then press "Product Updates" to check to see if you have the latest release of the software.  We are continuing to refine and add new features to CDXZipStream, and as of this writing we provide software updates free of charge.  After pressing this button you will be automatically directed to our website where you will have the option to download and install the latest version.

Generate a Keycode:  You can use the "Generate Keycode" button on the LISU box to transfer CDXZipStream to another computer.  First, download and install the CDXZipStream demo on the new computer.  When installation is complete and Microsoft Excel opens, press the LISU button, press the "Buy Now" button, then press "Generate KeyCode".  Log into your account and a web page allowing you to generate a new keycode should appear with your new Computer ID automatically entered. This Computer ID is unique for each PC and your registration code is based on it. Then press "Next" to generate your new registration key.

Copy your new keycode from the box that appears and press the "x" in the upper right corner to minimize your browser. Then paste the copied code into the "Keycode" section of the LISU box and press "OK".  CDXZipStream will now be fully activated on your new computer.

Update a Keycode:   You can also use the "Update Keycode" button on the LISU box if you wish to upgrade your version of CDXZipStream.  Login to your CDXZipStream account, and under the Account menu on the left select "Product Management".  Press "Upgrade License" and go through the purchasing process to obtain the upgrade and accompanying keycode.  Copy your new keycode from the box that appears and press the "x" in the upper right corner to minimize your browser. Then paste the copied code into the "Keycode" section of the LISU box and press "Update Keycode".  The upgraded version of CDXZipStream will now be fully activated on your new computer.  Don't forget to download any accompanying data files for the new version; these files are available under your account's "Product Management" webpage.

Warn if Zip Code Data is Out of Date:  Since zip code data changes frequently, and we update our database on a monthly basis, you can elect to receive an automatic message to warn you if your database is out of date.  Just check or uncheck this box according to your preference. 

Last but not least, the LISU box also provides general information on product registration status, available data feeds for your version of CDXZipStream, as well as product version, database version, and date of the last database update.

MapPoint 2011 for North America was just released as of March 1, and we'd like to review here the features available for both 2010 and 2011 versions.  MapPoint is the Microsoft mapping software that works with our Excel add-in CDXZipStream, performing a variety functions within Excel such as driving distance and time calculations, route optimization, geocoding, map creation, and address verification.

The main difference between the 2011 and 2010 versions is the additional street update in 2011 – about 88,000 miles of roadways were added.  That represents about 2 percent of the approximately 4.8 million miles of roads in the US and Canada.  Particularly if you're using MapPoint for address verification or geocoding, the street update can be a significant factor in improving direct mail and customer outreach efforts.

If you're using an older, pre-2010 version of MapPoint, you may also want to consider upgrading to MapPoint 2010, which also includes updated street data over previous versions as well as some significant functional improvements.  For instance, MapPoint 2010 allows sharing of data with other mapping software or even portable GPS devices, by both importing and exporting gpx files.  It can also send location information to a mobile phone or GPS device.  MapPoint 2010 users can specify an easier-to-remember name for a route stop in lieu of an address, and can import more than 10,000 addresses into the software at one time, a limitation in other versions.  And best of all, pricing for the 2010 version is more than a few pennies cheaper than the 2011 version. 

MapPoint 2011 is currently available as a free trial from Microsoft, and you can directly compare it to the version you're now using – just specify that you want to keep your current version intact during the installation process.  And if you're ready to purchase either MapPoint 2010 or 2011, consider the excellent pricing available below from our partner site mp2kmag.com:

MapPoint 2010 Pricing

MapPoint 2011 Pricing