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CDXZipStream

Welcome to the CDXZipStream April 2011 Newsletter

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The CDXZipStream Premium data field for zip code population, PopulationEstimate, provides an excellent alternative to delayed census data. This month we also provide a programming code example that allows you to access powerful CDXZipStream functionality and apply it to a range of applications, including Microsoft Word, Access, Sharepoint, and Powerpoint. And to our series of free, downloadable templates we've added one that can calculate driving distance, time, and cost for a large matrix of locations.

 

Here are three new blog articles from this past month: 

PopulationEstimate for Zip Code Population Data

 

If you're interested in current population data by zip code, CDXZipStream Premium includes a data field, PopulationEstimate, that provides an excellent alternative to pending census data.

PopulationEstimate is calculated based on the current number of households the USPS delivers to in each zip code, multiplied by the average number of persons per household from the 2000 Census.  This value has been found to be an accurate estimate of the number of people in each zip code because, due to the innate stability of residential areas, the average persons per household value is historically fairly constant.  The USPS updates the number of households data monthly, so PopulationEstimate does represent an excellent up-to-date snapshot of U.S. population by zip code.

Based on our recent discussions with the Census Bureau, zip code data from the 2010 census and American Community survey will not be available until 2012 or 2013.  The delay is due to the need to update census geography with the most recent USPS definitions of zip code areas; the last time this was done was for the 2000 decennial census.  We will be updating our zip code Census data as soon as it is made available.

Get Driving Calculations for a Matrix in a Free One-Click Template


Driving Matrix Template

The latest addition to our series of free, one-click Microsoft Excel templates performs driving calculations for a matrix of locations, allowing for easy comparison of different combinations of driving routes. For example, this type of matrix calculation is used by realtors to compare different housing options based on their driving distance to workplace, school, shopping and other locations.  Please view our short YouTube video to see it in action. 

 

Just enter your address lists down one column and along one row, and specify the type of calculation desired: driving distance in miles or kilometers, driving time in minutes, hours, or days, or driving cost.  Zip codes can be used if an exact address is not available. You can also specify the type of route to calculate, such as shortest or quickest.   The template can be run with the trial versions of both CDXZipStream and Microsoft MapPoint.  

 

You can visit the links page on our website to download this and other free templates.

Use Visual Basic Code for Ultimate Flexibility

 

You may have heard us discuss previously how CDXZipStream uses custom functions in Microsoft Excel formulas to grab data and place it in worksheet cells.  (If you'd like to hear more about custom functions, check out our blog article on the subject.)  Now we'd like to illustrate how you can go one step further and make the same "data call" using simple programming code, which allows you to apply CDXZipStream functionality across a variety of applications including Microsoft Access, Word, Powerpoint, and Sharepoint.

 

Let's start with a simple example using the CDXZipStream function CDXZipCode.  This a right-click Excel function takes a zip code and returns a host of associated data for the zip, such city, population, elevation. latitude, longitude, etc.  (The data fields vary depending upon the version you use.) The worksheet custom function formula to get the city for the zip code 07869 would be:

 

                      = CDXZipCode ("07869", "City")

 

But we can also do the same thing using just a few lines of visual basic code.  In the first line we use the createobject statement to connect to CDXZipStream:

 

Set oAdd = CreateObject("CDXZipStreamCF.Connect")

 

Then simply ask for the data:

 

City = oAdd.CDXZipCode("07869", "City") 

 

This code can be generalized to obtain data for a long list of zip codes, and then place the returned data in the desired application. This is exactly the same approach we take in creating CDXZipStream templates.  In future newsletters we'll be reviewing code examples using other CDXZipStream functionality.

April Data Updates


CDXZipStream data feeds were updated as of April 27.  There were 395 changes to the zip code database.  If you would like to update your database to reflect these changes, click on the "License Information and Software Updates" icon on the CDXZipStream toolbar, and select "Data Updates" to login to your account.  If you've forgotten your user name or password, please contact us at support@cdxtech.com.

We hope you find the information here helpful for your organization.  You can contact us with your feedback and suggestions by replying to this email.


The Team at CDX Technologies  
April 2011
Map of the World

In This Issue

PopulationEstimate for Zip Code Population Data

 
Get Driving Calculations for a Matrix

 

Use VBA Code for Ultimate Flexibility

 

April Data Updates


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