The newest CDXZipStream v 2.1.0.12 was just released on November 30. CDXZipStream is a Microsoft Excel add-in that provides quick and easy ZIP code and location analysis, including geocoding, reverse geocoding, demographics import, ZIP Code lookup, address verification, and driving and routing calculations. The new version is now compatible with Bing Maps (as well as Microsoft MapPoint), and works with both 32 and 64-Excel. Here is a summary of all the new features:
Bing Maps Compatibility: Prior versions of CDXZipStream exclusively used Microsoft MapPoint as a source of mapping and routing data. But MapPoint was discontinued in 2014, so the new release of CDXZipStream now offers the option of using the web service Bing Maps in addition to MapPoint. The CDXZipStream functions CDXRouteBing and CDXLocateBing can geocode and reverse-geocode, check and validate address data, do ZIP Code or postal code lookup, perform travel time and distance calculations, and plan travel routes. Bing Maps offers a number of advantages over MapPoint:
1. As a web-based mapping service, Bing Maps data is continuously updated.
2. Bing Maps has significantly greater geographic coverage, with at least basic geocoding precision and major road coverage for over 250 countries. Address or rooftop level geocoding is available for over 60 countries, including Mexico, Australia, and South Africa. More information on Bing country coverage is available on the Microsoft website.
3. To get real-time travel duration, driving route data from Bing can account for traffic flow in 35 countries. Travel time and distance can be calculated for driving, walking, and transit routes.
4. Bing can provide road, aerial, and other map types where available, for up to eighteen locations on a single map.
Bing Maps does not currently provide route optimization capability, but we will be offering a new version for optimizing routes (that doesn’t use MapPoint) in the near future.
Easy Product Registration and Downloads: Product registration as well as data downloads and installation can be performed directly from the CDXZipStream commandbar, using the new “Account” option.
32- and 64-Bit Compatibility: CDXZipStream is now compatible with both 32- and 64-bit Excel. This became necessary as many CDXZipStream users have begun to migrate to 64-bit Excel to work with larger sets of data. Please note that Microsoft still recommends 32-bit Office for most users since it is more compatible with most other applications, especially third-party add-ins.
Data Returned as Text Values or Custom Functions: When obtaining demographic data from the main CDXZipStream interface, or when using Bing-related functions CDXRouteBing and CDXLocateBing, you now have the option to import the data as text values instead of custom function formulas. This is especially useful when working with large data sets where many formulas can be slow to recalculate, such as during filtering or sorting.
Autocopy Functionality: The Bing Maps functions CDXRouteBing and CDXLocateBing also have an “Autcopy” option that will automatically obtain data for long lists, until the first occurrence of an empty cell. There’s no need to copy and paste custom function formulas anymore.
Expanded Data from CDXRadius: The function CDXRadius, which finds postal codes within a radius distance of a target ZIP, can now import up to one million values. This is a useful feature for analysis within Canada, which has over 800,000 postal codes.
To try the new CDXZipStream, download and install the free 30-day demo, which can be used with Bing Basic or Trial license keys available from the Microsoft website or Bing reseller OnTerra. If you are already a CDXZipStream user and would like to try the new version, we recommend that you first uninstall your current version using the Windows Control Panel "Uninstall a program" option. Then download and install the demo. It is possible to use both old and new versions at the same time, but you may see two separate CDXZipStream commandbars and right-click menus.