To use the Oracle Spatial geocoding capabilities, you must use data provided by a geocoding vendor, and the data must be in the format supported by the Oracle Spatial geocoding feature.

To geocode an address using the geocoding data, use the SDO_GCDR PL/SQL package subprograms, which are documented in SDO_GCDR Package (Geocoding) :

• The SDO_GCDR.ELOC_GEOCODE function applies only if you are working on Oracle Autonomous Database. Depending on the input parameters, the function performs one of the following actions:
  • Geocodes a formatted (address parts in separate fields) address
  • Geocodes an unformatted (complete address in a single string field) address
  • Reverse geocodes the specified location

  The function returns the output address in JSON format.

• The SDO_GCDR.ELOC_GEOCODE_AS_GEOM function applies only if you are working on Oracle Autonomous Database. Depending on the input parameters, the function geocodes a formatted (address parts in separate fields) or an unformatted (complete address in a single string field) address and returns the output address as an SDO_GEOMETRY object.

• The SDO_GCDR.GEOCODE function geocodes an unformatted address to return an SDO_GEO_ADDR object.

• The SDO_GCDR.GEOCODE_ADDR function geocodes an input address using attributes in an SDO_GEO_ADDR object, and returns the first matched address as an SDO_GEO_ADDR object.

• The SDO_GCDR.GEOCODE_ADDR_ALL function geocodes an input address using attributes in an SDO_GEO_ADDR object, and returns matching addresses as an SDO_ADDR_ARRAY object.

• The SDO_GCDR.GEOCODE_AS_GEOMETRY function geocodes an unformatted address to return an SDO_GEOMETRY object.

• The SDO_GCDR.GEOCODE_ALL function geocodes all addresses associated with an unformatted address and returns the result as an SDO_ADDR_ARRAY object (an array of address objects).

• The SDO_GCDR.REVERSE_GEOCODE function reverse geocodes a location, specified by its spatial geometry object and country, and returns the result as an SDO_GEO_ADDR object.