Esri Business Analyst Online API SOAP Services

We are happy to announce new functionality and enhancements to the Online API SOAP services. They are summarized below.

Additional Dataset Support - The Online API now contains updated content and support for additional datasets. In addition to existing U.S-specific data and content covering previous years, all of the existing API services can now be used to access and leverage additional datasets including a new U.S. Census 2010 dataset and a new Canadian dataset (subject to availability and the terms/restrictions associated with your API subscription). Here is a Drive Time service example request specifying an output report from the Census 2010 dataset.
- Get Datasets Service - This simple service allows you to query the names of all publicly-available datasets currently hosted by the Online API.
- ActiveDatasetID Parameter - This optional parameter and its associated value will allow you to specify which dataset to leverage when submitting a Web services request to the Online APIs. The default value is the current U.S-specific dataset.
- Census 2010 Dataset - Esri is proud to announce release of updated data and content derived from the U.S. 2010 Census. Some highlights, as it pertains to the Online API, are described below. For more specific information please view the announcement describing the Census 2010 Geography Release.
  - Updated Analysis/Summarization Variables - New and updated variables and values derived from the 2010 Census are available to query and analyze with the Online API.
  - Updated Report Templates and Report Content - Updated report templates and content which specifically leverages the data derived from the 2010 Census can be generated with the Online API.
    - Updated Geographies/Administrative Boundary Data Layers - The Online API can be leveraged to query and analyze locations described by custom-defined areas or by updated U.S. standard geographies/administrative boundaries. The Census 2010 release from the Census Bureau includes not only updated demographic data but also updated geographic boundaries. A summary of these boundary changes is available in this announcement describing the Census 2010 Geography Release.
- Canadian Dataset - Esri is proud to announce release of Canada-specific data and content. Existing Online API services now support querying and analyzing locations within Canada.
  - Canada-specific Analysis/Summarization Variables - New Canada-specific variables and values are available to query and analyze with the Online API.
  - Canada-specific Report Templates and Report Content - Report templates and content which specifically leverages the Canadian Dataset can be generated with the Online API.
  - Canada-specific Geographies/Administrative Boundary Data Layers - The Online API can be leveraged to query and analyze locations described by custom-defined areas or by standard Canada-specific geographies/administrative boundaries.
Additional Output Spatial Reference Systems Support - In addition to the existing support for WGS 1984-based geographic coordinate system (latitude and longitude-based angular coordinate system) output, the Online API now supports additional output reference systems for increased flexibility. Coordinate reference systems allow you to describe the locations of features in the real world on a map. Esri-based products support numerous standardized reference systems as described by this documentation.
- OutputSpatialReference Parameter - This optional parameter and its associated value will allow you to specify which spatial reference system to use for geometry (coordinate-based) representations of your Online API output.
- Support for Latest ArcGIS.com and ArcGISOnline Base Map Services - Many of the newest base maps available on ArcGIS.com and ArcGISOnline consist of map services which use the Web Mercator Auxiliary Sphere (WKID 102100) based Coordinate Reference System. With the new OutputSpatialReference parameter, you can specify an output spatial reference system for your Online API output which is compatible with these map services.
- Drive Time and Simple Rings Support of Additional Spatial Reference Systems - Currently, the Drive Time and Simple Rings services support output geometries in alternative spatial reference systems with the OutputSpatialReference parameter. These services also support alternative spatial reference systems as input geometries (when specifying the input geometry as a PointLayer as FeatureSet).
List of Supported Custom Report Fields ("Headers") Provided for Each Report Template - The Get Report Templates service now returns a list of customizable output report fields for each report template available with your subscription.
Street Address and ZIP Code Input Location Options in the Return Standard Geographies Service - The powerful Return Standard Geographies service can be leveraged to obtain the spatial context of a given input location. In this case, spatial context can mean the state, city, county, ZIP code, Census Tract, etc. of the given location. In addition to supporting input latitude and longitude coordinates, the Return Standard Geographies service now supports specifying the input location by street address and ZIP code (In the case of the ZIP code, the ZIP code centroid - the ZIP code area’s geographic center - will be used to calculate spatial context).