mysql zip code and address database

[skywalker2208]

I am creating a site that has a section where users can enter in the address or zip code to find if anything is in their area. It is kind of like when you go to some company web sites and you can enter your address or zip code and it will show you stores in your area. It looks like I need a free or paid for mysql file that i can import that has the needed info. So I am wondering if anyone has any suggests of good ones that you have used? Also, if you can provide a link.

[ssystems]

The only database that I know that have the complete details for address to geographic location translation are the GIS divisions of Google, Yahoo, MapQuest, etc. You can also include logistics institutions like USPS, FedEX, etc. I highly doubt you can purchase that. The usual solution to that is to call those companies' API to translate it to geographic data (lat, long, heading, ellipsis, state plane, etc). On another scenario, if you have a set of locations beforehand, e.g store 1 address, store 2 address and so forth you can convert it beforehand. Either way you need to translate the reference address to geo data and do spherical computations. Another option you have is to call the API's and just parse the result set. Hope this helped.

[skywalker2208]

The only database that I know that have the complete details for address to geographic location translation are the GIS divisions of Google, Yahoo, MapQuest, etc. You can also include logistics institutions like USPS, FedEX, etc. I highly doubt you can purchase that. The usual solution to that is to call those companies' API to translate it to geographic data (lat, long, heading, ellipsis, state plane, etc). On another scenario, if you have a set of locations beforehand, e.g store 1 address, store 2 address and so forth you can convert it beforehand. Either way you need to translate the reference address to geo data and do spherical computations. Another option you have is to call the API's and just parse the result set. Hope this helped.

Do you have any links google, yahoo or mapquest? All I find is google maps api and I don't think that is what I want.

[ssystems]

Yahoo: http://developer.yahoo.com/maps/
MapQuest: http://www.mapquest.com/openapi

Unless the description you gave above is not what you really want those API's (including Google) is what you want. Consider this, you want to enter an address or zip and search something in that area correct? You can do that directly on their site correct? Therefore you can do that on their API. (not always the case for other services but for this condition it is)

[skywalker2208]

For the most part what I am looking to do is
1) User enters in their address or zip code and example 123 mystreet Denver, Co
2) System checks and there are 3 locations in Denver, Co
3) Brings back a list of locations on a map and a listing below the map with how address, phone and distance from address.