Anyone here ever coded an app using world ZIP code data?

[Laury022]

Hi all,

I’m in the early stages of building an app that would use ZIP/postal code data across multiple countries, and I’m quickly realizing how complex it can get. Every country formats and structures postal codes differently, and making that all play nicely in one system is turning into a real challenge.

My idea is to create a location-based tool where users can input a postal code from anywhere in the world and get back structured info—like city, region, country, and maybe even geocoordinates. Ideally, I’d like the app to support things like autocomplete, distance lookup, and filtering by postal region.

Has anyone here tackled anything similar? I’d love to know:

What data sources you used (especially those that are well-structured and regularly updated)

How you dealt with inconsistencies between formats

If you integrated mapping or geocoding services, how well that worked across borders

I’m mostly focused on backend logic right now but open to advice on UI too if you’ve done something similar.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

[temtronic]

1st problem is the 'parsing' needed to determine what country you're dealing with.

Here in Canada A1A 1A1 is the official format for postal codes BUT you'll often see A1A1A1 when asked to 'enter your postal code' into a 'window'.

I can see using 'ISAPLHA' and 'ISNUMBER' will be crucial to the task.

I suggest doing your country first to work out the bugs.Then do neighbouring countries, one at a time.

[Ttelmah]

Seriously,
is this a CCS C project?????

I honestly cannot believe this is being done o could be done in CCS C on
a PIC.
This requires using an external database like Geopostcodes.com
To even get remotely close to handling this on an embedded system
(which is what this forum is for), is going to be pretty nigh impossible.

If this is not a PIC project, then go elsewhere please.

This is not a forum for coding 'apps'. It is for coding embedded code
in the PIC processor using XXS C.

[temtronic]

hmm, I suppose the 'cheat', would be to have the human enter the postal code through the PIC, and have the PIC connect to the internet to ask Google ??