Geography Issues with Visual Analytics using zip Code

[mhamlett]

i have a geo map

i am trying to create the map with measures at the state level with drill down to the zip code level

the state is working properly

i have zip code in my table and have changed it to Geography US Zip Codes

if i try to simply drag the new zip code field to the us map i get the error

"This external geography type is not supported"

any ideas. thanks

[varsha_sas]

Hi mhamlett,

Just to confirm, you are using 5 number US zip codes, correct? Can you paste some of your data so we can try to troubleshoot?

Thanks!

Varsha

[mhamlett]

we are using 5 digit zip codes

attached is a  sample of data.

[Madelyn_SAS · Accepted solution]

Are you creating a geo region map? Because the documentation says this:

"Geo Region Map: A geo region map requires a geography variable with the role type of geography. However, it does not support custom geography data items or ZIP code data."

http://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/vaug/68648/HTML/default/viewer.htm#p08zq1v1bfz46an1frvdo...

[mhamlett]

va version 7.3 ...zip code is shown as a valid geography option.

i right click my zip code (which is a character field)

hover over geography

click US ZIP codes

try to drag this new field to the map.

"This external geography type is not supported"

[Madelyn_SAS]

What type of geo map are you creating? Region, bubble, or coordinate?

[mhamlett]

region

[mhamlett]

thats the issue.

i dropped a bubble map on the designer and the zip code works

[LaDee]

I'm having the same issue! The zip code bubble map looks awful. I was hoping for a solution

The answer is "no" and that counts as solved?

[mhamlett]

what version of VA are you on?

[Sam_SAS]

@LaDee,

Out of the box, VA does not have the shape (polygon) data to display ZIP codes in a region map. This data is large and subject to frequent change. (There are likely also other reasons we don't provide it.)

In VA 7.4 or 8.2, you can load ZIP codes as custom polygons. You will need certain permissions to do so.

VA 7.4 instructions for this process:

https://support.sas.com/documentation/cdl/en/vaag/69958/HTML/default/viewer.htm#n0g5kjtnbvsrwbn1lxl2...

VA 8.2 instructions:

http://go.documentation.sas.com/?docsetId=caldatamgmtcas&docsetTarget=p1dwawsidsczlpn121j0glleicxp.h...

There are also some good posts on this community about loading custom polygons, you might want to check that out.

If you search the web, you should be able to find ZIP code boundaries for download as ESRI shapefiles.

If you attempt to display ZIP codes for the entire USA at once, you are likely to encounter some performance issues and/or error messages. It is best to filter your data down to specific states or other regions as appropriate.

I hope this helps,

Sam