Address Verification

When possible, the online calendar will create a link from the event's address to the bycycle.org online bicycling map, but this only works right if the address is recognizable and distinctive. For this reason, each time you change the value in the "Address" field and then move off the field, the form tries to verify the address by sending it to bycycle.org and parsing that site's response.

It's okay to leave the address unverified! Unverified addresses won't have a link to bycycle.org, but other than that they'll be treated just like any other address.

There are basically four kinds of responses that it's looking for...

Verified This is the response we hope to get. It means that bycycle.org will be able to locate that address, and probably any other online map can too.

Ambiguous This means there are multiple matches. Some possible causes of this are:

Missing quadrant. For example "1753 10th" is ambiguous, but "1753 SE 10th" is not.
Multiple streets with the same number. Portland has both "avenues" and "places". For example, "SE 28th and Powell" is ambiguous, but "SE 28th Ave. and Powell" is not.
Multiple streets with the same name, usually in different suburbs. For example, there are streets named "Main" in Tigard, Beaverton, Gresham, and Portland. To resolve this, add the city name to the end of the address. For example, "949 SW Oak St." is ambiguous but "949 SW Oak St., Portland" is not.
An intersection where the streets don't quite line up. Try giving the location as a street number. For example, "39th and Glisan" doesn't work but "3900 Glisan" does.

Not Found This means the address couldn't be found. There's no end to the possible causes for this, but some common causes are:

It's in Vancouver. bycycle.org only works in Portland and some of its suburbs.
Misspellings. "Hawthorne" needs that "e" at the end!
Confusion about "St."/"Ave."/"Blvd." or whatever. When in doubt, just omit those abbreviations.
Sometimes a street number such as "810 NW 11th" can't be located but cross streets such as "NW 11th and Johnson" can.

Error This usually means the map website couldn't understand the address. Some possible reasons for this are:

It isn't an address. If you put "TBA" in the address field as a placeholder, then you should expect a harmless "Error" status until you put the real address in there.
You added superfluous text such as "The corner of".
You used punctuation that confuses the map website, such as parentheses.

There could also be database errors at the map website, or it could so overwhelmed that the verification timesout, or offline, or Shift's connection to it might be down. All of these are beyond your control, and most of them are temporary. So if you get an "Error" response and it isn't due to funky text in the address field, then ignore it. It isn't your problem.

Verified	This is the response we hope to get. It means that `bycycle.org` will be able to locate that address, and probably any other online map can too.
Ambiguous	This means there are multiple matches. Some possible causes of this are:
Ambiguous	Missing quadrant. For example "1753 10th" is ambiguous, but "1753 SE 10th" is not. Multiple streets with the same number. Portland has both "avenues" and "places". For example, "SE 28th and Powell" is ambiguous, but "SE 28th Ave. and Powell" is not. Multiple streets with the same name, usually in different suburbs. For example, there are streets named "Main" in Tigard, Beaverton, Gresham, and Portland. To resolve this, add the city name to the end of the address. For example, "949 SW Oak St." is ambiguous but "949 SW Oak St., Portland" is not. An intersection where the streets don't quite line up. Try giving the location as a street number. For example, "39th and Glisan" doesn't work but "3900 Glisan" does.
Not Found	This means the address couldn't be found. There's no end to the possible causes for this, but some common causes are:
Not Found	It's in Vancouver. `bycycle.org` only works in Portland and some of its suburbs. Misspellings. "Hawthorne" needs that "e" at the end! Confusion about "St."/"Ave."/"Blvd." or whatever. When in doubt, just omit those abbreviations. Sometimes a street number such as "810 NW 11th" can't be located but cross streets such as "NW 11th and Johnson" can.
Error	This usually means the map website couldn't understand the address. Some possible reasons for this are:
Error	It isn't an address. If you put "TBA" in the address field as a placeholder, then you should expect a harmless "Error" status until you put the real address in there. You added superfluous text such as "The corner of". You used punctuation that confuses the map website, such as parentheses. There could also be database errors at the map website, or it could so overwhelmed that the verification timesout, or offline, or Shift's connection to it might be down. All of these are beyond your control, and most of them are temporary. So if you get an "Error" response and it isn't due to funky text in the address field, then ignore it. It isn't your problem.