Geo-informatics

Zulfiqar Ali
E Mail: zulfiqar.ali@cs.uol.edu.pk

OUTLINE (LECTURE # 7 )

What is geo(spatial)database?
GIS Data Storage
Modeling Geospatial Relationships
Types of geodatabase
How is geographic data organized?

WHAT IS GEO (SPATIAL)

DATABASE?

A spatial database is a database that is optimized

to store and query data that represents objects
defined in a geometric space.
Most spatial databases allow representing simple
geometric objects such as points, lines and
polygons.
Some spatial databases handle more complex
structures such as 3D objects, topological
coverages, linear networks, and TINs.
While typical databases are designed to manage
various numeric and character types of data,
additional functionality needs to be added for
databases to process spatial data types efficiently.

GIS DATA STORAGE

Vector data is stored in the geodatabase as

thematic layers called feature classes.
A feature class is a collection of geographic
features with the same geometry type, such
as a point, line, or polygon; the same
attributes; and the same coordinate system.
Feature classes can be grouped together
within a feature dataseta collection of
feature
classesto
model
geospatial
relationships between them.

GIS DATA STORAGE

Raster data is stored as raster datasets

Each raster image is stored as its own
thematic layer.
Multiple raster's can be grouped into a raster
catalog (a collection of raster data.)

MODELING GEOSPATIAL
RELATIONSHIPS
By storing feature classes within a feature
dataset, geospatial relationships can be modeled
between the feature classes, enabling more
advanced GIS analysis.
The more common types of geospatial
relationship data structures in the geodatabase
are:
Topology
Defines and enforces data integrity rules for
features. For example, there should be no gaps
between polygons

MODELING GEOSPATIAL
RELATIONSHIPS
Geometric Network
Consists of a set of connected edges and
junctions (line and point features) that, along
with connectivity rules, are used to represent
and model the behavior of a common network
infrastructure in the real world.
Water
distribution, electrical lines, gas
pipelines, telephone services, and water flow
in a stream are all examples of resource flows
that can be modeled and analyzed using a
geometric network.

MODELING GEOSPATIAL
RELATIONSHIPS
Network Dataset
Consists of a set of connected edges and
junctions, as well as turn features, along
with connectivity rules, that represent and
model the behavior of transportation
network systems.
Highways, roads, and streets in a city; rail
lines; and bus routes are examples of
undirected network flows that can be
modeled with a network dataset.

MODELING GEOSPATIAL
RELATIONSHIPS
Terrain
A data structure that is generated from a
mass collection of elevation measurement
points, typically from remote-sensing data
sources.
It is a triangulated irregular network (TIN)based data structure with multiple levels of
resolution.
A terrain is used for 3D surface modeling
applications.

MODELING GEOSPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS

Cadastral Fabric

A continuous surface of connected parcel features that

represents the record of survey for an area of land.
This data structure enables GIS data to be integrated
with survey data to maintain a consistent and accurate
survey record.
A cadastral fabric is a continuous surface of connected
parcels. Parcel polygons are defined by a series of
boundary lines that store recorded dimensions as
attributes in the lines table. Parcel polygons are also
linked to each other by connection lines, for example,
connection lines across roads.

GEO-DATABASE

The geo-database is designed to support both the

individual GIS user and organizations of various
types and sizes.

Three Types:
Single user/ Personal Geo database
Microsoft access 2000 database
File Geo database
XML based file
SDE (Spatial Data Base Engine) Geo Database
Multi-user
Can connect to many RDBMS
Oracle, SQL server, Informix
File are stored in the format native to the RDBMS

Nadeem Akhtar, CE UOL LHR

11

TYPES OF GEODATABASE

MAP MEETS DATABASE:

GIS maps are smart because they have a

database behind them.
Let see how a GIS database works, how to
access the information it stores, and how it
is connected to the GIS map.

HOW IS GEOGRAPHIC DATA ORGANIZED?

In a GIS, geographic data store in database.

A database that stores geographic data is
called geodatabase.

HOW IS GEOGRAPHIC DATA

ORGANIZED?

Features are organized into layers on a

GIS map.
In a geodatabase , features are organized
into feature classes.

HOW IS GEOGRAPHIC DATA ORGANIZED?

Like a layer, a feature class is collection of

Features that share the same shape(point
Line or polygon) and the same set of
attributes.
A feature class is a digital data set stored
in a geodatabase on a computer.

HOW IS GEOGRAPHIC DATA

ORGANIZED?

A layer is visual representation

of a feature Class on a GIs.

HOW IS GEOGRAPHIC DATA

ORGANIZED?

A feature class has a table to store feature

Geometry(shape and location) and
attributes.
Each table row represents one features.
Each table column represents one attribute.

HOW IS GEOGRAPHIC DATA

ORGANIZED?

When you select a row in the table, the

corresponding, feature on the map is
also selected.

HOW IS GEOGRAPHIC DATA

ORGANIZED?

A single geodatabase may store many

feature classes as well as other types of
geographic data such as raster data.
A feature class table has one row record for
every feature and one column for every
attribute.

HOW IS GEOGRAPHIC DATA ORGANIZED?