Issues of GIS data management

• Main Author: Tomáš Richta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Czech Technical University in Prague 2006-12-01
• Series: Geoinformatics FCE CTU
• Subjects: GIS, CAD, object-orientation, data modelling, data management, database
• Online Access: https://ojs.cvut.cz/ojs/index.php/gi/article/view/2779

The paper deals with current issues of spatial data modelling and management used by spatial management applications. As a case study for explaining the problem, we use comparison of two main groups of software tools covering this area GIS and CAD systems - and the posibilities of their integration. Studying its functionality, we have found two main problematic issues. The first of them is the density distribution characteristics of stored data according to described area. CAD systems are oriented towards modeling individual man-made objects and structures with relatively high level of detail, so the data stored covers small areas with huge amount of information. On the other side GIS applications maintain large-scale models of real world with significantly lower amount of detail. Here the density distribution of data coverage is better balanced. So the combination of described different densities is the first problem. The second watched issue is the way of storing spatial data. While CAD data are usually stored in individual files (like DXF, IGES), GIS data tend to be stored in files or realtional databases. The question we see is, if it is possible to store CAD data along with GIS data in the same database in spite of different distribution densities and different data models. Our paper describes ways of solving this problem.