Spatial Data Types

PostGIS provides the ability to store spatial data as attributes to database tables. These spatial data attributes can be any of the geometry types as specified by OGC and ISO standards. Its important to understand the difference between these data types and how to use them appropriately. Its also important to understand the difference between Geography and Geometry data types and how and why each are used.

Goals/Objectives/Outcomes

• Understand the different spatial data types as specified by OGC and ISO
• Understand the difference between WKT and WKB
• Understand the difference between simple and MULTI geometries and how to cast between them
• Understand how to configure spatial data attributes when creating tables or on existing tables
• Understand how to load vector gis data into tables with spatial data attributes
• Understand how spatial reference systems are used in PostGIS

Reference Material

• http://postgis.net/docs/manual-2.1/using_postgis_dbmanagement.html
• http://postgis.net/docs/reference.html
• http://gis.stackexchange.com/questions/6681/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-postgis-geography-and-geometry-types
• http://suite.opengeo.org/opengeo-docs/dataadmin/pgBasics/geography.html

Measures of Success

• Participant can articulate the differences between spatial data types, WKB and WKB and simple and MULTI geometries
• Participant can articulate the difference between Geography and Geometry columns and how and why each are used
• Participant has successfully configured a database table with spatial data attributes
• Participant has successfully loaded vector spatial data into a table