Re: Help with storing spatial (map coordinates) data?

Hi Tino,

Thanks, I had just found the contrib directory and the "spatial_ref_sys"
file as well. The database is to manage security assessments in supply
chains and will store locations of buildings as well as points that
define transportation routes. So the data will not be searched on but
will be used to put risk assessment matrices into the correct order
along a supply chain.

I will try as you suggest and look at the "cube" datatype

Thanks for your fast reply.

Regards

John T

Tino Wildenhain wrote:
> John Tregea schrieb:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I have recently switched to PostgreSQL and had no problem bringing
>> our existing (my)SQL databases and data into the environment. I am
>> now extending the functionality of our databases and want to start
>> storing spatial information.
>>
>> The information is made up of latitude and longitude coordinates that
>> define a point or location on the earth's surface. e.g. degrees,
>> minutes and seconds north/south and degrees, minutes and seconds
>> east/west.
>>
>> I have read up on custom data types (with input and output functions)
>> in the docs but am not sure if that is the best way to go. Can anyone
>> point me to a simple, workable implementation of storing and managing
>> this type of data or advise me on how to structure a series of fields
>> that could combine to the required string?
>
> I'd suggest starting w/ the contrib package and its "cube" datatype.
> This datatype maintains 3d-coordinates and has long/lat input
> and output. In theory if its just storing you could also just store
> the longitude, latitude in numeric fields. It really depends on
> what you really want to do with that data in the database.
> (e.g. what kind of searches you want to do) cube datatype for example
> is indexable which really helps in search queries.
>
> Regards
> Tino Wildenhain
>
>