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

Hi Brent,

I will look at postGIS today. I will try and keep the whole GIS
functionality as a separate schema to avoid confusing myself, so a
postGIS may be exactly what I am looking for.

Thanks and regards

John

Brent Wood wrote:
> On Mon, 12 Jun 2006, John Tregea wrote:
>
>
>> 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 am running postgreSQL 8.1.4 under WinXP Pro and currently evaluating
>> an X-Talk front end called Revolution for the GUI development and have
>> only some general experience with SQL.
>>
>
>
> I stongly suggest you do not use tne native Postgres geometry capability,
> but install PostGIS and use this instead.
>
> See www.postgis.org
>
>
> Brent Wood
>
>
>