[gdal-dev] GeoPDF vs GeoSpatial PDF

[Jukka Rahkonen]

Gane R <gane.prog <at> gmail.com> writes:

> 
> I have been browsing on the internet for finding the difference
> between GeoPDF and Geospatial PDF. It seems that the terms geopdf and
> geospatial are interchangeable used. Is the both geopdf and geospatial
> are same, if so the PDF driver in gdal will handle  geopdf and
> geospatial PDF.
> 
> Suggestions and references are appreciated.

GeoPDF is a registered trademark of TerraGo technologies
http://www.terragotech.com/Legal 

Geospatial PDF means largely any PDF that is georeferenced and GeoPDF is one
variety of geospatial PDF. It is storing georeferencing data into PDF
according to "OGC GeoPDF Encoding Best Practice Version 2.2"
http://portal.opengeospatial.org/files/?artifact_id=40537.

GDAL can also use the OGC best practice way for geo encoding but the result
is not GeoPDF files because GeoPDF is (tm). Also, recent TerraGo programs
like TerraGo toolbar do not read the georeferencing from GeoPDF-alike
geospatial PDF files created by GDAL because they recognize if PDF has been
written with some genuine licensed TerraGo product and is therefore a real
GeoPDF.

Another common way for geo encoding in PDF is "Adobe Supplement to ISO
32000"
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/acrobat/pdfs/adobe_supplement_iso32000.pdf.
Geospatial PDF is not (tm) and if someone creates a new way for geo encoding
PDF the result can be called as geospatial PDF as well.

In conlusion, all georeferenced PDF files are geospatial ones while only
those created with software from TerraGo are GeoPDF(tm).

-Jukka Rahkonen-