[GRASS-dev] PostGIS manager for GRASS GIS

[Mohit Kumar]

Hello Martin,
Sorry couldn't reply earlier as I was stuck with some college work.

On Mon, 2 Apr 2012 21:00:51 +0200, Martin Landa wrote:
> Hi,
>
> 2012/4/2 Mohit Kumar <mohit.kumarug08 at students.iiit.ac.in>:
>>>> I am interested in making a PostGIS manager in GRASS as a GSoc 
>>>> 2012 task.
>>>> PyGreSQL is a python module that allows easy use of database 
>>>> operation
>>>> API
>>>> from a pyhton script. So it will be like a wrapper over
>>>> the database. This can be done using wxPython and will be OS 
>>>> independent.
>>>> Sorry to bug you all, but I am very much interested in developing 
>>>> for
>>>> GRASS.
>
> [...]
>
>>> there is new development ongoing for this in GRASS 7, perhaps a 
>>> good
>>> moment to integrate a manager. Maybe Martin has some insights for
>>> us over the next days.
>
>> Its good to know that development is ongoing for this in GRASS, I 
>> sincerely
>> want to work on this as my GSoc task.
>
> the current PostGIS-related development in G7 is not much related to
> this idea. The vector engine in G7 is currently able to read PostGIS
> geometry data natively without any abstract level (like 
> OGR-PostgreSQL
> driver). Also write support has been recently implemented. The 
> current
> implementation is focused on simple feature access, GRASS builds a
> pseudo-like topology as for OGR links (see v.external). At this 
> moment
> I am working on PostGIS topology support in GRASS.
>
>> I have made a brief idea for the manager. The following are the 
>> various
>> modules of the manager
>> 1. Setup connection : This module will set up the connection with 
>> the remote
>> database. It will take the input parameters from user and pass them 
>> to a
>> connection string. After the connection has been established, the 
>> user will
>> be shown the various tables(maps) that are stored and other 
>> information
>> about the database and the connection
>
> This is already available in wxGUI [1]. Of course there is always a
> space for any kind of improvements. But basically it's already there,
> to add widgets for entering username and password is quite easy task.
>
>> 2. View and edit data : This will display the data of the table in a 
>> window
>> frame. One can view the map and modify the table values or the 
>> attributes.
>
> Also possible in current wxGUI [2]. You just create a link using
> `v.external` and display the map in the map canvas as normal GRASS
> vector map. Also direct OGR access [3] is possible (no links,
> pseudo-topology built on the fly)
>
>> 3. Import to GRASS Data : This gives the user an option to save the 
>> data in
>> Grass format for further processing/analysis of the data. This also 
>> gives
>> user an option to discard the data which is of no use.
>
> Possible with `v.in.ogr`. Simple wrapper based `v.in.ogr` for
> importing PostGIS is already there [4].
>
>> 4. Execute PostGis functions (geometry processing)on database and 
>> save
>> output in grass data format.
>
> This could be improvement.
>
>> 5. SQL interface : This provides the advanced user to modify the 
>> database by
>> use of direct SQL commands on the database.
>
>> 6. Export GRASS data to PostGIS data : Convert the Grass Data to SQL
>> database. First convert the Grass data to Esri Shapefile(.shp) using 
>> OGR and
>> then converting that data to SQL database (shape2sql).
>
> Why?? You can export data directly using `v.out.ogr` [5]. No need for
> Shapefiles, that's bad idea.
>
>> 7. Projection support : I was also thinking of adding projection 
>> support to
>> the manager.
>
> In which sense, do you mean on-the fly re-projection (ST_transform)?
>
> Martin
>
> [1]
> 
> http://grass.osgeo.org/wiki/Working_with_external_data_in_GRASS_7#Using_wxGUI
> [2]
> 
> http://grass.osgeo.org/wiki/Working_with_external_data_in_GRASS_7#Digitize_OGR_layer_using_wxGUI
> [3]
> 
> http://grass.osgeo.org/wiki/Working_with_external_data_in_GRASS_7#Direct_access_to_external_data
> [4] http://grass.osgeo.org/wiki/PostGIS#Import_into_GRASS
> [5] http://grass.osgeo.org/wiki/PostGIS#Export_to_PostGIS

Thanks for your feedback.
I know that various modules are possible in GRASS wxGUI. I want to 
integrate them all and provide a direct interface for them. Regarding 
data Export I was thinking about 'v.out.ogr' only.
And I was talking about on-the fly re-projection. The projection tables 
can be stored in which ever way the user wants.
What more would you like to add to the current idea to make it worth 
for a GSOC proposal?
Looking forward to your support.

Regards,
Mohit Kumar (mohitkharb on irc)
Lab For Spatial Informatics
International Institute of Information and Technology
Hyderabad, India
+91-970-3840-175