ellipsoid names

[Jill Schuler]

------ text from my previous message
%%%Unfortunately CERL uses different ellipsoid names then Jerry, even
%%%though they based there projection libs from MAPGEN.
------

%%%	why didn't MERIT get lower case treatment?


Because it is not a GRASS ellipsoid!


%%%
%%%>"airy",		"a=6377563.396", "b=6356256.910", "Airy 1830",
%%%>"mod_airy",	"a=6377340.189", "b=6356036.143", "Modified Airy",
%%%
%%%	based on later "modif" changes, why not the above?


Again, the mod_airy ellipsoid is NOT included in the GRASS ellipsoid list


%%%
%%%>"aust_ntl",	"a=6378160.0", "rf=298.25", "Australian Natl, S. Amer., IAU 64",
%%%>"australian","a=6378160.0", "rf=298.25", "Australian Natl, S. Amer., IAU 64",


Modified to make the GRASS ellipsoid name compatible with MAPGEN!

etc. etc..........................

%%%Obviously there is no law saying one can't alias the ellipsoid names
%%%to any name one wants to select, but it sorely taxes the modularity of the
%%%overall system, makes maintenance a headache and drives people *up
%%%a wall* when they try (because of their MAPGEN-PROJ knowledge) to help a user.

I agree.


%%%
%%%As an fellow programmer once said: "It's not that I didn't know,
%%%I never suspected."
%%%
%%%Gerald (Jerry) I. Evenden   Internet: gie at charon.er.usgs.gov
%%%voice: (508)563-6766          Postal: P.O. Box 1027
%%%  fax: (508)457-2310                  N.Falmouth, MA 02556-1027
%%%


Jerry,
I realize that YOUR ellipsoid table is the MOST ACCURATE.  HOWEVER,  my task
was to make GRASS work with MAPGEN.  I pointed out the conflict with ellipsoid
names to my superiors --- and it went nowhere.  My only solution was to 
duplicate your information with the ellipsoid names used in GRASS.  

Obviously the BEST solution would be to have GRASS USE YOUR ELLIPSOID NAMES.
I have no control over this!  This is a CERL decision.

I DID NOT REMOVE YOUR INFORMATION, I only duplicated the necessary GRASS
ellipsoid names.  From your response you view this as unnecessary.  

In a previous message to this list, I pointed out the inconpatibility of GRASS 
ellipsoid names with MAPGEN's.  I recommended that GRASS use your table.  
So until CERL decides to conform to MAPGEN's list for every new release to proj the ellipsoid table will be edited with GRASS's version of ellipsoid names.

Maybe if you request that GRASS conform to your ellipsoid names you can get
CERL to change-----Maybe?

So next time before you flame someone,  please consider the circumstances!
If you want to discuss this give me a call.

Jill


*********************************************************************

#  # #### #### ####      ######  #### ##### Jill R. Schuler
#  # #    #  # #  #      #      #     #     USDA 
#  # #### #  # #### ### ####   #     ####   Soil Conservation Service
#  #    # #  # #  #        #  #         #   National Cartography and 
#  #    # #  # #  #       #  #         #    GIS Center
#### #### #### #  #   ####  ###### ####     P.O. Box 6567 
				            Ft. Worth, TX 76115
e-mail: jschuler at ncg.scs.ag.gov             Phone: (817) 334-5559 x3086

*********************************************************************