[postgis-devel] [raster] Paths local to server

[Bborie Park]

On Thu, Feb 28, 2013 at 1:09 PM, Mateusz Loskot <mateusz at loskot.net> wrote:
> On 28 February 2013 21:01, Bborie Park <dustymugs at gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Thu, Feb 28, 2013 at 12:58 PM, Mateusz Loskot <mateusz at loskot.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> On the course of discussion about ST_AsBinary binary [1],
>>> it's been revealed that local paths play important role as
>>> part of public protocol and API in PostGIS Raster.
>>>
>>> If that is true, then this is a mistake and design flaw.
>>> The WKB format in RFC2 does not consider public API
>>> and Sandro explained to me it does not thorough consider
>>> out-db storage mode.
>>> It was clear to me from the very beginning, that the isOffline flag
>>> is for internal use only, so we can optimise parts of internal
>>> implementation.
>>>
>>> Existence of utility functions like ST_BandPath is not enough to
>>> support further spread this mistake onto other, more crucial,
>>> parts of the SQL API.
>>>
>>> I'd just like to confirm if this 'local path' madness is going to settle
>>> for good in PostGIS Raster API.
>>>
>>> [1] trac.osgeo.org/postgis/ticket/2217
>>
>>
>> I think the problem really is that the WKB format is flawed.
>
> Flawed may be unfair, as the first part of it is fine and well-defined,
> I'd say it this way (as discussed on #postgis):
>
> <mloskot> There apparently is empty page left in RFC2 and some things
> are not complete there. Later, we took this as completed work, without
> reflection
> <dustymugs> yep
>
> And that is exactly what Sandro seems to confirm as well.
>
>> That format (as adopted) doesn't work for in-db versus out-db.  WKB
>> shouldn't care if it is in-db vs out-db. Just that it provides a
>> consistent output where band data is provided.
>
>
> Best regards,
> --
> Mateusz Loskot, http://mateusz.loskot.net

True, "flawed" might be a bit harsh.  Incomplete would be a better
word choice.  We need to do away with the entire in-db and out-db
notion and just return the pixel values.

-bborie