[postgis-users] shp2pgsql and schemas

[Paul Ramsey]

Right now, shp2pgsql fills out the 'schema' column of geometry_columns 
with the name of the database the data is being loaded into. I think 
there is also a check in the AddGeometryColumns function to ensure that 
the value being put into that column is "correct". This is because there 
was no such thing as a "schema" when these things were written, so we 
superimposed the pgsql 'database' concept as the 'schema'.

Now that schemas actually *exist* in pgsql, our behavior is in wrong. 
The schema idea can be literally and correctly translated into pgsql 
terms. So AddGeometryColumn should be dumbed down to just

AddGeometryColumn( <tablename>, <columnname>, <srid>, <type>, <dim> )

Because the schema of the table is discoverable. The fact that 'schema' 
is part of geometry_columns is also in implicit guide to where the 
postgis functions and tables should be installed -- somewhere public and 
not data specific. The currect default of installing in the 'public' 
schema seems like a good default to retain.

Basically, both shp2pgsql and AddGeometryColumn need to be reworked and 
tested in the context of schemas.

P.

-- 
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      | Paul Ramsey
      | Refractions Research
      | Email: pramsey at refractions.net
      | Phone: (250) 885-0632
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