[postgis-users] ESRI GDB format into PostGIS

Simon Greener simon at spatialdbadvisor.com
Tue Jun 2 04:23:08 PDT 2009


Alan,

> Well, maybe not that much, but a bit. The reason I'm watching is because I'm
> hanging out to be able to afford an FME licence.

Have you tried that doyen of the open spatial world: Talend's Spatial Data Integrator?

>> Shall we start a survey on what people in this forum think?
>
> I think that would be a great idea.

Well folks, there's the question:

How many (Enterprise/Personal) GeoDatabases are fully designed, specified and implemented such that
they can use the Code Generation Wizard to generate code that implements “behaviours” within the ArcGIS technology?

> I've fully designed and specified four 'enterprise' spatial databases and a
> dozen or so large, complex 'application' ones. None have been implemented as
> designed because the spatial experts (yes 'ESRIlites') all end up saying
> "ArcMap will cark it."  (BTW: I still believe that there is nothing to stop
> you implementing a multi-geometry column table in a geodatabase; you just
> have to manage it yourself because the ESRI application infrastructure
> won't. Which, I think is your point. I say 'believe' because I haven't been
> able to get anyone imaginative enough to prove its scalability in a 'real'
> environment.)

There isn't anything stopping you if you are prepared to do a bit of "behind the scenes" manipulation of ArcSDE. During the beta for SDE 2.0 (the first ESRI Inc produced) I showed how to have two spatial columns per table. Can be done.

> People like the model simple because it makes the application of it simple.
> Lots more work, but simple. ("Waddaya mean 'I should write a query for my
> map layer'? Make me a new table!") Gee - I really am getting crankier as I
> get older!

You and I ought to take this off line as I have comments on this that might offend!

> So, back to the issue: I spent most of the 90's working on Data Interchange
> and ended up completely disillusioned. One interchange format will never
> cover all the bases. The dream now is for an Open Spatial ETL suite.
> (GDAL-OGR-FDO with muscle.)

Again, see Talend.

I've been hoping for Spatial SQL JDBC/ODBC/ADO etc etc drivers for years and years and years. Guess they might just never arise.

> None of this helps Ben with his problem but I do think it points to an
> answer for your question " why do we waste our time looking over our
> shoulders?" - Because they're the elephant in the room.

Even if this elephant wanted to be gentle (as their maketing says) they simply can't: not enough brain cells
to drive the physical body. And I won't be in a hurry to be in the same room as them.

> Cheers, and thanks for your insights on the workspace.xml

I have plenty of samples and some XSLT-style processing if you are interested. But contact me off-line.

S
-- 
SpatialDB Advice and Design, Solutions Architecture and Programming,
Oracle Database 10g Administrator Certified Associate; Oracle Database 10g SQL Certified Professional
Oracle Spatial, SQL Server, PostGIS, MySQL, ArcSDE, Manifold GIS, FME, Radius Topology and Studio Specialist.
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