[postgis-users] ESRI GDB format into PostGIS

[Frank Warmerdam]

Simon Greener wrote:
> Paul et al,
> 
>> Bended knee. You've been supplied with a "file base geodatabase" and the
>> only things that will open it are ESRI products or things licensing ESRI
>> products.
> 
> Or products that have been provided with enough instance examples to be able
> to reverse engineer. Manifold GIS is one such product. I don't have any GDB
> examples to check its ability to suck the data out.

Simon,

Are you suggesting that Manifold GIS has reverse engineered the file
geodatabase format?  Can you provide any pointers supporting that?
If those guys can reverse engineer it, then so could we given enough
desire.

>> http://blog.cleverelephant.ca/2009/04/esri-formats-back-to-future.html
> 
> Something I totally agree with. There was a brief discussion on "The
> Shapfile 2.0 Manifesto"
> (http://moreati.org.uk/blog/2009/03/01/shapefile-20-manifesto/) about what
> should replace the shapefile. The ESRI file based GeoDatatabase was
> discussion with Scott Morehouse himself telling everyone about a non
> ArcObjects based API that would open up interoperability etc (the usual
> smoke and mirrors). No talk about the format specs being donated to the
> public domain; nothing about how the API would be licensed. You will never
> see an FDO Provider from ESRI I would guess.  More of the same "do it our
> way or the highway"....

I too am disappointed that ESRI declared they would provide open access
to file geodatabases, and then let the actually follow through drag on
for years after they came into initial use.  However, I do believe they
are contemplating a reasonably open API - possibly source included.  They
have also been considering support for an FDO and/or OGR provider.  I'm
a bit vague on the current plan but they are aware of these possibilities
and are interested in doing them.   So don't be so sure about what will
never happen.

Best regards,
-- 
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I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
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