[postgis-users] Noob request - using ST_SimplifyPreserveTopology() on Tiger Data

[Christian Guirreri]

I'm trying to do something fairly simple. I'd like to take the Tiger 2010
Data - tl_2010_us_cd111 and tl_2010_us_county10 - and create shape files
that are considerably smaller and more simplified. In the past I've just
used MapShaper and been OK with that, but I was having trouble
uploading tl_2010_us_county10 into it and I've decided its time to learn
some GIS basics anyway.

I've definitely successfully setup my environment - PostegreSQL 9 with
PostGIS. I've used the shp2pgsql wizard included with pgadmin to import the
data sets into their own databases, without the "Load Geography column"
checked. I've been able to export this data back to shp using pgsql2shp and
view the resulting shp in QuantumGIS and ACDSee Canvas.

But when it comes to simplification - I'm not sure where to even start. I'm
no database expert beyond some simple mysql so GIS is especially
overwhelming. I only know that I want to use ST_SimplifyPreserveTopology()
as I'm fairly certain a number of things will disappear if I don't.

Would love if someone could provide me with the SQL to make this happen!
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