[Qgis-user] QGIS farm application

[Carlo A. Bertelli (Charta s.r.l.)]

Hello Walt,
this issue is somehow more general, even if farming is a special case.
You are indeed asking two questions:
1. is a geodabase worth using in my daily work?
2. is a dbms (server) what I need?
I think it's definitely useful to deal with a database that merges
geographic objects and other types of management data. QGis offers two
options at least, Spatialite, which is a single file database (for all
your data management needs) and PostGis wich is a traditional DBMS
with very powerful spatial extensions.
The choice between the two options depends on your needs of
collaboration. If you are alone and you keep your data on your pc,
than getting rid of database administration is a good choice, and I
would suggest Spatialite (by the way, using Spatialite/SQLite is
advisable for OpenOffice too), otherwise PostgreSQL+PostGIS could help
you sharing data without making "working copies" (which are undoubtly
going to become a mess in a few months).
Admittably both need some learning of SQL basics, but there is not too
much to study; as Alessandro Furieri (the author of Spatialite, a
spatial extension to SQLite): "Spatial Is Not Special"
(http://www.gaia-gis.it/gaia-sins/).
My two eurocents...
c

> Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:17:45 +0000
> From: Walter Ludwick <wludwick at mac.com>
> Subject: [Qgis-user] QGIS farm application
> To: qgis-user at lists.osgeo.org
> Message-ID: <B9B2D219-1C70-48E9-8941-09C34C53D8FC at mac.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252
>
> I am trying to manage operations on my farm in a more scientific way, using QGIS as a tool for making more informed decisions.
>
> This involves mapping of points (e.g. fencepost) lines (e.g. irrigation tube) and polygons (e.g. grazing paddock) and all related data across time, to show in a graphic way how present configuration of resources compares to a snapshot at any point in time past (i.e. historical facts) or future (i.e. planning scenarios).
>
> I am using a spreadsheet (OpenOffice Calc) to record actual data values, build history,, and project what-if scenarios. Presuming that QGIS is the best tool for managing vectorial data about how these facts map onto the ground, then what is the best way of integrating data from these two applications, i wonder?
>
> Being not so technically inclined, i am quite apprehensive about introducing a RDBMS into the mix (i see the PostGIS layer option available, and gather that this enables connection to a Postgres db, which i know can host our spreadsheet data, but…)  Well: if this means there will be less hassle about keeping data integrated between our GIS and our spreadsheets, then i might bite the bullet and do it.  What do you think?
>
> If anyone here has anything to recommend, or any relevant experience to share, i would be very grateful to hear about it. Thanks for listening!
>
> Yours, Walt