Lecture 11
GEODATABASE (SPATIAL
DATABASE) ANALYSIS AND
CREATION
A Geodatabase is a database model with
extensions for storing, querying and
manipulating geographic information and
spatial data (Healey 1991). The spatial data
analysis in a geodatabase is complex because it
deals with an infinite natural and human-made
environment.
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Geodatabase creation
The process of a geodatabase creation, modelling
and management is not just to computerize
information but to provide access to data and
change the way records were managed and
delivered to stakeholders. Building a geodatabase is
beyond a computer manipulation (logical and physical)
application of geographic information to a geo-
computerized technology, identifying the thematic
layers that represent the realistic characteristic of the
features in the real world and outline its features and
attributes relationship
Important questions to considered when
building a geodatabase
• Does the logical data model represent all
dataset without duplication?
• Does the data model support an
organizational business?
• Does the data model accommodate different
views of various groups?
Steps in a geodatabase creation
Whether a Personnel, File or Enterprise
geodatabase, the following steps are
important:
• Conceptual and logical design.
• Creating a data structure in ArcCatalog
• Import/loading data loading
• Testing and implementation
Creating a File geodatabase
(ArcCatalog)
Feature-Feature Class
• A feature is an object that stores its
geographic representation, which is
typically a point, line, or polygon, as one of
its properties (or fields) in the row.
• Feature classes are homogeneous
collections of common features, each
having the same spatial representation, such
as points, lines, or polygons, and a common
set of attribute columns
Organizing features
When organizing feature classes into datasets:
- they must have the same coordinate system, and
- they may have the same geographic extent.
Feature classes should be grouped based on:
- topology (e.g. spatial relationship between Road
and intersections for transport network)
and/or
- coincident geometry (coordinate system).
CSR STRUCTURAL SCHEMA OF A
GEODATABASE
A scenario
• The City of Durban has hired you (Town Planner)
to design a new geodatabase (scratch) for its
parcels data. The new geodatabase will be used to
designate each piece of property in the city – who
owns it, it legal description, address and much
more. You will get information from various
department of city planning and development to
get the full idea of what is needed and then create
your Geodatabase.
Geodatabase Design
• Design forms
ENVS 316
SOME ISSUES IN GEODATABASE CREATION
➢ what storage media to use?
- how large is the database?
- how much can be stored online? what access speed is
required for what parts of the database?
- how should the database be laid out on the various
media? what growth should be allowed for in acquiring
storage devices? how will the database change over time?
- will new attributes be added?
- will the number of features stored increase?
➢ how should the data be partitioned - both geographically
and thematically?
- is source data partitioned?
- will products be partitioned?
ISSUES (CONT.)
➢ what security is needed?
- who should be able to redefine schema - new
attributes, new objects, new object classes?
- who should be able to edit and update?
➢ - should the database be distributed or centralized?
- if distributed, how will it be partitioned between
hosts?
➢ - how should the database be documented?
- who is responsible for maintaining standards of
definition? standards of format? accuracy? should
documentation include access to the compiler of the
data?
ISSUES (CONT.)
➢ how should database creation be scheduled?
- where will the data come from?
- who determines product priorities?
- who is responsible for scheduling data
availability?
