Articles

Overlaying Polygons in SQL Server Spatial

Introduction The OGC operators for geometry processing only support two polygon inputs. Additionally the Microsoft aggregate operators only include geometry union processing geometry::UnionAggregate and not overlay processing etc. UnionAggregate returns for all input polygons as the single Union (see above) does. Concept: Resolving all overlapping areas, without dissolving boundaries, is called “planar enforcing”. Planar enforcementRead More

Oracle Spatial Mapping and Map Rendering Performance Tips

Comment: This article was written about 10 years ago. Most of what is written is still relevant though the comments about disk usage and access do not apply if SSD is being used. Introduction There are lots of things one can do to improve performance in mapping environments because of a lot of the visualisationRead More

Space Filling Curve Functions For TSQL

Introduction Warning: This article is long mainly because it includes the source code of the Hilbert, Morton and Peano key/curves. I would assert that space filling curves have always been overlooked in their use within GIS. Their existence was/is rarely taught at Universities, though at least in my day. Perhaps today it is different (butRead More

Bing Maps Tile System Functions for TSQL

This blog presents functions for Bing Maps Tile System for TSQL. This support includes converting Latitude/Longitude pairs to Bing Maps QuadKeys. The source for the functions is over at the Mircosoft site – an article by James Schwartz. They are donated to the public domain. Some tests include: I hope this is of use toRead More

Geocoding Points Against a Grid of Cells/Tiles With/out Spatial Operators

This article shows how to geocode points objects against grid cells without using spatial operators. The article also shows how to use space curve values such as generated by a Morton key algorithm as grid cell ids and thus geocodes.

The Frontage Problem: Creating references from land parcel street frontage boundary to point in street

This article demonstrates the power of database-based spatial processing. The business requirement is to determine, dynamically, the side of a land parcel that faces the street (could be single 2 point straight line to something more complex), and then determine the clockface direction from either ends of the frontage or the middle, to a object in the roads reserve (eg telecommunications pit).