16. Module: Spatial Database Concepts with PostGIS

Spatial Databases allow the storage of the geometries of records inside a Database as well as providing functionality for querying and retrieving the records using these Geometries. In this module we will use PostGIS, an extension to PostgreSQL, to learn how to setup a spatial database, import data into the database and make use of the geographic functions that PostGIS offers.

While working through this section, you may want to keep a copy of the PostGIS cheat sheet available from Boston GIS user group. Another useful resource is the online PostGIS documentation.

There are also some more extensive tutorials on PostGIS and Spatial Databases available from Boundless Geo:

• Introduction to PostGIS

• Spatial Database Tips and Tricks

See also PostGIS In Action.

• 16.1. Lesson: PostGIS Setup
  • 16.1.1. Installing under Ubuntu
  • 16.1.2. Installing under Windows
  • 16.1.3. Installing on Other Platforms
  • 16.1.4. Configuring Databases to use PostGIS
  • 16.1.5. Looking at the installed PostGIS functions
  • 16.1.6. Spatial Reference Systems
  • 16.1.7. In Conclusion
  • 16.1.8. What’s Next?
• 16.2. Lesson: Simple Feature Model
  • 16.2.1. What is OGC
  • 16.2.2. What is the SFS Model
  • 16.2.3. Add a geometry field to table
  • 16.2.4. Add a constraint based on geometry type
  • 16.2.5. Try Yourself
  • 16.2.6. Populate geometry_columns table
  • 16.2.7. Add geometry record to table using SQL
  • 16.2.8. In Conclusion
  • 16.2.9. What’s Next?
• 16.3. Lesson: Import and Export
  • 16.3.1. shp2pgsql
  • 16.3.2. pgsql2shp
  • 16.3.3. ogr2ogr
  • 16.3.4. DB Manager
  • 16.3.5. In Conclusion
  • 16.3.6. What’s Next?
• 16.4. Lesson: Spatial Queries
  • 16.4.1. Spatial Operators
  • 16.4.2. Spatial Indexes
  • 16.4.3. Try Yourself
  • 16.4.4. PostGIS Spatial Functions Demo
  • 16.4.5. In Conclusion
  • 16.4.6. What’s Next?
• 16.5. Lesson: Geometry Construction
  • 16.5.1. Creating Linestrings
  • 16.5.2. Try Yourself
  • 16.5.3. Creating Polygons
  • 16.5.4. Exercise: Linking Cities to People
  • 16.5.5. Looking at Our Schema
  • 16.5.6. Try Yourself
  • 16.5.7. Access Sub-Objects
  • 16.5.8. Data Processing
  • 16.5.9. Clipping
  • 16.5.10. Building Geometries from Other Geometries
  • 16.5.11. Geometry Cleaning
  • 16.5.12. Differences between tables
  • 16.5.13. Tablespaces
  • 16.5.14. In Conclusion