Re: [udig-devel] missing prj files

["andrea antonello" <andrea.antonello@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Adrian,

> We probably agree on almost everything.

Yes, reading you followup, I think yes.

> If the layer to be added does not have any projection info and the map
> has a projection we should:
>  1) complain loudly
>  2) allow users to presume the layer matches the map 'in this project'
>  3) ?ADVANCED? Give users a way to write the matching projection info

I also like the third action, because it gives me the feeling that it
also "educates" the user to take care of the projection.

> Your example of tiff is more difficult. If we don't know how to anchor
> the tiff, merely having projection info doesn't help. we'd need
> orientation/extent or ... So again, we complain loudly but I can't think
> of a reasonable default for applying the image 'in this project' you
> know much more so perhaps have good ideas.

It isn't a big problem. As you say prj is not enough. But users are
used to have the worldfiles, so once again, only the prj is the
problem. I think exactly the same workflow you reported above should
apply.

> Of course, I don't get to do the work so I don't have much of a right to
> this opinion. Good luck finding a user-friendly solution.

Hey, I think a shared view of this is important and we need to talk
about it, so don't dare to leave us alone in this. :)
Regarding the implementation part, I would volunteer for that, it
shouldn't be difficult, once we define what should happen.

Ciao
Andrea

>
> --adrian
>
> On Thu, 2008-06-05 at 11:00 +0200, andrea antonello wrote:
>> Hi Adrian,
>>
>> >> I want to take this to discussion once more.
>> >>
>> >> When a shapefile (or any other) doesn't have a prj file, sometimes odd
>> >> things happen.
>> >>
>> >> Most esri users complain about the fact that they don't need prj files :)
>> >> Apart of the hilarious thing, I think we should deal with the fact
>> >> that many many people can have problems with this.
>> >>
>> >> My proposal is simple. When a missing projection information problem
>> >> occurs, we ask the user if they want to have the projection file
>> >> defined through the actual map projection information.
>> >
>> > What is this supposed to mean? If there's no projection info, then there
>> > is no projection merely a 'dump' from file coordinate space to screen
>> > coordinate space.
>> >
>> > Also imagine you are a user with no clue. I'd click "ok". Then someone
>> > with a clue comes along and I've borked the file set for them (because I
>> > added a bad .prj).
>>
>> I can't agree on this after thousands of users finding it odd that
>> maps don't show up and boring me with such requests. I don't say we
>> have to follow my idea, but something has to be done. It is ok for me
>> also to say "we don't want to show your map". But the user has to
>> know.
>> It is ok when you for example add a shapefile to a new map. A generic
>> x,y system is taken and the map is visualized. This seems to make
>> sense to me. But if the map already is in some sort of projection, and
>> you add a file without prj info (believe me, there are many many)
>> simply nothing happens, things are broken. And also note that people
>> are absolutely not used to have a prj file for image files like tiffs
>> and jpgs, this is a thing that I first saw in the udig project.
>> I think a workaround should be there at least as a choice in the settings.
>>
>> > So, unless you do this right, don't do it. Rule 0. Do no harm.
>>
>> Agreed, but as it is now, it is no good.
>>
>> Andrea
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> >
>> > --adrian
>> >
>> >>
>> >> What do you think, would that be feasible/make sense?
>> >>
>> >> Cheers,
>> >> Andrea
>> >> _______________________________________________
>> >> User-friendly Desktop Internet GIS (uDig)
>> >> http://udig.refractions.net
>> >> http://lists.refractions.net/mailman/listinfo/udig-devel
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > User-friendly Desktop Internet GIS (uDig)
>> > http://udig.refractions.net
>> > http://lists.refractions.net/mailman/listinfo/udig-devel
>> >
>> _______________________________________________
>> User-friendly Desktop Internet GIS (uDig)
>> http://udig.refractions.net
>> http://lists.refractions.net/mailman/listinfo/udig-devel
>
> _______________________________________________
> User-friendly Desktop Internet GIS (uDig)
> http://udig.refractions.net
> http://lists.refractions.net/mailman/listinfo/udig-devel
>