[udig-devel] RE: [udig-users] PostGIS: Multiple geometry columns on one

["James DeMichele" <James.DeMichele@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Looks like I needed to be on the udig-devel list first. Sorry about
that.

-James

-----Original Message-----
From: James DeMichele 
Sent: Wednesday, March 11, 2009 5:33 PM
To: 'Jody Garnett'; User-friendly Desktop Internet GIS
Subject: RE: [udig-users] PostGIS: Multiple geometry columns on one
table

Well, we deal with a lot of zip code, city level shapes. The original
shape data that we load isn't sufficient for our purposes to publish on
the site directly. Thus, we do some in-house alterations to the
"original" shape to generate the shape that we want. However, we keep
the "original" shape around in our database right alongside the altered
one, so that if our algorithm needs to change, we can simply run it
again, to generate all new shapes from our "original" polygon.

Also, there are some instances where we might store both a "centroid"
and a "polygon" on our table for unique instances. It's usually more
useful to see the shape, rather than the centroid.

Thanks again for the help, and I'll try the Advanced Style!

-James

-----Original Message-----
From: Jody Garnett [mailto:jody.garnett@xxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Wednesday, March 11, 2009 5:27 PM
To: James DeMichele; User-friendly Desktop Internet GIS
Subject: Re: [udig-users] PostGIS: Multiple geometry columns on one
table

Just keeping this discussion on the list -

On Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 11:14 AM, James DeMichele
<James.DeMichele@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Wow, thanks for making me feel so welcome!

No worries.

> I have also used OpenJUMP before stumbling the best visual GIS
> application ever (uDig). In OpenJUMP, it actually *requires* you to
> select which column you want to display on your Layer.

I used JUMP a fair bit; have not migrated to OpenJUMP yet (I am not
sure if the plugins I like are available yet).

> Personally, I think this works ok, in that it does give me the ability
to choose which
> column I want. However, I think uDig could do something ever more user
> friendly. You could leave the current application as it is now, but
add
> an option (i.e. something similar to the combobox you mentioned) when
> you right click a layer, and allow the user to switch to a different
> geometry column on that table.

The right click menu is in danger of getting "full" - as such I like
the idea of leaving this as a styling option (since we are controlling
how a feature is shown here - postgis is just giving us two different
options for geometry to use - it is still the same feature).

One of the reasons this has not been an issue yet - is I lacked a user
with talented data. What is the data set you are working with here
that has two geometries?

> (I just got your other email in regards to the "JIRA issue
> http://jira.codehaus.org/browse/UDIG-1188";. Unfortunately, if the code
> sprint is this weekend, I won't be available for that, but let me at
> least try the Style Editor fix to change the XML, and I'll let you
know
> how that goes. What's the best resource on the site to point me at for
> editing the Advanced style?

Heh - the application help menu of course :-) Here it is in online wiki
form:
- http://udig.refractions.net/confluence/display/EN/Style+Editor+Dialog

If you navigate in a few levels you will find your feature styling
options documented:
- http://udig.refractions.net/confluence/display/EN/Feature+Style+Pages

I am afraid from there we are into reading about "Style Layer
Descriptor" format - ie the XML that is displayed.

You will need to update the type referred to in the Rules for example.

> Thanks again, and I'll be in touch!
>
> -James DeMichele

Jody

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jody Garnett [mailto:jody.garnett@xxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Wednesday, March 11, 2009 5:03 PM
> To: James DeMichele
> Subject: Re: [udig-users] PostGIS: Multiple geometry columns on one
> table
>
> You are correct - and we have been waiting to talk to someone like
you.
>
> First of all the good news:
> - you can place your postgis layer on the the map; and go into the
> style editor and change the XML to refer to your second attribute.
> Please let me know if you have any questions about how to do this; I
> would like to make a wiki page based on your successful experience.
>
> And then (the from my standpoint) even better news:
> - We have been unsure how to approach the issue of multiple geometry
> columns from a user interface point of view; and decided to put off
> this discussion until we had a real live user (ie you) with a data
> source that we could talk to
> - One idea is to list the different options when you add a layer (I
> think you may be able to see this functionality on uDig 1.2 trunk
> right now - but you would need to confirm since I do not have postgis
> set up the way you do).
> - Another idea is to add a combo box to the Style Editor allowing
> people to switch which geometry is display (or just select "default").
>
> There are other stranger ideas; like making layers into folders so you
> can turn on and off each geometry; with a similar idea for
> representing categories in a theme - these ideas are more built around
> representing a "Legend View" rather then our current "Layer View".
>
> In anycase it is good to meet you; and we are prepaired to steered by
> your requirements in this matter.
>
> Jody
>
>
> On Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 9:55 AM, demichej <james.demichele@xxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I have been having a lot of success with uDig, but have hit an issue
> where
>> my Postgres table has 2 geometry columns.
>>
>> I can't seem to figure out how to show one shape column on the map
> versus
>> the other column. Is there a way to choose which column i want to use
> with
>> Postgis?
>>
>> It looks like it is just showing me the first geometry column in the
> table,
>> and doesn't even give me an option for the other one.
>>
>> Thanks!
>> --
>> View this message in context:
>
http://n2.nabble.com/PostGIS%3A-Multiple-geometry-columns-on-one-table-t
> p2464322p2464322.html
>> Sent from the udig-users mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> udig-users mailing list
>> udig-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> http://lists.refractions.net/mailman/listinfo/udig-users
>>
>
>