Exploring Data Formats

A. Share the Different Data Sources You've Come Across in Your Project

Your story:
As part of your data search, you may have come across data in different formats. Most organizations pick one software and stick with it. Many clearinghouses pick one data format, but provide data translators in case you are using a different software. In Part I, we worked with data in just a few formats. What other formats are out there? Take time to look at the FME Format Gallery. What data formats are the organizations you've come in contact with using?

Do you subscribe to any GIS newsletters? If not, now is a good time to do so. There is a lot of information relevant to this class. Find an article related to data integration or interoperability. A few examples of online newsletters are:

• Directions Magazine - http://www.directionsmag.com/
• OGC News - http://www.opengeospatial.org/press/?page=newsletter
• Vector One Magazine

B. Deliverables

This module is two weeks in length. Please refer to the course Calendar tab in ANGEL for the due date.

1. Readings:

Required:

• ESRI EXPANDS SUPPORT FOR DATA INTEROPERABILITY AND STANDARDS
  Describes two new ESRI extensions.
• THE IMPORTANCE OF GOING OPEN
  An Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) White Paper (the fourth paper on the page)
• "DATA INTEGRATION AND INTEROPERABILITY: ISO/OGC STANDARDS FOR GEO-INFORMATION"
  Article in Directions Magazine

Recommended:

• GEOGRAPHY MARKUP LANGUAGE (GML)
  Story announcing the release of GML Version 3.1
• SPATIAL DATA TRANSFER INFORMATION SITE
  USGS Site with information about SDTS

2. Post a project write-up including:

• map of georeferenced CAD data overlayed with Centre County basemap and school district data, and PA forest data;
• list of GIS data formats used in your project describing the data in terms of structure, topology, 2d or 3d, vector or raster, projected or not. If your project is slow getting going or has only a few data types, describe the data in the State College Integration Exercise.
• discussion of the data formats used in your local area and the interoperability of those data;

3. Write a brief essay on how you would explain to your boss that the data sets you have just acquired cannot be lined up and have discrepancies between them. Put in the Week 6 Drop Box. This should be business formal standard communication, not an informal note.

4. Discuss the weekly topics on the discussion forum.

5. Complete Quiz 2

6. Make sure you have posted the completed Course Paper in Week 5 in the Lesson 5 Drop Box.

That's it for Part II and Lesson 5/6!

You have just completed module 5/6.

Don't forget...if you have any questions, feel free to post them to the Lesson 5/6 Discussion Forum.