#2190: Use MySQL Spatial Functionality
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Reporter: justinzane | Owner: grass-dev@…
Type: enhancement | Status: new
Priority: normal | Milestone: 7.0.0
Component: Database | Version: unspecified
Keywords: MySQL, spatial, geometry | Platform: All
Cpu: All |
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[https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/spatial-extensions.html\]
It appears that MySQL >= 5.0 supports spatial data natively. It would be
very nice to have GRASS leverage that since MySQL has a wider preinstalled
base than PostgreSQL.
#2190: Use MySQL Spatial Functionality
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Reporter: justinzane | Owner: grass-dev@…
Type: enhancement | Status: new
Priority: normal | Milestone: 7.0.0
Component: Database | Version: svn-trunk
Keywords: MySQL, spatial, geometry | Platform: All
Cpu: All |
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Changes (by hamish):
* version: unspecified => svn-trunk
Comment:
Hi,
fwiw in spatial circles PostGIS heavily dominates the market for spatially
enabled DBs, even when proprietary systems are considered.
That is not to say there's anything wrong with MySQL's spatial support
(I've no experience with it), just that the popularity argument isn't
going to convince many GIS programmers.
also note that GRASS is a topologically enabled GIS, and spatially-enabled
DBs are generally much simpler beasts.
#2190: Use MySQL Spatial Functionality
--------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: justinzane | Owner: grass-dev@…
Type: enhancement | Status: new
Priority: normal | Milestone: 7.0.0
Component: Database | Version: svn-trunk
Keywords: MySQL, spatial, geometry | Platform: All
Cpu: All |
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Comment(by justinzane):
I've used postgresql + grass years ago, and I know that it is somewhat of
the "industry standard". By installed base, I was referring more to those
people like me -- technical or scientific people outside the GIS
profession who have occassion to use GIS tools as part of their work.
For me, this came up as a result of a need to do viewshed analyses for
fixed wireless deployment. As a KDE user, MySQL (MariaDB, actually), is
forced upon me by Akonadi/Nepomuk. And lots of organizations have MySQL
running for non-GIS purposes. The convenience of being able to push data
to an existing DB, expecially one that is already familiar is a boon.
I'm only suggesting that it **might** make GRASS more approachable for
some users.
#2190: Use MySQL Spatial Functionality
--------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: justinzane | Owner: grass-dev@…
Type: enhancement | Status: new
Priority: normal | Milestone: 7.0.0
Component: Database | Version: svn-trunk
Keywords: MySQL, spatial, geometry | Platform: All
Cpu: All |
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Comment(by mlennert):
Replying to [ticket:2190 justinzane]:
> [https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/spatial-extensions.html\]
>
> It appears that MySQL >= 5.0 supports spatial data natively. It would be
very nice to have GRASS leverage that since MySQL has a wider preinstalled
base than PostgreSQL.
What exaxtly do you mean by "leverage" in terms of native spatial data
support. Generally, GRASS uses its own data format and you can easily
import from MySQL to GRASS using OGR with v.in.ogr.
You can also link spatial data in a MySQL database to GRASS via v.external
(also via OGR).
If you are speaking about attribute data management, there is a mysql
driver available in GRASS.
So AFAIK, the only difference between PostgreSQL and MySQL in their
treatment by GRASS is the PostGIS direct access driver in GRASS7, which
only allows to read and write data directly from/to PostGIS (without going
through OGR), but it does not use any of the other spatial data
functionalities in PostGIS
[http://grasswiki.osgeo.org/wiki/PostGIS#Direct_access_to_PostGIS_data_.28GRASS_7_only.29
1].
So are you pleading for a similar driver for MySQL, or what exactly are
you looking for ? I do agree with Hamish, though, that within the GIS
world, PostGIS is lightyears ahead of MySQL in terms of its adoption for
spatial data handling.