Paolo,
There were a couple of reasons why I wanted to avoid using a database for
this system. The first reason is complexity. As soon as we start using a
database we begin to deal with things like SQL, JDBC, and database
configurations. We are really attempting to integrate a second peice of very
complex and independent software in its own right.
The second reason is interoperability. I don't want to use a database like
Derby because it is geared towards Java developers. I want to avoid
PostgreSQl becuase its geared towards C programmers. I know that SQL
provides a "neutral" interface to most databases, but once again, I think
this is an added layer of complexity. I think one advantage of a simple and
well-documented binary format is that it can be used by tools and programs
written in many different types of programming languages. ESRI's Shapefile
is a good example of this. Look at how many programs can read and write
shapefiles. Would this have happened if ESRI had used a database instead? I
think we already have the answer to that question. Look at ESRI's Personal
Geodatabase, which is embedded in MDB files. How many programs can read and
write that data format?
GML 2.0 really accomplished most of what I want. However, it is text-based,
and not binary. For the type of applications I'm interested in I really need
the speed of a binary format.
The Sunburned Surveyor
On 3/30/07, P.Rizzi Ag.Mobilità Ambiente <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
What about using a Java embedded database like HSQL or Derby???
They already can manage in-memory / persistence of any kind of data
and they do it very well I believe...
You should only keep each Feature's primary keys and, probably, it's
bounds.
The db engine will take care of everything else.
Also this kind of engine usually create simple files that can be copied
around
so they effectively also are a binary format.
Also, beeing used in many places, there're lots of utilities and software
able to use them. The Derby engine has been recently integrated into
Java 6 (aka Mustang).
But maybe there're other aspects that I can't see...
Bye
Paolo Rizzi
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