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Overview

Artifact ID: d08cac6115b9f1853c1a8564c1aa403da1b28090
Page Name:topo-intro
Date: 2012-01-05 11:24:05
Original User: sandro
Parent: aabb5d4df2e35f7b7dcd5cd3cbb1d8ece5d71cd9 (diff)
Next 1ee7356ec55db8c852d4c2019559bc621f23bcdf
Content

Topology: a quick intro

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OGC-SFS Geometries

As you already know, the standard representation of Geometries supported by any existing Spatial DBMS is based on the following SFS classes (non-topological):
  • (MULTI)POINT
  • (MULTI)LINESTRING
  • (MULTI)POLYGON
  • GEOMETRYCOLLECTION

Topology

An alternative representation (planar graph) is based on the following elements:
  • a NODE simply is a notable point, and can be assumed to be equivalent to SFS POINT. Examples: N1, N2, N3, N4, N5
  • an EDGE is an oriented path joining two nodes, and can be assumed to be equivalent to SFS LINESTRING.
    Examples: E1, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, E7
  • a FACE is a portion of the plane delimited by edges, and can be assumed to be equivalent to SFS POLYGON.
    Examples: F1, F2, F3, F4
  • a TopoCurve is a collection of one (or more) Edges, and can be assumed to be equivalent to SFS MULTILINESTRING.
  • a TopoSurface is a collection of one (or more) Faces, and can be assumed to be equivalent to SFS MULTIPOLYGON.
    Example: Faces F2 and F4 belongs to the same MultiPolygon.
topology-1
Constraints on Nodes:
  • two (or more) Nodes can never overlap
Constraints on Edges:
  • each Edge always has a node-from and a node-to: this implies that any Edge is oriented
  • node-from and a node-to may be the same: and in this case we have a self-closed Edge (aka Ring). Example: E1
  • an Edge cannot contain loops (or any other kind of self-intersection)
  • two (or more) Edges can intersect only where a Node is defined. Example: Edges E3, E4 and E5 intersect exactely at Node N4
  • no Node can overlap an Edge except than at its extermities
Representation of Faces:
  • each Face is delimited by a set of Edges: Example: Face F3 is delimited by Edges E2, E5, E4 and E6
  • a Face can be delimited by a single Edge: Example: Face F2 is delimited by Edge E1
  • a Face must always have an exterior boundary; but can can legitimately have one (or more) interior boundaries (aka holes) at the same time.
    Example: Face F1 is delimited by Edges E1, E2, E3 and E7
    • Edges E2, E3 and E7 represent the exterior boundary
    • Edge E1 represents an interior boundary (hole)
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