Super Lightweight Spatial Database [SpatiaLite]

Superlight Spatial Database [SpatiaLite]

After a quick review of 'Free' Open Source GIS software. Had a look at Spatial Databases
There is a SpatiaLite - and it's easy to use 1,2,3 Go! (five minute guide)

What can you do quickly?


What is an MBR? Above graphically shows the Bottom Left and Top Right of a rectangle using this as an extent to find spatial features within.This is one of the most basic ways to find something spatially.
More on MBR [Minimum Bounding Rectangle] Function [Wiki]


SQL request to find all features within the MBR

*Data used was OpenStreetMap in shapefile format
Not saying this is best spatial database out there but is certain to be the quickest to download,install and load data within it.

Features:
* Enhanced GUI tool v1.2
* SQL mathematical functions
* EXIF-GPS geometry-handling functions
* Virtual Table module VirtualNetwork
* Supporting routing [Dijkstra's Shortest Path algorithm]
* Supports importing and exporting to shapefiles [big plus]
* Supports standard WKT and WKB formats

Tutorials and Documentation to get you started.
http://www.gaia-gis.it/spatialite/docs.html

Why Super Lightweight? [8.3mb windows application] that's why.

Related links:
http://www.gaia-gis.it/spatialite/ [Main Homepage]
http://groups.google.com/group/spatialite-users?pli=1 [Google Group - Spatialite]

http://mapperz.blogspot.com/2008/09/open-street-map-in-shapefile-format.html
http://www.geofabrik.de/data/download.html [Open Street Map data in shapefiles]

Downloads
http://www.gaia-gis.it/spatialite/binaries.html [Applications for Mac,Windows,Linux]
http://www.gaia-gis.it/spatialite/resources.html [Sample Databases, Routing, Test Scripts]

Mapperz