GeoTools 2.7-M0 Released

GeoTools 2.7-M0 is now available for download:

• geotools-2.7-M0-bin.zip
• geotools-2.7-M0-project.zip
• geotools-2.7-M0-doc.zip
• geotools-2.7-M0-welcome.zip
• Release Notes

In keeping with the usability and quality theme of the 2.7.x series this release focuses on simplifications to the GeoTools api. While this is the first milestone release made to the public the branch has been ongoing for eight months resulting in an impressive number of resolved issues. As an example 158 issues were closed in the last 30 days.

This is a bug fix release made to solicit feedback from the geotools users list on several recent api changes:

• Clean up Generics from DataStore and Query as Class present two simplifications offering an easier start for those using GeoTools for the first time.
• FeatureStore modifyFeature by Name allows features to be modified using a Name, rathern then requiring users to look up metadata prior to modifying content

The download artefacts include examples for 2.7-M0 showing the use of SimpleFeatureCollection and SimpleFeatureSource.

For more information please review the Release Notes:

• Release Notes

For more information on GeoTools and the 2.7 series:

• http://geotools.org
• 2.7.x
• Upgrade to 2.7

Enjoy,
The GeoTools Community

GeoTools 2.6.4 Released

The GeoTools 2.6.4 release is now available for download:

• geotools-2.6.4-bin.zip
• geotools-2.6.4-project.zip
• geotools-2.6.4-doc.zip
• geotools-2.6.4-welcome.zip
• geotools-2.6.4-guide.zip
• Release Notes

This is a bug fix release made in conjunction with uDig 1.2-RC3.

This release adds support for Oracle Georaster access as the result of a productive collaboration between Christian and Baskar. It is great to see developers from different organisations combine forces.

There are many small but interesting improvements in the release notes. I am exited by the new interpolate functions which will be very useful when styling maps, generated SLD files no longer write out "default" values which will make for a more readable result.

This release also features more documentation then normal; we have exported out the 2.6.4 documentation from our website and the users guide. It is nice to have archives of this material that match a specific release.

For more information please review the Release Notes:

• Release Notes

For more information on GeoTools and the 2.6 series:

• http://geotools.org
• http://docs.codehaus.org/display/GEOTOOLS/2.6.x
• http://docs.codehaus.org/display/GEOTOOLS/Upgrade+to+2.6

Enjoy,
The GeoTools Community

Oracle GeoRaster & Custom JDBC Access

Coming with version 2.6.4, the Imagemosiac-jdbc module adds support for storing image/raster data in a customized database layout. This enables integration of an already existing database table structure into geotools.

The standard imagemosiac-jdbc module is based on a predefined table setup and is useful if you start importing your image data in a SQL database. Handling tiles and pyramids is supported.

For special use cases, other database designs may be necessary . The module was redesigned to encapsulate JDBC Access in a single plugin. Developing a customized JDBC Access plugin will create the missing link between the image composing logic and a custom database layout.

Additionally, users having an existing image database could make their data available for developers using the geotools API.

Look at the documentation .

A first implementation of this concept is a plugin for Oracle GeoRaster integrating the Oracle RASTER data type into imagemosaic-jdbc.

Again, look at the documentation .

Open Trip Planner

One of the really cool parts of GeoTools is the graph module - which offers services similar to PGRouting; but years before PGRounting :-) The code is actually a port of an original JUMP graph plugin done by Refractions; and has been steadily improved by grad students over the years in GeoTools.

While I have used this module myself; one thing I am always on the look out for is creative uses of the GeoTools library for this blog; and this week on the user list I was pointed in the direction of OpenTripPlanner.

Thanks to Nicholas from the user list for the pointer; Nicholas is a contributor the Open Trip Planner project.

Now before you get too excited; just as with PGRouting; the ability to go from point A to point B (with a few waypoints along the way) is really dependent on the quality of your data and how much information you have about the intersections (turn directions and so forth).

Check out the links to both OpenTripPlanner and the GeoTools graph module; perhaps you can use a bit of direction in your next Java project.

Update: After hunting in the internals it looks like OpenTripPlanner has there own implementation of graph functionality and are using GeoTools for data access.