ABSTRACT
In chapter 2, we described how a spatial database must provide for the storage and manipulation of the locational, topological, attribute and metadata components of our data. In this chapter we move on to describe the ways in which spatial and attribute data may be obtained and incorporated within a spatial database. We will describe the most popular types of spatial data, attribute data and topological data and the techniques we use to integrate them into the spatial database. As the opening quote suggests, the acquisition and integration of spatial data can occupy a significant proportion of any project. Van Leusen’s estimate of one third of the project may seem high but is, in our experience, actually rather low. It is not unusual for the identification, purchase, digitising, quality control and documentation of data to occupy the vast majority of a project but without careful attention to this stage, any analysis will be seriously undermined.
