VERSION: 0.1 (2007/01)

MORE INFORMATION: SourceForge web site
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pgat/

1.- Description.

PGAT (PostGIS Analysis Tool) is a graphical interface to PostGIS focused in mapping the spatial operators defined in PostGIS. The spatial operations are performed in the server side unlike most open source GIS. PGAT is implemented with Java and uses GeoTools (render graphics) and db4o (store log system), both of them are open source solutions too.

The main difference between PGAT and other programs is that PGAT is focused in performing the spatial operations (like buffer, dissolve, etc.) in the server side (PostgreSQL/PostGIS/SFS). This way PGAT commits for the interoperability defined in the SFS protocol about the geo-spatial operations.

PGAT shows all the SQL sentences to the user. Obviously the user can work directly with PostGIS keying the SQL statements, but it is an arduous task. Most of the users that use this kind of software are measured in Geography, Cartography or other applied sciences and they can have difficulties to write these complex SQL sentences. 

Another goal of PGAT is to make an educational framework where the students and researchers can learn in an easy way PostGIS and their characteristics and to test their own algorithms in PostGIS.


2.- What PGAT is ?.

PGAT is a graphical interface to PostGIS. It is easy to use and it is a useful tool for people that work with PostGIS and have no knowledge with SQL.
PGAT is focused in using plain SQL statements to carry on most functionalities.
PGAT can be used as a framework to develop and test in an easy way your own work with PostGIS.
It is a good tool to teach PostGIS subjects in the Universities (Geography, Cartography, Applied earth sciences, etc.).


3.- What PGAT is not ?.

PGAT is not a GIS like UDIG, Kosmo or GvSIG. It is just a frontend to run spatial operations).
PGAT is not an editor (to edit geometries is not allowed).
PGAT does not work with others file formats (e. g. shapes). It only works with PostGIS.


4.- Currently functionalities (version 0.1 beta).

- Create/Delete spatial databases
- Import/Export shape files
- Manage tables and geometry Views
- Delete layers
- Add/Delete geometry columns
- Spatial Indexes (create, drop, vacuum)
- Copy layers (schema and data)
- Convert tables to views and viceversa
- Queries 
- Work with schemas
- Spatial operations (buffer, dissolve)
- Log system to control errors and see SQL statements
- Dissolve improvement using spatial relations
- Spatial Indexes information 


5.- Installation instructions

5.1.- Requirements

- Windows or Linux
- Java 1.5.x or higher (PGAT does not work with Java 1.4.x)
- The Java Advanced Imaging Libraries (JAI) and the Java Advanced Imaging Image I/O Tools (GeoTools requirements).
	The JAI (Java Advanced Imaging) and the JAI Image I/O Tools are standard extensions to Java created by SUN.

	You can obtain the latest versions of both of these from:
	- http://java.sun.com/products/java-media/jai/current.html

	Detailed instructions can be found at:
	- http://docs.codehaus.org/display/GEOTOOLS/Dependencies

5.2.- Instructions

- Decompress the file pgatXXX.tar.gz	
	You will get a structure directory like:
		../pgatXXX/pgat.jar
		../pgatXXX/lib
		../pgatXXX/src
		../pgatXXX/COPYING
		../pgatXXX/GPL.TXT
		../pgatXXX/INSTALL
		...			
- In a shell console inside the directory ../pgatXXX/ key in:
	java -Xmx128m -jar pgat.jar


6.- TODO list:

- Simbology
- Add functionalities
- To complete the geo-spatial operations.
- To create topology tables to allow to use in a easy way pgRouting.
- To create tolology rules to detect topology errors like overlaping polygons, pseudonodes, etc.


5.- Acknowledgment and contact information

Acknowledgment:
This project has been developed in the University of Victoria (Canada) thanks to the grant awarded by the "Secretaria de Estado de Universidades e Investigacion del Ministerio de Educacion�y Ciencia" from Spain.

This project has been supervised by Prof. Dr. Jens Weber (Jahnke) in the Department of Computer Science in the University of Victoria (Canada, BC)

Contact information:
Jose Carlos Martinez Llario, Eloina Coll Aliaga
jomarlla@cgf.upv.es, ecoll@cgf.upv.es

Mail address:
Universidad Politecnica de Valencia
Deparment of Cartographic Engineering, Geodesy and Photogrammetry
Camino de Vera, s/n. 46022 Valencia (Spain)
Tel. +34 96 387 70 07 Ext. 75599
Fax. +34 96 387 75 59