Vector Data Model

Dr. Rohit Goyal

Reader, Civil Engineering
Malaviya National Institute of Technology
Jaipur
Topics Covered
 Common Concepts
 Vector Data Representation
 Terminologies
 Point, Line and Polygon Feature
 Spaghetti Data Model
 Structured Data Model
 Advantages
 Disadvantages
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Vector Data Model
 Vector Data Model is an Object based
approach to the representation of real
world features.
 Best suited to represent discreet objects.
 Conceptually more complex than the
raster data model.
 Technically difficult to implement.
 Efficient storage, high computational speed,
simple and efficient query are tradeoffs.
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Vector Data Model
 Based on vectors (as opposed to
space-occupancy raster structures)
 Fundamental primitive is a point
 Objects are created by connecting
points with straight/curved lines
 Somesystems allow points to be
connected using arcs of circles

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 Example: Vector GIS Data
point line area
SCALE city highway ag. land
wells political urban land
boundary city
streams highway
airport

Example Attributes:
city: population, name
wells: depth
highway: number
political boundary: type
streams: name
ag. land: growth potential, acreage
urban land: urban landuse type, acreage
airport: name 5
Common Concepts
 Different GIS software vendors have
used different approaches.
 Resulted in development of multitude of
variants of vector data models.
 However, all are based on two common
and interrelated concepts
 Decomposition into simpler or basic
elements
 Use of Topology to represent spatial
relationships between different objects.

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Vector Data Representation
 Simple geometric objects of point, line
and polygon and their x, y coordinates
are used to represent spatial features.
 Dimensionality and property distinguish
the three types.
 Point has 0 dimension and has only the
property of location.
 Line is 1 dimensional and also has property
of length. Begins and ends with a node.
 Polygon is 2 dimensional and has properties
of area and perimeter.
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Graphical Entities
 Single point, line and polygon may be on
its own a graphical entity or may be just
a simple graphical element.
 Different simple graphical elements are
joined together to form a complex
graphical entity.
 A lot of islands in Bay of Bengal are joined together
to form a single entity of Andaman and Nicobar.
 Similarly many line segments may be joined together
to form a Highway.

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Terminologies
 Point may also be called
 Node
 Vertex
 0-Cell
 Line are also known as
 An edge
 Link
 Chain
 1-Cell
 Polygons are referred as
 Area
 Face
 Zone
 2-Cell

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Point & Line Features
 Basic unit of the vector data model are
points and their coordinates
 Line feature is made of points.
 Between two end points a line consists of a
series of points marking the shape of the
line
 Different segments may be smooth curve or
straight lines.
• Smooth curves are typically fitted by
mathematical equations.
 Line features may intersect or join with
other lines and may form network.

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Polygon Features
 Polygons are defined by lines.
 Boundary of an polygon separates the interior
area from the exterior area (which may be
unbounded).
 Area features may be isolated or connected. It
may form holes within other areas.
 Area features may overlap one another and
create overlapped areas.
 Example: Forest areas in different years may be
digitized in one layer to visualize increase/decrease
in forest area.

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Digitization
 Involves several stages:
 Input of the spatial data
 Input of attribute data
 Linking spatial and attribute data
 Spatial data is entered via digitized
Points and Lines, scanned and
vectorized lines or directly from other
digital sources
 Once the spatial data has been entered,
much work is still needed before it can be
used

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Topology
 Once points are entered and geometric
lines are created, topology must by
“built”
 This involves calculating and encoding
relationships between the points, lines and
areas
 This info may be automatically coded into
tables of information in the database
 Without Topology, data is called
“Spaghetti Data Model”.

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Spaghetti Data Model
 Vector data that have been collected but not
structured are said to be in spaghetti data
model
 Data for CAD systems are often stored in this
data model.
 Model stores graphical elements in random
order (often the order in which they are
created).
 There is considerable redundancy as
boundaries between adjacent polygons are
stored twice.
 This data model is not amenable to many GIS
operations/analysis

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Spaghetti
Data Model

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Structured Data Model
 There are many ways to structure the
vector data
 Since these data models are built on the
concept of topology, they are
sometimes collectively referred as
“topological data models”.
 Examples are
 Arc-Node (AN) Model
 Doubly Connected Edge List (DCEL) Model
 Winged-Edged Model

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Vector Advantages
 More map like than raster data.
 Because it is more accurate and pleasing to
eyes.
 Vector data is very high resolution.
 Magnification does not effect display quality
as in case of raster.
 Displayed can be magnified to the limits
of the original data collection standard.
 If a point is recorded to the accuracy of 10
m. The point will appear in its correct place
till we have zoomed to a scale where we can
measure better (less) than 10 m.

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Vector Advantages…
 Storage advantage.
 Sincewe are recording only entities,
we need not record data for places
where nothing exists as in case of
raster.
 Public usually understands vector
data better than raster data.
 Vector data can be topological.
 Soallows analysis only possible on
topological data.
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Vector Disadvantages
 Data format may be more difficult to manage
than raster format.
 Stored as long lists of coordinates, which may be
easier for computer to understand but difficult for
user to understand and edit.
 Vector data processing requires more
powerful, high end computers
 Computational efforts are required every time the
image is to be redisplayed as the arcs etc need to be
regenerated.
 Since computer monitor is a raster type of display,
vector to raster conversion must be internally done
by the software to display the image.

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Vector Disadvantages…
 Vector format is more expensive.
 Use of better computer, increased management
needs and other consideration makes it expensive.
 More difficult to learn
 Topology is difficult to understand.
 Much more and easy availability of raster data.
 It is easier to acquire raster data then vector data.
However GPS gives vector data.
 Many day to day devices use raster system.
 Cameras, monitors, printers, scanners are raster
based systems.

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