Type of Spatial Data

There are many types of spatial data.

There is the obvious mapping connection of latitude and longitude. There is also a use for spatial data in CAD/CAM systems. This covers both the geographic and non-geographic uses for spatial data.

Geographic spatial data has to have an attribute set to help describe the data as a co-ordinate system i.e. latitude and longitude or BNG (British National Grid). Non geographical data in CAD/CAM systems would not have to set this attribute.

All the data is stored and manipulated in the same way. The only difference may be in the scale of data and permissible accuracy. The centre of a town is, well near enough is usually good enough (metres), whereas getting the size of a window wrong in architects drawings is only a matter of millimeters.