7 replies to this topic

[vW Maps]

Does anyone out there have experience with Manifold and data in mdb format?

I am about to purchase a data set (http://www.ga.gov.au...0k_packaged.htm) and have the choice between TAB, shape, and personal geodatabase (mdb) formats. Should I expect to be able to take advantage of the annotation feature classes that will come with the data in personal geodatabase format but not in the other two?

Also, I'm curious whether the larger file size will slow down Manifold. Any opinions? The mdb format data comes on 2DVDs, the TAB and shape file versions on only 1.

Thanks.
MvW

[Hans van der Maarel]

Personally I would choose shapefile, based just on the thought that it's a more common format. In fact, I'm not even sure Manifold supports Personal Geodatabase (it's not in the list, unless they expect you to struggle with ODBC). Shapefiles can be opened in any GIS app, so if you need to do so, there's no stopping you.

As for the annotation, presumably the shapefile has point objects where the texts go and you would probabely want to change the placement a bit anyway.

Just my 2c...

[vW Maps]

Thanks, Hans,

Using the data in another GIS isn't an issue because I haven't needed those other software packages since making the switch to Manifold. I haven't tried ODBC in Manifold but if it's a struggle, I'm not interested! The file formats page does mention mdb under the ODBC heading (http://www.manifold....fd/formats.html) so I'll take your advice and go with the shape files.

Thanks.
MvW

In fact, I'm not even sure Manifold supports Personal Geodatabase (it's not in the list, unless they expect you to struggle with ODBC). Shapefiles can be opened in any GIS app, so if you need to do so, there's no stopping you.

Just my 2c...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Hans van der Maarel]

The file formats page does mention mdb under the ODBC heading (http://www.manifold....fd/formats.html)

Keep in mind that 'MDB' in itself still doesn't say much... A ESRI Personal Geodatabase is in MDB format, but so is Geomedia's native format... According to the list you mentioned, "ESRI Geodatabase" is supported, I don't know whether that's different from a "ESRI Personal Geodatabase"... In any case, you can't go wrong with shapefiles

[paul]

I have opened ESRI personal geodatabases in Manifold without problem just through normal data import. That being said, I would still go with .shp just because it's more universally read in other programs.

[ESRI Doc]

I had the same issue with manifold and found the shapefile format to be less troublesome.
Good luck

[chauncey]

Just picking nits on an old question: Hans writes in first reply: "As for the annotation, presumably the shapefile has point objects where the texts go and you would probabely want to change the placement a bit anyway." ESRI geodatabase annotation is not text inserted at point; it is more like a shapefile of the outline of the text (maybe splined etc).

While the commercial dataset MvW bought may not have this very sophisticated and possibly quite helpful esri geodatabase annotation, if it did, MvW would at least need ArcGIS and maybe even the Maplex extension to view/edit the annotation.

[BCowper]

Just picking nits on an old question: Hans writes in first reply: "As for the annotation, presumably the shapefile has point objects where the texts go and you would probabely want to change the placement a bit anyway." ESRI geodatabase annotation is not text inserted at point; it is more like a shapefile of the outline of the text (maybe splined etc).

While the commercial dataset MvW bought may not have this very sophisticated and possibly quite helpful esri geodatabase annotation, if it did, MvW would at least need ArcGIS and maybe even the Maplex extension to view/edit the annotation.

This is quite an old thread, but seeing as you resurrected it - Manifold 8.0 now supports full editing of personal databases, here's the relevant extract from Manifold 8 Help:

Although Manifold can connect to an existing SDE database, read (import) drawings, write drawings, link drawings and edit drawings, Manifold will not export new drawings to an SDE database nor will Manifold create a new SDE database. It does not make sense to create new SDE databases since these are significantly inferior to using native standards within a true spatial DBMS like Oracle or SQL Server. The only reason to work with SDE is to support legacy SDE data sources that have already been created within ESRI installations. This should not be an obstacle for ESRI users who are operating legacy SDE databases, since such users normally have ESRI software in use for organizing new SDE databases.

This is found in the Spatial DBMS Facilities section.

I don't see any reason to be worried using Personal dBs with Manifold and if you want a SHP version you can use Manifold to export to SHP.