Spatial Data Types
SQL Server 2008 introduces two new data types for working with spatial data—one for each of the two spatial models (as you might have guessed). The geometry data type is provided to store and process spatial data using the planar (flat-earth) model, while its counterpart geography supports the geodetic (round-earth) model.
One nice thing about the new spatial types is that they both use many of the same methods for common spatial calculations. So if you’re working with the geodetic model, you’ll be using longitude and latitude coordinates with the geography data type. For the planar model, you’ll be using x- and y-coordinates with the geometry data type. But in either case, you’ll use many of the same methods for dealing with ...
Get Programming Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2008 now with the O’Reilly learning platform.
O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.
