PostGIS and ArcSDE/ArcGIS Articles

Issues / Gotchas / Confusions

The biggest problem with using PostGIS in ArcSDE is that you are forced to use older versions of PostGIS and PostgreSQL.

• If you are running ArcGIS 10.0 then only PostGIS 1.4 and PostgreSQL 8.3/8.4 are supported.

Details: ​ArcSDE 10 PostgreSQL/PostGIS system requirements

• If you are running ArcGIS 9.3 then only PostGIS 1.3 and PostgreSQL 8.3 are supported.

Details: ​ArcSDE 9.3 PostgreSQL/PostGIS Database Requirements

Second issue - really confusing so pay careful attention:

There is PostGIS and there is ​ESRI ST_Geometry which is ESRI's specific flavor of OGC geometry they install in PostgreSQL and make the default. These are not the same thing. Of course we would prefer you to use PostGIS, and PostGIS gives you more options with working with other software (particularly Open Source). The ST_Geometry and related functions are stored in the sde schema. they call their data type st_geometry and PostGIS type is just called geometry.

They also have a raster type they call ST_Raster not to be confused with PostGIS 2.0 raster type. Again different types. More about ArcGIS ST_Raster type is discussed ​ArcGIS 10: Installing the ST_Raster type in a local PostgreSQL database. PostGIS 2.0 raster type is just called raster.

Case Studies

These are Case Studies of using ArcSDE with PostGIS or moving away from ArcSDE:

• ​Moving from ESRI Oracle ArcGIS to PostgreSQL/PostGIS Foss4G 2010 Barcelona Case Study of Natural Resources Canada move from an ESRI ArcGIS Oracle platform to PostGIS/PostgreSQL

Tutorials

These are blogs and tutorials detailing use of PostGIS/PostgreSQL with ESRI ArcGIS 9.3+ and experiences

Bill Dollins has a great series on using ArcSDE 9.3 with PostGIS/PostgreSQL

• ​http://geobabble.wordpress.com/2008/05/28/using-arcsde-93-with-postgresql-part-1/

• ​http://geobabble.wordpress.com/2008/06/02/using-arcsde-93-with-postgresql-part-2/

• ​http://geobabble.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/using-arcsde-93-with-postgresql-part-3/

• ​http://geobabble.wordpress.com/2008/08/21/using-arcsde-93-with-postgresql-part-35/

• ​http://geobabble.wordpress.com/2008/03/18/postgresql-support-in-arcgis/

Paolo Corti

• ​http://www.paolocorti.net/2008/06/06/spatial-database-for-postgres-and-arcgis-users-how-to-choose/

Dave Bouman

• ​http://blog.davebouwman.net/2008/05/12/PostGISRound2ReadingTheManual.aspx

ESRI Articles and White Papers

• ​Introducing ArcSDE Implementation for PostgreSQL Transcript

• ​Introducing ArcSDE Implementation for PostgreSQL MP3 Video

• ​Working with Geodatabases - this is not specific to PostgreSQL/PostGIS, but covers sampling of Oracle, SQL Server 2008, IBM DB2, PostgreSQL SDE ST_Geometry, PostGIS

• ​Installing HowTo: Install PostgreSQL 8.3.0, ArcSDE 9.3, and PostGIS 1.3.2 on Windows