Transferring Data With LocusXML
From BluWiki
One of the primary uses of LocusXML is the storage and transferal or movement of Geospatial data from one system to another system. This could be between different directories in the filesystem on a computer, or many different computers on in many different places around the Earth. LocusXML Tranfer Documents are the vehicles used to tranmsit and store spatial data in LocusXML format. There are 2 main types of LocusXML Transfer Documents. The first type is System Dependent Documents. The second type is System Independent Documents.
[edit] System Dependent LocusXML Transfer Documents
This is the simpler of the 2 types of LocusXML Transfer documents. It is used for transferring spatial data between entities that use an established system for sending and recieving LocusXML Transfer Documents. What this means, in essence, is that the sending party already has the schemas and other information it needs to process the LocusXML Transfer document when it is received. All it requires is the data itself, not any of the supplemental information that is needed to process and understand it. This system established between the sending and receiving entities means that unecessary information can be excluded from the LocusXML Transfer Document. What are some situations of when this simpler type of document could be used to transfer data?
- If you wanted to transfer data via a wireless connection between a stationary unit and a mobile unit. (For example: Transferral of data between the computer in a police car and the computer at the police dispatch center.)
- If you wanted to transfer data through a web portal to a database on the web server.
- If you wanted to allow a remote mapping team to periodically update a local data repository using an FTP site.
What do all of these situations have in common? In all cases a system for data transfer and processing can be put into place before the actual transfers of the data.
When is it not appropriate to use the System Dependent LocusXML Transfer Document to send data? If you are going to make your data available for download by the general public it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to establish a system for the transfer and processing of the data with each person who might obtain the data. Instead, you would use the System Independent type of LocusXML Transfer Documents to bundle everything that was needed to use the data together in one package.
