Regulatory aspects
Management of associated information within a GIS,
application examples
In a GIS, characteristics or properties can be assodated in the form of
attributes to primary elements (nodes, arcs, polygons), simple geographical objects (nodes, lines or surface), or complex objects, as well as
to relationships between these objects. They are managed in tables and
linked with the identifier of the entity concerned.
Links with textual information
The original information (which includes the authority concerned,
restrictions of use, the protection level, conditions of application...) is
mainly in textual form. The legal texts are still of prime importance
because they are written in a refined and precise manner. They express
all the required subtleties and they sometimes deliberately leave scope
for interpretation. Therefore it is not only advisable, but also imperative that multimedia links should be preserved between the geographical
data and the texts concerned.
An extension of ArcView, “DocLink” was developed in order to combine a large range of documents (images, text files, Web sites) with a
“theme” or individual objects of themes. Doclink is also used to manage
the link with the metadata of the “theme" concerned.
The metadata which include data sources and acquisition methods, the
chain of operations applied and the addresses of the organizations in
charge are managed by the Reports software according to European
standards.
Thematic formalization in view of carrying out analytical
and synthetic studies
Apart from information leading to the tracebility of arcs according to
their origin, the sole identifier of the entity and the reference in the legal
text (as well as the writer, the date of issue and the expiring date), it
is also advisable in the case of regulatory data to program a qualification
phase, relative to the degree of reliability so that incertitudes can be
identified and viewed easily (Palmer, 1998).
In spite of the restrictions mentioned above, in order to take full
advantage of the potentiality within a GIS in terms of spatial analysis
and synthetic representation, it is necessary to formalise a “conversion
method” as regards the original text by setting out parameters and
manageable significant variables in attributive tables.
In some cases, the significant information is relatively obvious and
does not raise any structuring problems. However, if there is a request
to know the restrictions exerted on an activity, it is necessary to set up
a link between a type of precise zoning, a given activity and a type of
restriction. The restriction typology may prove to be simple (authorized/
banned zones) or may require a more subtle formalization (without
priority, intermittent prohibition, hierarchical typology of restriction
between activities... ). The degree of refinement depends on the targeted
279
Management of associated information within a GIS,
application examples
In a GIS, characteristics or properties can be assodated in the form of
attributes to primary elements (nodes, arcs, polygons), simple geographical objects (nodes, lines or surface), or complex objects, as well as
to relationships between these objects. They are managed in tables and
linked with the identifier of the entity concerned.
Links with textual information
The original information (which includes the authority concerned,
restrictions of use, the protection level, conditions of application...) is
mainly in textual form. The legal texts are still of prime importance
because they are written in a refined and precise manner. They express
all the required subtleties and they sometimes deliberately leave scope
for interpretation. Therefore it is not only advisable, but also imperative that multimedia links should be preserved between the geographical
data and the texts concerned.
An extension of ArcView, “DocLink” was developed in order to combine a large range of documents (images, text files, Web sites) with a
“theme” or individual objects of themes. Doclink is also used to manage
the link with the metadata of the “theme" concerned.
The metadata which include data sources and acquisition methods, the
chain of operations applied and the addresses of the organizations in
charge are managed by the Reports software according to European
standards.
Thematic formalization in view of carrying out analytical
and synthetic studies
Apart from information leading to the tracebility of arcs according to
their origin, the sole identifier of the entity and the reference in the legal
text (as well as the writer, the date of issue and the expiring date), it
is also advisable in the case of regulatory data to program a qualification
phase, relative to the degree of reliability so that incertitudes can be
identified and viewed easily (Palmer, 1998).
In spite of the restrictions mentioned above, in order to take full
advantage of the potentiality within a GIS in terms of spatial analysis
and synthetic representation, it is necessary to formalise a “conversion
method” as regards the original text by setting out parameters and
manageable significant variables in attributive tables.
In some cases, the significant information is relatively obvious and
does not raise any structuring problems. However, if there is a request
to know the restrictions exerted on an activity, it is necessary to set up
a link between a type of precise zoning, a given activity and a type of
restriction. The restriction typology may prove to be simple (authorized/
banned zones) or may require a more subtle formalization (without
priority, intermittent prohibition, hierarchical typology of restriction
between activities... ). The degree of refinement depends on the targeted
279