Microsoft SQL Server and Azure SQL Database Spatial Reader/Writer

Note: Licensing options for reading this format begin with FME Professional edition. Licensing options for writing this format begin with FME Database edition.

Overview

The Microsoft SQL Server Spatial reader and writer modules provide FME with access to spatial and attribute data held in live Microsoft SQL Server database tables.

FME provides read and write access to live Microsoft SQL Server databases via Microsoft's ActiveX Data Objects (ADO).

FME connects to SQL (Azure) Servers first using Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Native Client. If the 2012 Native Client is not found, FME tries to connect again using the 2008 Native Client.
The 2012 Native Client supports SQL Server 2005 and above, including Azure Servers.
The 2008 Native Client supports SQL Server 2005 and above, but does not support Azure Servers.
For spatial reading and writing, Microsoft System CLR Types for SQL Server 2012 and Microsoft .Net 4.5.2 are required.

Workbench Reader Overview

Click the Reader Parameters button and establish a Microsoft SQL Server Spatial database connection.

FME considers a database dataset to be a collection of relational tables. Arbitrary where clauses and joins are fully supported.

Workbench Writer Overview

Click the Writer Parameters button and establish a Microsoft SQL Server Spatial database connection.

The Microsoft SQL Server Spatial writer module stores attribute records into a live relational database. The Microsoft SQL Server Spatial writer provides the following capabilities:

  • Transaction Support: The writer provides transaction support that eases the data loading process. Occasionally, a data load operation terminates prematurely due to data difficulties. The transaction support provides a mechanism for reloading corrected data without data loss or duplication.
  • Table Creation: The writer uses the information within the FME mapping file to automatically create database tables as needed.