SpatiaLite Reader/Writer

FME has read and write access to both attribute and spatial data held in SpatiaLite databases.

SpatiaLite is a spatial extension to SQLite which provides support for the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC)’s Simple Feature Specification. SpatiaLite also provides more advanced functionality to SQLite databases, such as spatial indexes and multiple coordinate systems.

SpatiaLite is a relational database system that supports SQL and stores the entire database in a single file.

SpatiaLite Product and System Requirements

Format

Product

Operating System

Reader/Writer

FME Desktop License

FME Server

FME Cloud

Windows 64-bit

Linux

Mac

Reader

Available in FME Professional Edition and higher

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Writer

Available in FME Professional Edition and higher

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Terminology: SpatiaLite and FME

SpatiaLite

Definition or FME Representation

table or view

feature type

row

feature

column

attribute

Reader Overview

FME considers a database dataset to be a collection of relational tables. The tables must be defined in the workspace before they can be read. SpatiaLite metadata tables will be ignored.

The reader can also read SQLite Views.

Arbitrary WHERE clauses and joins are fully supported per table or view.

Writer Overview

The SpatiaLite writer module stores attribute records into a live relational database. The SpatiaLite writer provides the following capabilities:

  • Transaction Support: The SpatiaLite 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 SpatiaLite writer uses the writer feature type schema information and options within the workspace to automatically create database tables as needed.
  • Writer Mode Specification: The SpatiaLite writer allows the user to specify which SQL command should be issued for each feature received. Valid writer modes are Insert, Update, Upsert, and Delete. The writer mode can be specified at three unique levels: at the writer level, on the feature type, or on individual features.