FME contains a large number of formats because there are so many different fields that use spatial data.
At Safe Software, we sometimes call these families of data and each family has data with a set of characteristics that differentiates it from the structures of other data types.
| Type | Characteristics |
|---|---|
|
BIM (Building Information Modeling) and 3D |
Data that enables the creation, management, and visualization of detailed information about a building or infrastructure project. BIM incorporates 3D models, as well as data related to geometry, materials, costs, schedules, and other relevant information. 3D data represents objects or environments in three-dimensional space. It includes geometric data, such as coordinates and shapes, as well as additional attributes like textures, colors, and material properties. |
|
Business Intelligence |
Strategies for the data analysis and management of business information. |
|
CAD |
Digital information that represents designs and models created using specialized software tools. CAD data typically includes 2D and 3D geometry, dimensions, annotations, and other relevant attributes. |
|
Databases and Data Warehouses |
Data held as a centralized collection of records and usually processed using transactions. |
|
GIS and Location Intelligence |
GIS combines spatial information (such as maps and coordinates) with attribute data (such as demographics or land use) to provide insights and facilitate decision-making. Location Intelligence uses geospatial data and analysis. |
|
Raster and Aerial Imagery |
Imagery may represent image or numeric data. Images are commonly derived from satellite data or photography, while numeric data often represents elevations, temperatures, and other quantitative information. |
|
Sensor Data |
Data includes information or measurements collected by sensors or devices designed to detect and capture specific physical, environmental, or biological events. |
|
Web and Cloud Services |
Any form of spatial data – vector or raster – that is stored online and distributed through a network. |
In addition, these families could also include:
| Type | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Cartographic | Data optimized to visually highlight certain spatial characteristics or concepts. |
| Transfer | Formats specifically designed as a means to standardize the supply of data. |
Of course, the big challenge is to preserve meaning and content when working with different types of data; for example, combining cartographic and database data into a GIS-ready output. This is where in-depth knowledge of FME’s readers and writers is a great benefit.
Reading or Writing
It’s worth noting that not every FME-supported format permits both reading and writing. Some formats only support reading, whereas others only support writing.
Non-Spatial Formats
FME supports a number of non-spatial formats, and can also process non-spatial attributes of spatial features.
System Requirements and Dependencies
In the FME Readers and Writers help system, each format contains information related to relevant FME platform and operating system.
Some formats are only supported when suitable application software is also installed on the user’s system. Esri GeoDatabase is an example of this. Because FME uses ArcObjects to read from a GeoDatabase, it’s necessary that ArcGIS is installed and licensed to enable this format in FME.
Format Plug-Ins
Some FME-supported formats relate to very specialist data types. In these cases, support is provided by an extra-cost plug-in. In some cases, these plug-ins are created by third-party suppliers using the FME Plug-In SDK.