Categories: FAQ | Common Usage FAQ | Installation Licensing and Product Setup FAQ | Workbench FAQ | Universal Translator FAQ | Universal Viewer FAQ | Format Specific FAQ
Whats Great 2008
From Fmepedia
Summary of Highlights
| Functionality | # of new items |
|---|---|
| New Vector Formats | 10 |
| New Raster Formats | 3 |
| New Transformers | 21 |
| New Factories + Functions | 18 |
| Table of contents |
|
|
See Also
Also check out the list of post-release fixes
General
Splashscreen
In accordance with our theme of 3D and Building Models, the FME2008 splashscreen is:
Applications
Workbench
- Transformer Placing: Added Drag-Drop-Insert functionality to make automatic connections when placing transformers. See this movie for a demo of the new functionality.
- Incomplete Transformers: Added marker to identify which parameter(s) in a transformer is incomplete.
Above: This transformer has an incomplete parameter, denoted by the red coloured icon.
FME Universal Viewer
SpatialDirect
FME Server
Formats
Vector Formats
New Vector Formats
- JSON reader/writer: Reads and writes generic JSON objects.
- GeoJSON reader/writer: Reads and writes geographical data encoded with JSON according to the GeoJSON specification, see http://wiki.geojson.org/Main_Page.
- NEN3610 reader: A dutch interchange format based on GML for which TOP10GML and IMRO are subsets.
- PDF writer: Ability to write PDFs in a form that can be displayed in 3D in Adobe Reader.
- IFC Reader: Reads version 2x, 2x2, and 2x3 Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) files. IFC is a vendor neutral BIM data model promoted and published by the International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI) (http://www.example.com).
- AutoCAD Map 3D Object Data Reader/Writer: Reads and writes object data within DWG files, without requiring AutoCAD Map 3D to be installed.
- Path Reader: This reader produces an FME feature for each file and/or directory contained in the specified directory, which can be used in combination with transformers which operate on pathnames to trigger external translations or other events.
- LandXML Reader/Writer.
- CityGML Reader including reading of NoiseADE profile.
- SQL Server Spatial Reader/Writer: Reads and writes spatial data stored in SQL Server 2008's new 'geometry' and 'geography' data types. Supports our SetConstraints API, enabling live access to spatial data from within several GIS applications.
Above: A 3D PDF file created by FME and displayed in Adobe Reader
Existing Vector Formats Now Supporting 3D
- Shape Reader/Writer
- VRML Writer
- XML Reader
- Oracle Spatial Object Reader/Writer
- ESRI Geodatabase Reader/Writer
Vector Format Updates
- KML
- Read/Write support for the new KML 2.2 spec
- Much, much, much better KML reading
- Support for reading from HTTP datasources
- NetworkLink traversal
- Raster reading
- Image pyramidding
- Vector regionation
- MicroStation Design (DGN) V8
- Ability to read view dependent flag, and to set it on writing using igds_element_view_independent.
- MapInfo TAB
- Ability to read/write MapInfo v9 TAB files, including Universal Data, Date and DateTime attributes, and Krovak coordinate systems.
- MapInfo MIF
- Ability to read/write MapInfo v9 MIF files, including Date and DateTime attributes, and Krovak coordinate systems.
- Geodatabase
- Ability to write features to Geodatabase feature classes that participate in a geometric network.
- Improved Annotation Support (better geometry handling, leader lines, and feature-linked annotations).
- XML Reader XFMap:
- Added the ability to construct multiple FME features at a time, this is enabled by setting the new 'multi-feature-construction' attribute to 'true' on the <feature-map> element.
- Added the ability to limit mapping rule activations with the 'except' attribute. The 'except' attribute complements the <mapping> element's 'match' attribute by allowing a match- set be defined negatively, i.e., it allows one to say "everything but ...", e.g., <mapping match="*" except="this that">.
- Added an except attribute to the <structure> element allowing the XFMap to exclude some elements of an XML tree from conversion into FME attributes.
- Added <force> child elements to mapping rules. The <force> elements allows expressions to be evaluated when a mapping rule is activated, deactivated, or both. The <force> element also allows a mapping rule to force an XFMap to halt.
- Added the <logexpr> expression element, allows the XFMap to generate log entries onto the FME logfile.
- Added the <comparison> expression element, it implements a simple conditional choice for XFMap expression elements.
- AutoCAD Reader/Writer
- Added encoding support
- GeoConcept Reader/Writer
- The GeoConcept Expert application no longer needs to be installed to read/write GeoConcept format data
- Approximately 3x faster reading & writing, according to tests conducted within Safe Software
- When writing, the option now exists to make a copy of the template map, and use the copy as the start point of your destination map. This allows one to retain the class/subclass structure of the template, and even allows for features to be appended to an existing map.
- MapInfo Writer
- Added the ability to set the colour, pattern and width of the label lines attached to text features.
- Shape Reader/Writer
- Added the ability to retain the case of attribute names, rather than always uppercasing them.
- KF85 Reader
- In the rich geometry mode, arc endpoints are now preserved in a generic fashion, making it easier to retain the complete arc when translating to other writers that support rich geometry.
- CSV Reader
- Added the option to skip a user-definable number of footer lines.
- DGN V8 Reader/Writer
- Added support for retrieving whether a feature is View Independent or View Dependent, and for setting a feature to be View Independent or View Dependent.
- Added the ability to write relative graphic cells.
- Oracle
- Improved support for character encodings.
- Added support for reading MapInfo symbology columns.
- Added support for the Oracle Workspace Manager.
- Added mappings for additional coordinate systems (SRIDs).
- SQL Server
- Added support for Windows Authentication in the reader, writer, Joiner, and SQLExecutor.
- ESRI ArcSDE
- OS Authentication (Reader/Writer) for vector and raster
- Significant Raster Reader performance enhancements through pyramiding
- Personal ArcSDE support
- Joiner support
Raster Formats
New Raster Formats
- Oracle GeoRaster 10g/11g Reader
- Surfer Binary Grid 6 Reader
- CADRG Writer
Raster Format Updates
- Many raster formats now support MapInfo .TAB file metadata for additional referencing and attribution support.
- Many raster formats now support rotation in world file external metadata.
- Many raster formats now support different naming schemes for source feature types dependent on format, dataset, or sub-dataset names.
- ECW and JPEG 2000 have been fixed to resolve some memory restrictions when using large datasets.
- Ensured Oracle GeoRaster reading and writing is compatibility with Oracle 11g
- Oracle GeoRaster vector versus raster options were separated and simplified.
Functionality
Transformers
New Transformers
- SpikeRemover: Clean up geometry by removing spikes from lines and polygons and flagging the problem areas.
- JSONExtractor: This transformer extracts JSON values into feature attributes.
- JSONExploder: This transformer explodes a JSON object or a JSON array. A new feature is created for each member of the object or array.
- HTTPFetcher: Fetches a target by performing a HTTP GET operation on the specified URL, storing the results in the specified target attribute.
- HTTPFileUploader: Uploads a file's contents by performing a HTTP PUT or POST operation on the specified URL, storing the results in the specified target attribute.
- HTTPUploader: Uploads a message by performing a HTTP PUT or POST operation on the specified URL, storing the results in the specified target attribute.
- HTTPDeleter: Deletes a target by performing a HTTP DELETE operation on the specified URL, storing the results in the specified target attribute.
- RasterBandAdder: This transformer adds a new band to a raster using the same value in all cells and incorporating the existing raster-level properties of the surrogate raster.
- RasterBandRemover: This transformer removes the specified unwanted bands from raster features.
- RasterBandKeeper: This transformer removes all bands except the specified bands from raster features.
- RasterBandOrderer: This transformer changes the order of the bands on a raster.
- RasterMinMaxExtractor: Extracts the minimum and maximum values of the bands and palettes as attributes.
- RasterGCPExtractor: Extracts the Ground Control Points (GCPs) of a raster as an attribute.
- RasterGCPSetter: Sets the Ground Control Points (GCPs) of a raster from an attribute.
- VectorOnRasterOverlayer: Overlays vector features onto an existing raster producing raster output.
- RasterTiler: Spatially divides raster features into a series of tiles.
- RasterPyramider: Creates pyramid levels or overviews of input rasters at various resolutions.
- RasterSubsetter: Reduce a raster to a subset of its original size or perform padding around the raster.
- VirtualEarthTiler: Create a series of image tiles that can be overlain in Virtual Earth. Produces similar output to MSR MapCruncher.
- RasterPaletteGenerator: Generate a palette on a color raster or image from the existing data values.
- RasterCheckpointer: Save state at arbitrary points during the translation. Also forces previous processing to occur immediately.
Transformer Updates
- ParameterFetcher: Added ability to select parameters from a list, rather than by manually typing them in
Above: New ParameterFetcher drop down list.
- AreaCalculator: Added ability to switch between Plane area measurement (2D) and Slope area measurement (3D)
- RasterRGBCreator: Added basic palette creation
- Rasterizer: Added anti-aliasing and tolerance support to line drawing
- SQLExecutor: Added support for connecting directly to Microsoft SQL Server
- Reprojector: Added support for a new and improved cell size option called Preserve Cells.
- PointOnRasterValueExtractor: Added the option to ignore or extract nodata values.
- Raster transformers that support interpolation kernels now support two additional methods: Average 4 and Average 16.
- StatisticsCalculator: Added the option to generate statistics for groups of features instead of all features together (enables pivot tables).
- Reprojector: Added improved cell size determination options for the output reprojected raster.
- OracleQuerier: Added new options including support for SQL Statements, table selection per feature, and bounding box constraints.
Factories
New Factories
- CSGFactory: New functionality for CSG (Constructive Solid Geometry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructive_solid_geometry)) supports boolean operations between solids
- JSONQueryFactory: This factory extracts JSON values into feature attributes, it can also creates FME features from JSON values.
- VectorOnRasterOverlayFactory: Overlays vector features onto an existing raster producing raster output.
- RasterSubsetFactory: Spatially divides raster features into a series of tiles.
- RasterPyramidFactory: Creates pyramid levels or overviews of input rasters at various resolutions.
- VirtualEarthTileFactory: Create a series of image tiles that can be overlain in Virtual Earth. Produces similar output to MSR MapCruncher.
- SpikeRemoverFactory: Clean up geometry by removing spikes from lines and polygons and flagging the problem areas.
Factory Updates
- RasterCreationFactory: Added basic palette creation.
- VectorToRasterFactory: Added anti-alisasing and tolerance support to line drawing.
- SnappingFactory: Overhauled to improve efficiency and consistency.
- MatchingFactory: Added support for matching raster geometries.
- SpatialFilterFactory: Now accepts DE-9IM strings as predicates.
- QueryFactory: Added new options; spatial database querying is now more flexible.
Functions
New Functions
- @CSG: New functionality for CSG (Constructive Solid Geometry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructive_solid_geometry)) supports boolean operations between solids
- @AddRasterBand: This function adds a new band to a raster using the same value in all cells and incorporating the existing raster-level properties of the surrogate raster.
- @RemoveRasterBands: This function removes unwanted bands from raster features.
- @OrderRasterBands: This function changes the order of the bands on a raster.
- @SubsetRaster: Reduce a raster to a subset of its original size or perform padding around the raster.
- @RasterGCP: Get or set the Ground Control Points (GCPs) of a raster.
- @ProcessRasterTiles: Allows specific processing on individual tiles. Currently supports min/max calculation and tile destruction.
- @GenerateRasterPalettes: Generate a palette on a color raster or image from the existing data values.
- @ApplyRasterRotation: Apply existing rotation angles on raster features thus removing the rotation angle and changing the raster properties.
- @RasterCheckPoint: Save state at arbitrary points during the translation. Also forces previous processing to occur immediately.
- @Http: This function enables the FME to perform HTTP operations on a target URL.
Function Updates
- @Area: Option to calculate slope areas
- @ReinterpretRaster: Allow multiband image creation from simple 3 or 4 bands rasters.
- @Rotate: Added raster support.
- @GeoreferenceRaster: Added raster rotation support.
- @Reproject: Added more algorithms for raster reprojection output cell size determination.
Coordinate Systems
- Search envelopes may now be specified in a different coordinate system than the underlying data.
- Added new German coordinate systems from the AdV.
Vendor Specific Highlights
Highlights for Autodesk Users
- AutoCAD Map 3D Object Data Reader/Writer: Reads and writes object data within DWG files, without requiring AutoCAD Map 3D to be installed.
Highlights for ESRI Users
Highlights for Informatica Users
Highlights for Microsoft Users
- VirtualEarthTileFactory: Create a series of image tiles that can be overlain in Virtual Earth. Produces similar output to MSR MapCruncher.
- Reading and writing spatial data (SQL Server 2008)
Highlights for Oracle Users
- Reading and writing Oracle 3D data
- Reading and writing Oracle Raster data
