A Pictorial Query Language for Geographic Features in an Object-Oriented Environment

Ferri, Fernando; Massari, Fernanda; Rafanelli, Maurizio

doi:10.1006/jvlc.1999.0136

Cited by 15 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Moving GeoPQL is an evolution of the Geographical Pictorial Query Language (GeoPQL) [9,16,17] in order to support visual spatio-temporal queries. Like its predecessor, Moving GeoPQL allows the user to draw pictorial geographical queries and obtain the objects selected in the geographical database, which are the result of the query target.…”

Section: Geopql Vs Moving Geopqlmentioning

confidence: 99%

Moving GeoPQL: a pictorial language towards spatio-temporal queries

2011

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Nowadays, two of the main challenges involving spatio-temporal databases concern the integration of their spatial and temporal features to store and query spatial objects changing over time, and the development of a simple and friendly language to query spatio-temporal data. In this paper we gather these two challenges by proposing Moving GeoPQL, a language defined in order to express spatio-temporal queries, extending the Geographical Pictorial Query language (GeoPQL). The proposed evolution is based on the concept of temporal layer that allows specifying the spatial configuration of moving objects in a time interval. More layers allow representing changes in terms of spatial configurations. Some examples of query formulation and system operation are described in the article. Finally, an experiment has been carried out for evaluating the usability of the Moving GeoPQL system. Results of this experiment showed that it facilitates the spatio-temporal query formulation since it is more userfriendly and ease to use compared to textual query languages.

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Section: Geopql Vs Moving Geopqlmentioning

confidence: 99%

Moving GeoPQL: a pictorial language towards spatio-temporal queries

2011

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“…The Geographical Pictorial Query Language (GeoPQL, [12]) is an evolution of the Pictorial Query Language (PQL, [13]) and which resolves some PQL limitations by introducing two new operators (G-any and G-alias).…”

Section: The Geographical Pictorial Query Language (Geopql)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The paper will focus on the syntactic and semantic correctness of spatial configurations in the context of the declarative geographic pictorial query language, GeoPQL [12] [13].…”

Section: Syntactic and Semantic Correctnessmentioning

confidence: 99%

GeoPQL: A Geographical Pictorial Query Language That Resolves Ambiguities in Query Interpretation

Ferri

Rafanelli

2005

Journal on Data Semantics III

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Abstract. The main problem of visual query languages for geographical data concerns the query's ambiguity. Ambiguity derives from the fact that a query can lead to multiple interpretations for both the system and user. In fact a query can have different visual representations, and these can themselves have different interpretations. Among the reasons leading to these ambiguities, one appears to be fundamental: the user gives his own semantics to the information. However his actions may not completely represent his intentions, so the system may make an incorrect interpretation. Additionally, when a user draws two icons representing different geographical objects of a query he cannot avoid defining one or more spatial relationships between them. This is the case for any pair of icons, however the user often does not want to define spatial relationships between all pair of icons. So he cannot express his exact query and different queries must be formulated to obtain his goals.This work proposes a Pictorial Geographical Query Language, GeoPQL, that allows the user to represent only the desired relationships and avoid undesired relationships in the query's visual representation.The language is based on twelve operators. The set of operators includes all the main topological operators, distance and two operators devoted to solving ambiguities in visual query representation. The paper then discusses syntactic and semantic correctness of spatial configurations and related operators in the context of the declarative geographic pictorial query language. Some possible ambiguities and their solutions are presented in order to show the language's characteristics.GeoPQL has been implemented as a stand alone tool which interfaces with ESRI's ArcView®, and the main results obtained are: high expressive power, solution of the ambiguities inherent to the spatial representation of a query and exact matching between the query and the obtained results.

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“…Visual types of user queries have been introduced to GIS environments under the rubric of visual metaphors, sketches, glyphs, and pictures (4)(5)(6)(7)(8). Beyond this main functionality enabling a user's intuitive query posing, visual query implementation involves processes contributing towards various research directions: (a) advanced topological measures, (b) human conceptual understanding and interpretation of space, and (c) data structuring with extends in generalization, summarization, and spatial data vagueness.…”

Section: Introduction and Related Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatiotemporal graph queries on geographic databases under a conceptual abstraction scale

Partsinevelos

Papadakis

Makantasis

2014

Geo-spatial Information Science

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Visual queries assist non-expert users to extract information from spatial databases in an intuitive and natural approach, making Geographic information systems comprehensive and efficient for a wide range of applications. A common visual means of querying takes the form of drawings or graphs, under which many spatial ambiguity and translation errors rise. In this study, common query attributes extracted from user graphs such as spatial topology, size, cardinality, and proximity are regarded under a conceptual moderation scheme. Thus, the system/user may concentrate on various conceptual combinations of information. Furthermore, time is incorporated to support spatiotemporal queries for changing scenes and moving objects. Arbitrary, relative, and absolute scaling is possible according to the data-set and application at hand. The theoretic approach is implemented under a prototype user interface system, called ShapeController. Under this prototype, a user may extract scene-based relations in an automatically inferred fashion, or include single object-oriented relations when all possible relations seem redundant. Finally, a natural language description of the query is extracted upon which the user may select the desired query relations. Experimentation on a spatial database demonstrates the concepts of predefined draw objects, scaling relaxation, conceptual abstraction, and scene, object-and textual-oriented transitions that promote query expressiveness and restrain ambiguities.

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A Pictorial Query Language for Geographic Features in an Object-Oriented Environment

Cited by 15 publications

References 12 publications

Moving GeoPQL: a pictorial language towards spatio-temporal queries

Moving GeoPQL: a pictorial language towards spatio-temporal queries

GeoPQL: A Geographical Pictorial Query Language That Resolves Ambiguities in Query Interpretation

Spatiotemporal graph queries on geographic databases under a conceptual abstraction scale

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