Coordinate Systems in FME 101 - Webinar Slides

If you’ve ever had to analyze a map or GPS data, chances are you’ve encountered and even worked with coordinate systems. As historical data continually updates through GPS, understanding coordinate systems is increasingly crucial. However, not everyone knows why they exist or how to effectively use them for data-driven insights.

During this webinar, you’ll learn exactly what coordinate systems are and how you can use FME to maintain and transform your data’s coordinate systems in an easy-to-digest way, accurately representing the geographical space that it exists within. During this webinar, you will have the chance to:
- Enhance Your Understanding: Gain a clear overview of what coordinate systems are and their value
- Learn Practical Applications: Why we need datams and projections, plus units between coordinate systems
- Maximize with FME: Understand how FME handles coordinate systems, including a brief summary of the 3 main reprojectors
- Custom Coordinate Systems: Learn how to work with FME and coordinate systems beyond what is natively supported
- Look Ahead: Gain insights into where FME is headed with coordinate systems in the future

Don’t miss the opportunity to improve the value you receive from your coordinate system data, ultimately allowing you to streamline your data analysis and maximize your time. See you there!

1. Coordinate Systems
in FME 101

2. Evie
Lapalme

Technical Support Specialist
Safe Software
Dan
Minney

Customer Solutions Specialist
Safe Software

3. Welcome to Livestorm.
A few ways to engage with us during the webinar:


Audio issues? Click this for 4 simple
troubleshooting steps.

4. Agenda
1.Introduction to FME
2.Coordinate Systems, Projections, and Datums
3.Coordinate Systems in FME
4.Reprojection Engines
5.Custom Coordinate Systems
6.Conclusion
7.Resources & Next Steps
8.Q&A

Agenda

5. One platform, two technologies
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(“ETL”) workflows are built here.
Brings life to FME Form workflows
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6. If you’ve ever had to analyze a map or
GPS data, chances are you’ve
encountered and even worked with
coordinate systems.

7. But not everyone knows why
we have coordinate systems.
Or how to deal with them in a way that
will maximize the value of their data.

8. Poll:
What is your experience
working with spatial data and
coordinate systems?

9. ●There are 2 ingredients to
consider about Coordinate
Systems:
○Projections
○Datums

The Basics

10. What is a projection?
●Maps data (coordinates) or locations onto a flat surface (i.e. a map)
●The goal: accurately model features on 2D plane using linear units (such as
feet, meters, etc.)
●Commonly used projections in GIS:
○Mercator
○Transverse Mercator
○Lambert Conformal
○Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area

11. Mercator
●Most familiar projection
●Typically used for web mapping
●The farther from the equator, the
worse the scale distortions.

12. Transverse Mercator
●Variation of mercator projection
●Good for North/South mapping
●Distortions increase East and West
of central meridian



Standard
Transverse
“Spherical Transverse Mercator” by Peter Mercator is licensed under Public Domain
“Comparison of Mercator projections.svg” by cmglee, US government, Clindberg, Palosirkka is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

13. Lambert Conformal
●Mid-latitude, East/West dominant
data mapping
●Preserves shapes well




“Lambert conformal conic projection SW.jpg” by Strebe is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
“Conformal Conic with Tissot's Indicatrices of Distortion.svg” by Justin Kunimune is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

14. Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area
●Very low distortion
around local area of
origin lat/long
●Can be used anywhere
in the world





“Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection SW.jpg” by Strebe is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 “Lambert azimuthal equal-area with Tissot's Indicatrices of Distortion.svg” by
Justin Kunimune is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

15. Local coordinate systems
●BIM, CAD and 3D datasets often have local
coordinate systems
●Determine lat/long of reference point
●Create custom Azimuthal Equal Area
coordinate system
●Unique origin, axes, and scale
●Ex: State Plane Coordinate Systems

16. Datums in GIS
●A Datum: model of the Earth (ellipsoid) that
is tied to a particular spot on the Earth
●Different regions use different reference
points, and so will have different datums
○NAD 83
○GDA 2020
●More accurate ellipsoid measurements
produce new datums

17. Datums, Datums Everywhere
●Reprojecting data often requires transforming
between datums
●Two types of datum transformations
●Mathematical
○Three Parameter (Geocentric)
○Four Parameter
○Seven Parameter (incl Bursa/Wolf)
○Ten Parameter (Molodensky-Badekas)
●Adjustment Grids
○NTv2
○NADCON

18. Datums, Datums Everywhere
Why do we need so many datum transformations?
●Plate tectonics moves datums
○2m shift in Australia over last 25 years

●WGS84 tied to geoid, not surface
○GPS datum doesn’t move

19. Units

●Projected Coordinate Systems
○Meters
○Feet
●Geographic Coordinate Systems
○Decimal Degrees

20. Coordinate
Systems in
FME

21. Implicit Reprojection
●Set the coordinate system on the
writer
●Output data will be automatically
reprojected if necessary

22. Implicit Reprojection
●No coordinate system specified on
the reader?
●FME will detect the coordinate
system and set it for you

23. Source Coordinate
System Setting
●Setting the coordinate
system on the reader
will override
coordinate system
read from data
●Use with caution

24. Reprojection
Engines

25. Reprojection Engines
●Csmap
●Esri
●Proj

●More control
●Match destination application
●Choice of reprojection engines

26. Reprojector
●Reproject during the process
●Working with source data in different
coordinate systems - reproject to
match

27. CsmapReprojector
●WGS84 pivot supplemented by more
direct transformations
●We can choose valid transformation
from list

28. Csmap Reprojection
Engine
●Simple to use
●Large library of predefined coordinate
systems
●Easy datum transformations, through
WGS84
●Direct Grid transformations

29. EsriReprojector
●If you are an ArcGIS user, you may
prefer to use the EsriReprojector.
●This uses Esri’s reprojection engine,
including coordinate system and
transformation definitions.

30. PROJReprojector
●Largest library of coordinate systems
●Can automatically download
transformation grids
●Automatic or manual modes

31. National Reprojectors
Country-specific reprojection engines
Limited coordinate systems and range
●Sweden
●United Kingdom
●Switzerland

32. AttributeReprojector
●We can reproject attributes as well
●Need to set X and Y pair

33. Local Coordinate
Systems
●Writing to 3D formats with limited
precision
●Measuring distances and areas of
lat/long data
●Calculated or user set origin

34. Poll:
What reprojection engine do
you use most?

35. Custom
Coordinate
Systems

36. Custom Coordinate
Systems
●Esri - create in ArcGIS

●PROJ - use PROJ or WKT in manual
mode

●CSMAP - use online tool


fme.ly/Coordsys

37. Demo
1.Use Web App (online tool)
2.Download Coordinate System
3.Place Coordinate System with Files

38. Conclusion

39. The Future of
Coordinate Systems in
FME
●Outdated datums (NAD 83. GDA 94)
●Support for existing & legacy
coordinate systems will continue
●New coordinate system & datum
support depends on the reprojection
engine


Source: National Geodetic Survey - “New Datums: Replacing NAVD 88 and NAD 83”

40. Summary
●Proj has the most up to date libraries.

●Csmap is most customizable as you are
able to use you own custom coordinate
systems.

●Choose the reprojection engine and
transformer that suits your needs best!

41. Resources

42. Coordinate System
Resources
●Landing Page: Coordinate Systems
●Documentation: Coordinate Systems
●Working with Coordinate Systems in FME

Resources

43. Get our Ebook
Spatial Data for the
Enterprise

fme.ly/gzc


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47. Q&A

48. Thank You
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