[Geotools-devel] Comment on UML (starting with "Spatial Reference by Coordinate")

[Martin D. <mar...@te...>]

More Java interfaces has been published online. Usual link:

     http://geoapi.sourceforge.net/javadoc/


There is some issues related to UMLs:

     * The UML should specifies which CharacterString are localizable.
       European Union (and other countries like Canada) will require
       localizable softwares, some *by law*. My suggestion: introduce
       a new stereotype of UML class, LocalizableCharacterString. UML
       would need to be updated accordingly.

     * Is org.opengis.sc.CRS really needed? This interface stands between
       ReferenceSystem and CoordinateReferenceSystem and break an
       otherwise quite natural hierarchy. Furthermore, its only "raison
       d'=EAtre" seems to be related to CompoundCRS contract ("A Compound
       CRS is a coordinate reference system that combines two or more
       coordinate reference systems, _none of which can itself be
       compound_" - emphasis is mine), which I question. I will expose
       my feeling if there is some response on this topic.

     * Where are gone CoordinateSystemFactory and the like? Those
       factories were part of "Coordinate Transformation Services"
       (document 01-009 by Martin Daily).

     * Why useful methods from "Coordinate Transformation Services"
       do not appears in UML (e.g. CoordinateSystem.getDimension())?
       Generally speaking, should we try to incorporate 01-009 good
       ideas into GeoAPI or should we stick to UMLs exactly as they
       are?

     * Why 'name' and 'ID' attributes have classname prefix in every
       interfaces (e.g. 'axisName', 'ellipsoidName', 'csName', etc.)?
       They are the only attributes to follow this strange policy in
       the package I have seen up to date. It make it harder to write
       a common tool for discovering arbitrary object's name and ID
       (for example in an user interface), for example through the
       01-009's org.opengis.cs.CS_Info interface.



Many of the above issues are flagged in the Javadoc with @revisit tag.=20
Comments would be appreciated.

	Regards,

		Martin Desruisseaux.