GeoPack Format

Overview

In order to create a new GeoPack the data will need to be submitted to Yellowfin for pack generation. This page will explore the files that are required to create GeoPacks.

GeoPacks require the following files:

1. A CSV file for each level of the geographical hierarchy in the pack, containing geometry and aliases.
2. A CSV file containing demographic names and values for the lowest level of the geographical hierarchy. (You only need the lowest level, as Yellowfin will automatically aggregate these values up if higher levels are used instead)
3. A metadata file specifying how the CSVs link together.

Example

For the purposes of the examples throughout the page, we will explore a scenario around creating a GeoPack for Australia, which has three levels of geographical hierarchy:

1. State
2. Postcode
3. Suburb

This pack will require five files:

1. A CSV file containing geometry and aliases for States.
2. A CSV file containing geometry and aliases for Postcodes.
3. A CSV file containing geometry and aliases for Suburbs.
4. A CSV file containing demographic names and values for Suburbs.
5. A metadata file specifying how the CSVs link together.

CSV Geometry & Aliases File(s)

Naming Conventions

The CSVs containing geometry and aliases must all share a common name, suffixed with an underscore and the order of the CSV in the pack hierarchy.

Example

In the case of the Australian GeoPack we're creating, the CSV Geometry & Aliases files will be called:

1. auspack_1.csv - this will contain the State information from the hierarhcy.
2. auspack_2.csv - this will contain the Postcode information from the hierarhcy.
3. auspack_3.csv - this will contain the Suburb information from the hierarhcy.

File Format

The CSVs will need to contain data in the following structure:

1. First row containing the label for the level.
2. Second row containing labels for each alias column, labels for the point and polygon columns should not be included.
3. Remaining rows containing:
   1. Columns containing aliases (there can be as many aliases for a particular level as you require. Some levels may have one or two different aliases, but others may have several).
   2. If the CSV is not the top level it must now have a column containing the alias of the level above it that the row belongs to in order to link it to the level above.
      Note: as each level can have more than one alias, the linking aliases are defined in the metadata file described later.
   3. One Column containing a centroid Point.
   4. One Column containing Polygons (this can be left completely empty if polygons are not required or available for the level, but if it's populated, all rows must contain a polygon, no blanks will be accepted).

Example Level 1

For this example, when creating the top State CSV, we've decided to use two aliases; State Name, and State Code. This will mean that the file will look something like this:

"State"
"State Name", "State Code"
"New South Wales", "NSW", "<WKT Point>", "<WKT Polygon>"
"Victoria", "VIC", "<WKT Point>", "<WKT Polygon>"
...
etc ...

Note: the <WKT Point> and <WKT Polygon> text displayed in the examples above will have to actually contain Point and Polygon data, we've just displayed these as place-holders. Coordinates should be listed in the WKT as latitude longitude, not the other way around.

Example Level 2

The second level of the hierachy, the Postcode CSV, might contain a single alias, and we've chosen to link it to the State level on the State Code field. This will mean that the file will look something like this:

"Postcode"
"Postcode"
"2000", "NSW", "<WKT Point>", "<WKT Polygon>"
"2009", "NSW", "<WKT Point>", "<WKT Polygon>"
...
"3000", "VIC", "<WKT Point>", "<WKT Polygon>"
"3008", "VIC", "<WKT Point>", "<WKT Polygon>"
...
etc ...

Example Level 3

The third level of the hierarchy, the Suburb CSV, might again contain a single alias, and we link to the Postcode level on the only alias available, Postcode. This will mean that the file will look something like this:

"Suburb"
"Suburb Name"
"Sydney CBD", "2000", "<WKT Point>", "<WKT Polygon>"
"Darling Harbour", "2000", "<WKT Point>", "<WKT Polygon>"
"Haymarket", "2000", "<WKT Point>", "<WKT Polygon>"
"Darling Island", "N2009", "<WKT Point>", "<WKT Polygon>"
...
"Melbourne CBD", "3000", "<WKT Point>", "<WKT Polygon>"
"Docklands", "3008", "<WKT Point>", "<WKT Polygon>"
...
etc ...

CSV Demographic File

Metadata File