Safe Software Delivers Support for CityGML Data

21 August 2008, 9:27am

Vancouver, BC, August 21, 2008 - Safe Software announced today that its software solution FME, the recognized standard in spatial ETL (extract, transform and load), now offers complete support for CityGML.

The FME 2009 beta introduces the ability to write CityGML data, adding to the read support which has been available since the format's early draft stages. This combination of read and write capabilities enables CityGML users to communicate in the common specification while still using their preferred systems for data analyses. FME Server, Safe Software's spatial data distribution solution, will also be extended in 2009 to add capabilities for sharing CityGML data via the OGC web feature service (WFS) protocol.

In addition to the complete support offered in FME for the widely used draft CityGML 0.4, Safe Software is already actively updating FME to support CityGML 1.0, announced yesterday by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) as an official specification. CityGML has been adopted as a common information model for the representation of 3D urban objects, providing a standard means by which to share urban spatial data.

"Finally we have a common standard for people serious about implementing 3D city models that take us beyond beautiful visualizations. Combining quality graphics with robust information and topological models, CityGML will change the way professionals manage virtual cities," says Tim Case, Chair of the OGC 3D Information Management Working Group.

"This open, interoperable and extensible platform has already been effectively implemented in dozens of jurisdictions," Case adds. "However, the incorporation of CityGML read/write support into FME is perhaps the single most important next step towards broad adoption of 3D city models in the geospatial industry. I look forward to the rapid adoption of this platform which is designed to support next generation 3D solutions."

Safe Software has been proactively providing read/write capabilities for OGC standards since the preliminary stages of GML in 2001. Today, FME supports OGC WMS, WFS, GML, and KML along with CityGML.

"We are committed to supporting OGC standards and encouraging data interoperability in the various segments of the spatial data world, including 3D," says Don Murray, President of Safe Software. "This in mind, extending our support for the newest OGC specification, CityGML, was a natural choice. We look forward to seeing the power of data interoperability that CityGML holds unfold in projects around the globe."

FME provides data conversion capabilities to users around the world. To learn more, visit safe.com or email info@safe.com. FME 2009 is anticipated for release in early 2009. Until then, the FME 2009 beta is available at www.safe.com/beta.

About CityGML

CityGML is a common information model for the representation of 3D urban objects. It defines the classes and relations for the most relevant topographic objects in cities and regional models with respect to their geometrical, topological, semantical and appearance properties. Included are generalization hierarchies between thematic classes, aggregations, relations between objects, and spatial properties. These thematic information go beyond graphic exchange formats and allow to employ virtual 3D city models for sophisticated analysis tasks and navigation in different application domains like simulations, urban data mining, facility management, and thematic inquiries.

CityGML is realized as an open data model and XML-based format for the storage and exchange of virtual 3D city models. It is implemented as an application schema for the Geography Markup Language 3 (GML3), the extendible international standard for spatial data exchange issued by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) and the ISO TC211. CityGML is intended to become an open standard and therefore can be used free of charge.

FME 2009 (beta)

CityGML

Geo: International