Add new output fileType .covjson

ERDDAP / erddap

ERDDAP is a scientific data server that gives users a simple, consistent way to download subsets of gridded and tabular scientific datasets in common file formats and make graphs and maps. ERDDAP is a Free and Open Source (Apache and Apache-like) Java Servlet from NOAA NMFS SWFSC Environmental Research Division (ERD).

Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal

84 stars 59 forks source link

Add new output fileType .covjson #43

Open BobSimons opened 3 years ago

BobSimons commented 3 years ago

Add a new output file type to ERDDAP: Coverage JSON (.covjson) See https://covjson.org/

Talk with the covjson people to see if the project is still active and if they think it is worth the effort.

Skills required: Java programming.

Difficulty: Relatively easy. ERDDAP datasets have a cdm_data_type (featureType) attribute which aligns with the Coverage JSON types. So you just need to write the code to deal with each of the cdm_data_types. Perhaps 1 month's work (after you figure out ERDDAP).

Mentor: Bob Simons (main author of ERDDAP)

Please also read the Programmer's Guide at https://coastwatch.pfeg.noaa.gov/erddap/download/setup.html#programmersGuide especially the "Judging Your Code Contributions" section.

(Rich Signell requested this feature.)

abkfenris commented 3 years ago

A possibly related output would be a STAC catalog interface.

BobSimons commented 3 years ago

I'll note that the covjson specification is at 0.2(draft) and hasn't been updated since 2016, when I think it was originally posted. https://covjson.org/spec/

Also, the contact email gets sent to Reichert (that bounced because he's gone) and Blower (it didn't bounce, but I think he has moved on). They are also listed on the specification as the authors of the specification.

So I'm not sure how active the Coverage JSON project is.

mwengren commented 3 years ago

I don't know a whole lot about CovJSON, but I did hear mention of it at various times during the last OGC meeting I listened to in Dec.

STAC would be an interesting addition. No idea how feasible it is. It does have a lot of attention these days, including an ESIP Winter Meeting session dedicated to it. Presumably, would only apply to GridDAP datasets. I think they've struggled with how to relate the STAC API/data model to multidimensional datasets, however (x,y,z,t). Common usage is for remotely-sensed gridded datasets.

BobSimons commented 3 years ago

Jon Blower (one of the CovJSON authors) replied to my email to him and Maik Reichert. Basically,

Jon is still at U. Reading, but Maik Reichert has moved on.
Although the CovJSON web page hasn't been recently updated, the project is still alive.
There is talk of making CovJSON an OGC Community Standard
The CovJSON specification is considered stable and they will move to finalization.
CovJSON is supported on ncWMS (which is also from U Reading) and some other software (Hyrax?).

That's all good news for this project for ERDDAP. So this project for ERDDAP remains viable. Whoever works on this project should contact Jon if they need more information about CovJSON than they can find on the CovJSON website..