Filling a Gap: Conformance Tests

As mentioned previously, the GeoPackage 1.2 open comment period is under way. While we were preparing for this, we were briefed on testing performed by a consultant to a high-profile US Government organization. This testing called GeoPackage interoperability into question. Our analysis indicated that these interoperability concerns were due to either a lack of understanding of GeoPackage scope or the non-compliance of the data used in the tests. This is partially our fault - we had not completed the executable conformance tests needed to evaluate GeoPackage compliance. We have since found that some of the sample data posted to geopackage.org (and used in these tests) is not even fully compliant.
 
We are trying to fix this. As of last month, the OGC-sponsored conformance tests for GeoPackage (available here) only contained tests for the core and tiles portion of version 1.0 of the standard. This month we have built tests for the features portion and the elevation extension and brought the whole thing up-to-date to version 1.2. In the process of building these tests, we have identified a number of (hopefully) minor issues that we will resolve during the required comment resolution period.

Following are our next steps:

• Deploy the executable tests to the OGC testing site so that they are accessible
• Update the structure of geopackage.org so that it displays multiple versions of the standard (1.0.2, 1.1.0, and the proposed 1.2.0)
• Resolve the open issues generated during the comment period
• Refresh all of the sample data posted on geopackage.org, ensuring that all data passes the conformance tests 

I ask for your patience as we work through these tasks. This is taking a long time, but we are committed to getting it right.

Preparing for GeoPackage 1.2

The GeoPackage SWG continues to make changes to the GeoPackage Encoding Standard. Our goal is to make the standard clear, concise, and self-consistent. Following on 1.0.1 (which focused on features) and 1.1.0 (which focused on tiles), we have made a number of changes focusing on extensions. As always, we insist on maintaining reverse compatibility. In fact there are no substantive changes to existing parts of the core this time around.

We plan to release this version as GeoPackage 1.2. For detailed information on this release, please review the release notes. The changes range from typographical fixes to substantive changes that alter requirements. Following is a summary of the substantive changes:

• Adding an "Attributes" section to describe the use of non-spatial data
• Deprecating Requirement 69 (a mandate for extension F.1 that was nearly impossible to achieve or verify)
• Deprecating Annexes F.2, F.4, and F.5, three extensions that were determined to be non-interoperable and non-usable
• Updating the column name for WKT for Coordinate Reference Systems (Annex F.10)
• Adding the Elevation Extension as Annex F.11
• Changing the way GeoPackage versions are declared based on community feedback 

We initiated a 30-day comment period on Friday. After the comment period concludes, we will address all of the feedback. After that we will request a vote by the OGC Technical Committee to adopt 1.2 as an official encoding standard. We hope that you will take this opportunity to check out the draft and let us know if there is anything that can be improved.