Talk:GeoPDF

GeoPDF is just branded instances of geospatial PDF
There are several misconceptions about GeoPDF that are being repeatedly propagated by perhaps well meaning, but ignorant, people.
 * GeoPDF uses geospatial PDF as a container for it's content. All GeoPDF is geospatial PDF, but not all geospatial PDF is GeoPDF.
 * Adobe Reader and Acrobat can *natively* parse geospatial encodings using either Adobe's published extensions or the OGC best practice. Essentially all GeoPDF products are natively compatible with Adobe Acrobat and Reader.
 * GeoPDF is based on open and published standards and specifications. No author-owned information is hidden or stored in hidden, proprietary data structures in GeoPDF products. All is there for everyone to see. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.238.113.210 (talk) 14:27, 1 October 2010 (UTC)

CRITICAL GIS INFRASTRUCTURE
This is critically important information because of the US government strategy to make use of this format as a standard for distribution of map data to the public from a wide range of agencies using many different formats. I have attempted to remove the worst of the advertising style text and also added some external references. The references are currently weak, but there is a USGS presentation about this I plan to see on 10 December when I hope to get more traditional references and add them here. Given that anyone working with the US government on maps is likely to encounter or use this format this page should get serious attention. Please be specific about remaining objections. -- M0llusk (talk) 02:39, 3 December 2009 (UTC)

Should stand
I think GeoPDF deserves its own page. The technology will, to my knowledge, be available through ESRI ArcMap products. From a geographers point of view it is a good thing the article is separated from the general PDF article. I agree that the article needs some work to become a good article. I will keep an eye on it and contribute when I have time.

To answer the question on why a GIS person would use GeoPDF instead of a free GIS viewer for one the ability to open a GIS presentation without a GIS viewer is a good enough reason to me. An other one is that proofing maps would need no extra GIS software. Eg proofing a map with protected area boundaries would be possible comparing points in the GeoPDF with real world recorded points. Ragnvald (talk) 18:06, 17 August 2009 (UTC)

This article is
a sales brochure. The format is actually popular among government agencies, but this article lacks any information about non-Terrago GeoPDF formation or usage. ESRI permits Geospatially enhanced PDFs to be created using Arc 9.3 and beyond. I propose that this article be removed and merged as a subsection of Portable Document Format. Miglewis (talk) 15:32, 8 May 2009 (UTC)

The article has been altered to better reflect what it is: a description of the GeoPDF family of products created by TerraGo software. As of this posting, it contains no marketspeak and is comprised of simple, verifiable facts. Geospatial PDF as a more generic concept now has its own entry, and should probably stand apart from PDF since it is a specialization.

Hope this helps! 64.238.113.210 (talk) 14:16, 1 September 2010 (UTC)

This article reads like a...
...sales brochure. Anyone know enough about GeoPDF to objectify this article? David Norris 22:35, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

If you have questions, post them and I will try to answer Bscottlee 05:56, 22 June 2007 (UTC)bscottlee

I want to know why a GIS person should use GeoPDF when we can download many free GIS viewers. They allow us to use shapefiles, to query multiple shapefies based on attributes, to display much more efficiently,can do better selections. In geopdf case, we need first to download map2pdf extension for Arcmap. This extension is currently not free. Even then i can;t create a geopdf which is comment enabled or geomark enabled. I can't see attribute files into acrobat reader8. All this because i don;t have acrobat professional version. So geomark tools are not enabled. I can't create any geofeature. Please suggest me how much value it adds to the open gis objectives? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 192.87.16.244 (talk) 15:08, 22 February 2008 (UTC)

I'd like to answer your three issues. Please repost if this is not clear or contact me directly.

A GIS person may not necessarily need a GeoPDF file because it is designed for people who are not GIS saavy. If a GIS person is disconnected in the field, the files would be extremely beneficial depending on the requirements levied on that person. The proprietary file format is designed to disseminate what GIS analysts work so hard to create, user friendly data that can be used for comprehensive collaboration and some data collection.

1. A GeoPDF file is read directly into software that you already have on your machine, the free Adobe Reader. To take advantage of the "geospatial" functionality, a user only needs to download a free toolbar from www.terragotech.com. This allows people that are non-GIS saavy to view the geographic information, create shapefiles or kml files, search attribute data, connect a GPS, take measurements, google map a location, etc... - again, all in the free Adobe Reader. 2. To generate a GeoPDF file, you are correct, one will need to install the MAP2PDF product. The evaluation product is free for 30 days but you will not be able to comment enable or geomark enable your GeoPDF document. If there is a requirement to comment and geomark enable this document, please call TerraGo Technologies (numbers are on the website) and they will discuss options for you. 3. You absolutely CAN view attributes in the free Adobe Reader v7 or v8. Select the Object Data Tool in Adobe Reader and then choose one of the point, line, or polygon features in your GeoPDF. The document does NOT have to be comment or geomark enabled for this function. If you need a demonstration, all you have to do is contact TerraGo and a sales person will help you out. BSL (Scott) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.126.216.134 (talk) 18:22, 17 March 2008 (UTC)

Clarification about GeoPDF
There were some misconceptions promulgated in the previous definition that I've clarified (or hope that I have) with some new verbiage:
 * The term geospatial PDF is too broad to be applied only a particular geospatial encoding. It's been used generically since at least 2002, and has been specifically used since 2008 to mean simply "PDF with any georeferencing payload".
 * There are two georeferencing techniques used today: an OGC best practice and Adobe's geospatial extension; a PDF file with either is rightfully considered a geospatial PDF as it's commonly used today.
 * Both techniques are open, published specifications. Neither is a standard with the imprimatur of a standards organization.
 * GeoPDF is not a format, it is a trademark used to brand geospatial PDF products created by TerraGo software.
 * GeoPDF uses geospatial PDF as a container; all GeoPDF is geospatial PDF, but not all geospatial PDF is GeoPDF. GeoPDF products can use either the OGC BP or Adobe's encoding -- encoding has nothing to do with "GeoPDFness".
 * Many of the features described in the original posting were not developed with geospatial in mind -- they are just PDF features that have convenient application in geospatial contexts.

The article does essentially describe a brand, but so do entries about Macintosh, Coca Cola, Budweiser, and Porsche. However, what is on the page (as of writing this commment) is verifiable fact -- not marketspeak. GeoPDF products have fundamentally changed how people distribute and interact with maps, imagery, and geospatial intelligence, and a Wikipedia article that explains what GeoPDF is is entirely appropriate.

Hope this helps!

64.238.113.210 (talk) 12:29, 1 September 2010 (UTC)

Merge with Geospatial PDF?
In spite of the odd assertion to the contrary, I still believe that a) this article reads much like a sales brochure, and b) as one particular implementation of a generic technology this is not notable enough to have its own page. Therefore, I would like to suggest that a merge proposal be put forward for this article to go into Geospatial PDF. I am not familiar enough with Wikibureaucracy to start this off myself, hence why I'm only making a suggestion. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.151.147.103 (talk) 12:31, 15 October 2011 (UTC)

Bizarre wording / marketing speak
I agree with the above, this reads like a sales brochure. It's strangely worded and conveys relatively little useful information. Despite clarification on this page, the article still doesn't make clear what if anything is proprietary about GeoPDF other than the trademarked name. It seems apparent based on this discussion and info from the USGS that GeoPDF is just a specific implementation of geospatial PDF. If someone has detailed knowledge of the format and believes this isn't the case, please clearly state why. Obviously it's not necessary to disclose the implementation details of any proprietary features, but it should be crystal clear what those features are if they do exist. Stuff like "GeoPDF products use geospatial PDF as a container for maps, imagery, and other data used to deliver an enhanced user experience in TerraGo applications." is just obfuscatory marketing speak.

For now I'm going to make the following changes:
 * 1) Eliminate the use of the word "consumable" in the context of file compatibility. This respects neither common usage nor the definition of the word.
 * 2) Remove external links from the article body. This violates Wikipedia style guide.

Major changes are needed to address the other concerns. I will wait a little while for feedback in this discussion. If there are no reasonable objections I will proceed with edits to correct the obfuscatory wording. Akigawa (talk) 15:24, 1 November 2014 (UTC)