Related Table Queries

JasonKnisley

I'm trying to query related tables and finding the process cumbersome.  I'm hoping someone can shed light on a better way to accomplish this.

General scenario:
I have a collection of layers (lets say 5 for this example) for various structures, and a single table of special equipment that is related to all 5 layers.  Entries in the equipment table have no specific spatial component since Equipment Type A may be located in a number of places across the 5 layers to which it is related.  A user wants to find locations for equipment that matches certain parameters (the specific equipment model doesn't matter as long as it meets height and weight requirements, for example).  Within the current API I see a few possible methods to accomplish this, but all of them present problems.  Hopefully there is a much easier solution that I am missing.

Method 1:
Query the equipment table first to find all equipment that matches the specified parameters.  Then use those object ids in a RelationshipParameter to perform 5 more queries (one for each layer) to get features related to the equipment.  Unfortunately, even though I'm preforming a related query against layers with geometry, for some reason the API doesn't seem to allow for a spatial filter at this point, so now I assume I have to call a GeometryService for each result in order to determine which final locations are actually within the user specified boundary.
Total cost:  6 queries (1 to the table + 5 to the associated layers) + 5 geometry service calls
Disadvantage:  There is no good way to apply a spatial filter, and resources are wasted by obtaining full sets of results and the relying on several geometry service calls to obtain the final data set.

Method 2:
Since the previous method makes it complicated to apply a spatial filter in any of the queries, an alternate solution is to query the layers first, with the result of 5 different feature sets that are within the user specified boundary.  With each feature set I can make a related query where the DefinitionExpression includes the equipment-related parameters for further filtering.  I then compile each of the separate results into a single result set.
Total cost:  10 queries
Disadvantage:  A large number of queries are needed... the equipment table must now be queried 5 times instead of just once.

Method 3:
Use the same strategy as the first method, and query the equipment table first.  However, instead of using a RelationshipParameter and executing a RelationshipQuery against each of the 5 layers, execute a regular query (with the appropriate spatial filter) against each of the 5 layers and programmatically define the relationships.
Total cost:  6 queries
Disadvantage:  Essentially ignore relationships defined in ArcGIS and instead hard code relationships.

This would all be much easier if there was a way to apply a spatial filter to a related query.  Is there a way to accomplish this that I'm simply missing?
------------------
If looking at actual services help to visualize this problem, consider the services at http://sampleserver3.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/Petroleum/KSPetro/MapServer.  Let's say that the Tops table was related to 5 different layers, and a user wants to find locations in any layer (but within a specific boundary) where ELEVATION > x.  What, if any, is an effective way to accomplish this?

Thanks!

DaveTimmins

Hi,

forgot to add this example

public static bool Contains(this Envelope envelope, Envelope contained)
    {
        if (envelope == null || contained == null)
        {
            return false;
        }
        if (!envelope.SpatialReference.Equals(contained.SpatialReference))
        {
            return false;
        }
        if (envelope.XMin <= contained.XMin && envelope.XMax >= contained.XMax && envelope.YMin <= contained.YMin)
        {
            return envelope.YMax >= contained.YMax;
        }
        return false;
    }

Cheers,