topic Re: Is there a proper way to order a field column for lat and long ? in Data Management Questions

Is there a proper way to order a field column for lat and long ?

DEAF_PROBERT_68 — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 19:09:26 GMT

Is there a proper way to order column for latitude and longitude ? I have seen some people put their columns vice versa So, I am wondering if there is a proper way for this. So, would add for new column for latitude first and then longitude second ..but I am not sure...

Here is the example :

Another example here:

Re: Is there a proper way to order a field column for lat and long ?

Asrujit_SenGupta — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 19:14:19 GMT

I don't think think there is any specific order as such...generally we mention Lat ahead of Long...

however check this thread for a more formal response:

google maps - Preferred order of writing latitude & longitude tuples - Stack Overflow

Re: Is there a proper way to order a field column for lat and long ?

JayantaPoddar — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 19:15:20 GMT

As long as you are keeping the values in the columns correctly, the order shouldn't matter.

We usually write the coordinates as XY. So X (Longitude) could be placed before Y (Latitude) in an attribute table.

But there is no mandate that says Longitude should be placed before Latitude values.

Re: Is there a proper way to order a field column for lat and long ?

DEAF_PROBERT_68 — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 19:46:57 GMT

In order from XY to LONG LAT to UTM should be like this UTM Easting and UTM Northing ? Am I correct ?

Re: Is there a proper way to order a field column for lat and long ?

Asrujit_SenGupta — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 19:50:54 GMT

Yes!

The terms easting and northing are geographic Cartesian coordinates for a point. Easting refers to the eastward-measured distance (or the x-coordinate), while northing refers to the northward-measured distance (or the y-coordinate).

Source: Easting and northing - Wikipedia

Re: Is there a proper way to order a field column for lat and long ?

DEAF_PROBERT_68 — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 19:55:10 GMT

Thanks. Had to make sure it is correct... Phew... and thanks for the link too.

Re: Is there a proper way to order a field column for lat and long ?

DEAF_PROBERT_68 — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 19:57:54 GMT

It can go pretty confusing so that is why I got to be careful.

Re: Is there a proper way to order a field column for lat and long ?

IanFrakes1 — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 23:25:25 GMT

I've found that if I use field names XCOORD (Longitude) & YCOORD (Latitude) they are often automatically recognised by the software and pop up conveniently in selection boxes. It used to work that way in MapInfo.

Re: Is there a proper way to order a field column for lat and long ?

DEAF_PROBERT_68 — Thu, 31 Aug 2017 15:02:41 GMT

Yes I saw that after I post this question and in a few hours later I looked it around and I saw that tool that does that .. It would be nice if they just label Longitude and Latitude instead of XCOORD and YCOORD...

Thanks for the info.

Re: Is there a proper way to order a field column for lat and long ?

IanFrakes1 — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 23:48:00 GMT

I consider 'Latitude and Longitude' as jargon, it confuses non-GIS colleagues and clients, virtually everyone knows which way up 'X and Y' are.

Because I don't use that terminology I forget which is which myself (I'm a Forester that does GIS, not the other way around) it wasn't until I read Dava Sobel's excellent book Longitude, that I can consistently remember Longitude is 'X'

Re: Is there a proper way to order a field column for lat and long ?

BrentCain — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 02:11:42 GMT

Yes, it is an excellent book.

My mental association : Latitude = Ladder

Re: Is there a proper way to order a field column for lat and long ?

AdrianWelsh — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 05:13:13 GMT

Thanks Ian! "Longitude" is now on my "to read" list!