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Linear Referencing

ST_LineInterpolatePoint

Returns a point interpolated along a line at a fractional location.

Synopsis

geometry ST_LineInterpolatePoint(geometry  a_linestring, float8  a_fraction)
geography ST_LineInterpolatePoint(geography  a_linestring, float8  a_fraction, boolean use_spheroid = true)

Description

Returns a point interpolated along a line at a fractional location. First argument must be a LINESTRING. Second argument is a float between 0 and 1 representing the fraction of line length where the point is to be located. The Z and M values are interpolated if present.

See ST_LineLocatePoint for computing the line location nearest to a Point.

Note

This function computes points in 2D and then interpolates values for Z and M, while ST_3DLineInterpolatePoint computes points in 3D and only interpolates the M value.

Note

Since release 1.1.1 this function also interpolates M and Z values (when present), while prior releases set them to 0.0.

Availability: 0.8.2, Z and M supported added in 1.1.1

Changed: 2.1.0. Up to 2.0.x this was called ST_Line_Interpolate_Point.

Examples

image

A LineString with the interpolated point at 20% position (0.20)

-- The point 20% along a line

SELECT ST_AsEWKT(  ST_LineInterpolatePoint(
        'LINESTRING(25 50, 100 125, 150 190)',
        0.2 ));
----------------
 POINT(51.5974135047432 76.5974135047432)

The mid-point of a 3D line:

SELECT ST_AsEWKT(  ST_LineInterpolatePoint('
        LINESTRING(1 2 3, 4 5 6, 6 7 8)',
        0.5 ));
--------------------
 POINT(3.5 4.5 5.5)

The closest point on a line to a point:

SELECT ST_AsText( ST_LineInterpolatePoint( line.geom,
                      ST_LineLocatePoint( line.geom, 'POINT(4 3)')))
FROM (SELECT ST_GeomFromText('LINESTRING(1 2, 4 5, 6 7)') As geom) AS line;
------------
 POINT(3 4)

See Also

ST_LineInterpolatePoints, ST_3DLineInterpolatePoint, ST_LineLocatePoint

ST_3DLineInterpolatePoint

Returns a point interpolated along a 3D line at a fractional location.

Synopsis

geometry ST_3DLineInterpolatePoint(geometry  a_linestring, float8  a_fraction)

Description

Returns a point interpolated along a 3D line at a fractional location. First argument must be a LINESTRING. Second argument is a float between 0 and 1 representing the point location as a fraction of line length. The M value is interpolated if present.

Note

ST_LineInterpolatePoint computes points in 2D and then interpolates the values for Z and M, while this function computes points in 3D and only interpolates the M value.

Availability: 3.0.0

Examples

Return point 20% along 3D line

SELECT ST_AsText(
    ST_3DLineInterpolatePoint('LINESTRING(25 50 70, 100 125 90, 150 190 200)',
        0.20));

   st_asetext
----------------
 POINT Z (59.0675892910822 84.0675892910822 79.0846904776219)

See Also

ST_LineInterpolatePoint, ST_LineInterpolatePoints, ST_LineLocatePoint

ST_LineInterpolatePoints

Returns points interpolated along a line at a fractional interval.

Synopsis

geometry ST_LineInterpolatePoints(geometry  a_linestring, float8  a_fraction, boolean  repeat)
geography ST_LineInterpolatePoints(geography  a_linestring, float8  a_fraction, boolean use_spheroid = true, boolean  repeat = true)

Description

Returns one or more points interpolated along a line at a fractional interval. The first argument must be a LINESTRING. The second argument is a float8 between 0 and 1 representing the spacing between the points as a fraction of line length. If the third argument is false, at most one point will be constructed (which is equivalent to ST_LineInterpolatePoint.)

If the result has zero or one points, it is returned as a POINT. If it has two or more points, it is returned as a MULTIPOINT.

Availability: 2.5.0

Examples

image

A LineString with points interpolated every 20%

--Return points each 20% along a 2D line
SELECT ST_AsText(ST_LineInterpolatePoints('LINESTRING(25 50, 100 125, 150 190)', 0.20))
----------------
 MULTIPOINT((51.5974135047432 76.5974135047432),(78.1948270094864 103.194827009486),(104.132163186446 130.37181214238),(127.066081593223 160.18590607119),(150 190))

See Also

ST_LineInterpolatePoint, ST_LineLocatePoint

ST_LineLocatePoint

Returns the fractional location of the closest point on a line to a point.

Synopsis

float8 ST_LineLocatePoint(geometry  a_linestring, geometry  a_point)
float8 ST_LineLocatePoint(geography  a_linestring, geography  a_point, boolean use_spheroid = true)

Description

Returns a float between 0 and 1 representing the location of the closest point on a LineString to the given Point, as a fraction of 2d line length.

You can use the returned location to extract a Point (ST_LineInterpolatePoint) or a substring (ST_LineSubstring).

This is useful for approximating numbers of addresses

Availability: 1.1.0

Changed: 2.1.0. Up to 2.0.x this was called ST_Line_Locate_Point.

Examples

--Rough approximation of finding the street number of a point along the street
--Note the whole foo thing is just to generate dummy data that looks
--like house centroids and street
--We use ST_DWithin to exclude
--houses too far away from the street to be considered on the street
SELECT ST_AsText(house_loc) As as_text_house_loc,
    startstreet_num +
        CAST( (endstreet_num - startstreet_num)
            * ST_LineLocatePoint(street_line, house_loc) As integer) As street_num
FROM
(SELECT ST_GeomFromText('LINESTRING(1 2, 3 4)') As street_line,
    ST_Point(x*1.01,y*1.03) As house_loc, 10 As startstreet_num,
        20 As endstreet_num
FROM generate_series(1,3) x CROSS JOIN generate_series(2,4) As y)
As foo
WHERE ST_DWithin(street_line, house_loc, 0.2);

 as_text_house_loc | street_num
-------------------+------------
 POINT(1.01 2.06)  |         10
 POINT(2.02 3.09)  |         15
 POINT(3.03 4.12)  |         20

 --find closest point on a line to a point or other geometry
 SELECT ST_AsText(ST_LineInterpolatePoint(foo.the_line, ST_LineLocatePoint(foo.the_line, ST_GeomFromText('POINT(4 3)'))))
FROM (SELECT ST_GeomFromText('LINESTRING(1 2, 4 5, 6 7)') As the_line) As foo;
   st_astext
----------------
 POINT(3 4)

See Also

ST_DWithin, ST_Length2D, ST_LineInterpolatePoint, ST_LineSubstring

ST_LineSubstring

Returns the part of a line between two fractional locations.

Synopsis

geometry ST_LineSubstring(geometry  a_linestring, float8  startfraction, float8  endfraction)
geography ST_LineSubstring(geography  a_linestring, float8  startfraction, float8  endfraction)

Description

Computes the line which is the section of the input line starting and ending at the given fractional locations. The first argument must be a LINESTRING. The second and third arguments are values in the range [0, 1] representing the start and end locations as fractions of line length. The Z and M values are interpolated for added endpoints if present.

If startfraction and endfraction have the same value this is equivalent to ST_LineInterpolatePoint.

Note

This only works with LINESTRINGs. To use on contiguous MULTILINESTRINGs first join them with ST_LineMerge.

Note

Since release 1.1.1 this function interpolates M and Z values. Prior releases set Z and M to unspecified values.

Enhanced: 3.4.0 - Support for geography was introduced.

Changed: 2.1.0. Up to 2.0.x this was called ST_Line_Substring.

Availability: 1.1.0, Z and M supported added in 1.1.1

Examples

image

A LineString seen with 1/3 midrange overlaid (0.333, 0.666)

SELECT ST_AsText(ST_LineSubstring( 'LINESTRING (20 180, 50 20, 90 80, 120 40, 180 150)', 0.333, 0.666));
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LINESTRING (45.17311810399485 45.74337011202746, 50 20, 90 80, 112.97593050157862 49.36542599789519)

If start and end locations are the same, the result is a POINT.

SELECT ST_AsText(ST_LineSubstring( 'LINESTRING(25 50, 100 125, 150 190)', 0.333, 0.333));
------------------------------------------
 POINT(69.2846934853974 94.2846934853974)

A query to cut a LineString into sections of length 100 or shorter. It uses generate_series() with a CROSS JOIN LATERAL to produce the equivalent of a FOR loop.

WITH data(id, geom) AS (VALUES
        ( 'A', 'LINESTRING( 0 0, 200 0)'::geometry ),
        ( 'B', 'LINESTRING( 0 100, 350 100)'::geometry ),
        ( 'C', 'LINESTRING( 0 200, 50 200)'::geometry )
    )
SELECT id, i,
       ST_AsText( ST_LineSubstring( geom, startfrac, LEAST( endfrac, 1 )) ) AS geom
FROM (
    SELECT id, geom, ST_Length(geom) len, 100 sublen FROM data
    ) AS d
CROSS JOIN LATERAL (
    SELECT i, (sublen * i) / len AS startfrac,
              (sublen * (i+1)) / len AS endfrac
    FROM generate_series(0, floor( len / sublen )::integer ) AS t(i)
    -- skip last i if line length is exact multiple of sublen
    WHERE (sublen * i) / len <> 1.0
    ) AS d2;

 id | i |            geom
----+---+-----------------------------
 A  | 0 | LINESTRING(0 0,100 0)
 A  | 1 | LINESTRING(100 0,200 0)
 B  | 0 | LINESTRING(0 100,100 100)
 B  | 1 | LINESTRING(100 100,200 100)
 B  | 2 | LINESTRING(200 100,300 100)
 B  | 3 | LINESTRING(300 100,350 100)
 C  | 0 | LINESTRING(0 200,50 200)

Geography implementation measures along a spheroid, geometry along a line

SELECT ST_AsText(ST_LineSubstring( 'LINESTRING(-118.2436 34.0522, -71.0570 42.3611)'::geography, 0.333, 0.666),6) AS geog_sub
 , ST_AsText(ST_LineSubstring('LINESTRING(-118.2436 34.0522, -71.0570 42.3611)'::geometry, 0.333, 0.666),6) AS geom_sub;
---------------------------------------------------------------
geog_sub | LINESTRING(-104.167064 38.854691,-87.674646 41.849854)
geom_sub | LINESTRING(-102.530462 36.819064,-86.817324 39.585927)

See Also

ST_Length, ST_LineExtend, ST_LineInterpolatePoint, ST_LineMerge

ST_LocateAlong

Returns the point(s) on a geometry that match a measure value.

Synopsis

geometry ST_LocateAlong(geometry  geom_with_measure, float8  measure, float8  offset = 0)

Description

Returns the location(s) along a measured geometry that have the given measure values. The result is a Point or MultiPoint. Polygonal inputs are not supported.

If offset is provided, the result is offset to the left or right of the input line by the specified distance. A positive offset will be to the left, and a negative one to the right.

Note

Use this function only for linear geometries with an M component

The semantic is specified by the ISO/IEC 13249-3 SQL/MM Spatial standard.

Availability: 1.1.0 by old name ST_Locate_Along_Measure.

Changed: 2.0.0 in prior versions this used to be called ST_Locate_Along_Measure.

SQL-MM IEC 13249-3: 5.1.13

Examples

SELECT ST_AsText(
  ST_LocateAlong(
    'MULTILINESTRINGM((1 2 3, 3 4 2, 9 4 3),(1 2 3, 5 4 5))'::geometry,
    3 ));

----------------------------------
 MULTIPOINT M ((1 2 3),(9 4 3),(1 2 3))

See Also

ST_LocateBetween, ST_LocateBetweenElevations, ST_InterpolatePoint

ST_LocateBetween

Returns the portions of a geometry that match a measure range.

Synopsis

geometry ST_LocateBetween(geometry  geom, float8  measure_start, float8  measure_end, float8  offset = 0)

Description

Return a geometry (collection) with the portions of the input measured geometry that match the specified measure range (inclusively).

If the offset is provided, the result is offset to the left or right of the input line by the specified distance. A positive offset will be to the left, and a negative one to the right.

Clipping a non-convex POLYGON may produce invalid geometry.

The semantic is specified by the ISO/IEC 13249-3 SQL/MM Spatial standard.

Availability: 1.1.0 by old name ST_Locate_Between_Measures.

Changed: 2.0.0 - in prior versions this used to be called ST_Locate_Between_Measures.

Enhanced: 3.0.0 - added support for POLYGON, TIN, TRIANGLE.

SQL-MM IEC 13249-3: 5.1

Examples

SELECT ST_AsText(
  ST_LocateBetween(
       'MULTILINESTRING M ((1 2 3, 3 4 2, 9 4 3),(1 2 3, 5 4 5))':: geometry,
       1.5, 3 ));
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 GEOMETRYCOLLECTION M (LINESTRING M (1 2 3,3 4 2,9 4 3),POINT M (1 2 3))

image

A LineString with the section between measures 2 and 8, offset to the left

SELECT ST_AsText( ST_LocateBetween(
  ST_AddMeasure('LINESTRING (20 180, 50 20, 100 120, 180 20)', 0, 10),
  2, 8,
  20
));
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MULTILINESTRING((54.49835019899045 104.53426957938231,58.70056060327303 82.12248075654186,69.16695286779743 103.05526528559065,82.11145618000168 128.94427190999915,84.24893681714357 132.32493442618113,87.01636951231555 135.21267035596549,90.30307285299679 137.49198684843182,93.97759758337769 139.07172433557758,97.89298381958797 139.8887023914453,101.89263860095893 139.9102465862721,105.81659870902816 139.13549527600819,109.50792827749828 137.5954340631298,112.81899532549731 135.351656550512,115.6173761888606 132.49390095108848,145.31017306064817 95.37790486135405))

See Also

ST_LocateAlong, ST_LocateBetweenElevations

ST_LocateBetweenElevations

Returns the portions of a geometry that lie in an elevation (Z) range.

Synopsis

geometry ST_LocateBetweenElevations(geometry  geom, float8  elevation_start, float8  elevation_end)

Description

Returns a geometry (collection) with the portions of a geometry that lie in an elevation (Z) range.

Clipping a non-convex POLYGON may produce invalid geometry.

Availability: 1.4.0

Enhanced: 3.0.0 - added support for POLYGON, TIN, TRIANGLE.

Examples

SELECT ST_AsText(
  ST_LocateBetweenElevations(
    'LINESTRING(1 2 3, 4 5 6)'::geometry,
    2, 4 ));

             st_astext
-----------------------------------
 MULTILINESTRING Z ((1 2 3,2 3 4))

SELECT ST_AsText(
    ST_LocateBetweenElevations(
      'LINESTRING(1 2 6, 4 5 -1, 7 8 9)',
      6, 9)) As ewelev;

                                ewelev
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 GEOMETRYCOLLECTION Z (POINT Z (1 2 6),LINESTRING Z (6.1 7.1 6,7 8 9))

See Also

ST_Dump, ST_LocateBetween

ST_InterpolatePoint

Returns the interpolated measure of a geometry closest to a point.

Synopsis

float8 ST_InterpolatePoint(geometry  linear_geom_with_measure, geometry  point)

Description

Returns an interpolated measure value of a linear measured geometry at the location closest to the given point.

Note

Use this function only for linear geometries with an M component

Availability: 2.0.0

Examples

SELECT ST_InterpolatePoint('LINESTRING M (0 0 0, 10 0 20)', 'POINT(5 5)');
 ---------------------
         10

See Also

ST_AddMeasure, ST_LocateAlong, ST_LocateBetween

ST_AddMeasure

Interpolates measures along a linear geometry.

Synopsis

geometry ST_AddMeasure(geometry  geom_mline, float8  measure_start, float8  measure_end)

Description

Return a derived geometry with measure values linearly interpolated between the start and end points. If the geometry has no measure dimension, one is added. If the geometry has a measure dimension, it is over-written with new values. Only LINESTRINGS and MULTILINESTRINGS are supported.

Availability: 1.5.0

Examples

SELECT ST_AsText(ST_AddMeasure(
ST_GeomFromEWKT('LINESTRING(1 0, 2 0, 4 0)'),1,4)) As ewelev;
           ewelev
--------------------------------
 LINESTRINGM(1 0 1,2 0 2,4 0 4)

SELECT ST_AsText(ST_AddMeasure(
ST_GeomFromEWKT('LINESTRING(1 0 4, 2 0 4, 4 0 4)'),10,40)) As ewelev;
                 ewelev
----------------------------------------
 LINESTRING(1 0 4 10,2 0 4 20,4 0 4 40)

SELECT ST_AsText(ST_AddMeasure(
ST_GeomFromEWKT('LINESTRINGM(1 0 4, 2 0 4, 4 0 4)'),10,40)) As ewelev;
                 ewelev
----------------------------------------
 LINESTRINGM(1 0 10,2 0 20,4 0 40)

SELECT ST_AsText(ST_AddMeasure(
ST_GeomFromEWKT('MULTILINESTRINGM((1 0 4, 2 0 4, 4 0 4),(1 0 4, 2 0 4, 4 0 4))'),10,70)) As ewelev;
                             ewelev
-----------------------------------------------------------------
 MULTILINESTRINGM((1 0 10,2 0 20,4 0 40),(1 0 40,2 0 50,4 0 70))