Section : 1. GeoNode

Module : 1.17. GeoNode Documents

Uploading, Viewing and Managing Documents in GeoNode

“GeoNode supports miscellaneous non-spatial data types in a variety of formats”

The content type associated with non-spatial data in GeoNode is referred to as "Documents". This term may seem a bit misleading, as although it supports multiple "traditional" document formats, including .docx, .txt, or even .xlsx spreadsheet files, it also supports a variety of other file formats including .zip archives, .png and .jpg images, .dwg CAD files, .mp3 audio files and even .mp4 video formats, amongst many others.

The level of integration with the platform will vary by format and will determine what level of functionality is available, such as playback or preview functions. What is important about documents is that they provide a method of adding non-spatial data to the platform, which enables all the benefits GeoNode to be applied to this data, including the abilities of publishing, permissions management, and metadata management. This provides a comprehensive content management framework for data that extends beyond geospatial contexts and makes them available using the data discovery and search utilities that GeoNode users will become familiar with.

In addition, document files can be associated with existing spatial data layers and map projects, by adding Links to other GeoNode content within the document metadata.

This module will explore GeoNode’s capability to ingest non-spatial data and link them to spatial data and assumes that spatial data is already available in GeoNode.

You try:

Goal: To explore the capabilities of GeoNode Documents

  • Log into GeoNode and navigate to the Documents section from the Data menu
  • Choose the Upload Documents* option
  • Select some data files and documents you wish to upload
  • Select the layer/map you wish to link the document to
  • Upload your document
  • Populate the metadata for the document
  • Note that you can link the document to spatial content types from the metadata if this was not done during the upload process
  • Use the Explore Documents after the upload finishes
  • Find and select the document you uploaded previously
  • Navigate to the layer you associated the document to and the Document is listed there

Note that the document can be on your system or a document may be added by using an online reference (use document link). Documents added from a local source will be added to the server and stored within GeoNode, however remote links will require that users have access to the remote source with the relevant permissions in order to access the document file for download.

Check your results

Documents should be visible in the Explore Documents menu. Were you able to find your document using the search and filter features?
Did you find the spatial content associated with the document from the Resources using this document section on the document details page?
Did you navigate to the content details page and find a reference to the linked document under the Documents related to this map section?

More about managing documents

GeoNode allows users to share reports, conceptual notes, posters, spreadsheets, and various other data types on the GeoNode platform. Documents can be updated or replaced in the same manner as Layer data, ensuring that the relevant content is always up to date whilst preserving metadata and permission details.

Depending on the permissions configuration, users may download the metadata for the document or the document itself for review locally. Publishers can use GeoNode to publish and distribute content on the platform, or use the sharing utilities to share the content with a wider audience using the various email and social media channels available.

A wide range of filetypes are supported by default, including some of the following:

  • Text: .txt, .log
  • Styles: .sld, .qml
  • Documents: .pdf, .xml, .doc, .docx, .ods, .odt, .xls, .xlsx, .odp, .ppt, .pptx
  • Images: .bm, .bmp, .dwg, .dxf, .fif, .gif, .jpg, .jpe, .jpeg, .png, .tif, .tiff, .pbm
  • Archives: .tar, .tgz, .rar, .gz, .7z, .zip
  • Media: .aif, .aifc, .aiff, .au, .mp3, .mpga, .wav, .afl, .avi, .avs, .fli, .mp2, .mp4, .mpg, .ogg, .webm, .3gp, .flv, .vdo

Check your knowledge:

  1. What is the significance of associating documents with layers:

    1. To highlight the functionality in GeoNode. It has no significance
    2. It is just a nice thing to do
    3. To publish additional information about the layer beyond the metadata

  2. What is a standalone document:

    1. A document that is of a specific type, such as .pdf
    2. A document that does not have an association with any layer loaded in GeoNode
    3. A document associated with multiple layers in GeoNode

  3. Can a Document be associated to multiple layers:

    1. Yes
    2. No
    3. Only if all the layers are added to single map

Further reading: