Select data with SDO_RELATE in lat long coordinate system(8307) in 10gR2

Question

Hi all,
I have problem with selecting data from table.
Data are in lat lon coordinate system 8307.
These requests don't return any data:
SELECT ISSUE_ID FROM MAP_ISSUES WHERE SDO_FILTER(GEOMETRY, sdo_geometry (2003, 8307, null, sdo_elem_info_array (1,1003,1),sdo_ordinate_array(-180,-90, 180,-90, 180,90, -180,90, -180,-90)) ) = 'TRUE';
SELECT ISSUE_ID FROM MAP_ISSUES WHERE SDO_RELATE(GEOMETRY, sdo_geometry (2003, 8307, null, sdo_elem_info_array (1,1003,1),sdo_ordinate_array(-180,-90, 180,-90, 180,90, -180,90, -180,-90)), 'MASK=ANYINTERACT' ) = 'TRUE'
Optimized polygon does return all data correctly:
SELECT ISSUE_ID FROM MAP_ISSUES WHERE SDO_FILTER(GEOMETRY, sdo_geometry (2003, 8307, null, sdo_elem_info_array (1,1003,3),sdo_ordinate_array (-180,-90,180,90)) ) = 'TRUE'
Smaller polygon select data correctly too.
SELECT ISSUE_ID FROM MAP_ISSUES WHERE SDO_FILTER(GEOMETRY, sdo_geometry (2003, 8307, null, sdo_elem_info_array (1,1003,1),sdo_ordinate_array (52,-7, 54,-7 , 54,-5 , 52,-5, 52,-7)) ) = 'TRUE'
I have tried changed polygon to be clockwise, counter clockwise, make the area a bit smaller( 160 instead of 180, 89 instead of 90) nothing has helped.
My explanation than was, that Earth is sphere and each defined polygon defines TWO polygons in the sphere and there is convention that the smaller is chosen to select data. It would make sense along the previous results, but than I found one post which says that this is bug http://www.frontoracle.com/oracle-database/703/180703-size-of-are-of-interest-smaller-equals.html
I have found in other thread that max only 1/2 of Earth could be selected Different results using SDO_RELATE with polygon and rectangle type but it seems not true, because optimized bounding box works fine!
What is right? Is there anything in official documentation?
Is it bug.
Max 1/2 of Earth could be selected in one request.
Each polygon defines two areas in the Earth and the smaller one is used to do spatial SDO_RELATE operation?
Thanks!
Regards,
Zdenek

Answer 1

Zdenek,
A bug, or limititation, whichever you choose. IMHO if you ask for something, and don't get what you expect, it is a bug that could be fixed.
But for 10g anywho, the following applies, which is why I choose 120 degree breaks for my code as it is less than 180...
The following size limits apply with geodetic data:
■ No polygon element can have an area larger than one-half the surface of the Earth.
■ In a line, the distance between two adjacent coordinates cannot be greater than or
equal to one-half the perimeter (a great circle) of the Earth.
If you need to work with larger elements, first break these elements into multiple
smaller elements and work with them. For example, you cannot create a geometry
representing the entire ocean surface of the Earth; however, you can create multiple
geometries, each representing part of the overall ocean surface. To work with a line
string that is greater than or equal to one-half the perimeter of the Earth, you can add
one or more intermediate points on the line so that all adjacent coordinates are less
than one-half the perimeter of the Earth.
Bryan