GeoNames Home | Postal Codes | Download / Webservice | About 

GeoNames Forum
  [Search] Search   [Recent Topics] Recent Topics   [Groups] Back to home page 
[Register] Register / 
[Login] Login 
Geopolitical changes over time  XML
Forum Index -> General
Author Message
stefanoste78



Joined: 27/08/2017 08:11:24
Messages: 7
Offline

Good evening.
I need clarification of the changes that affect the names of cities in time.
I copied the contents of the text files (taken from page: http://download.geonames.org/export/dump/) on excel.
If changes are made to the text file in the previous link, I will need to know where the changes have taken place and what kind of changes have been made.
I noticed that every city name (future class a) matches a precise id. I would like to see if id is unique for every city name, because I thought if it is so, there may be these types of changes:
1) The name of a country can change over time: the id remains the same;
2) A new city is created: a new id is created in the list;
3) The name of a city is deleted: id is deleted from the list

In these cases, I'll just compare the new file with the old file to see what changes have been made.

In case two cities join or divide how do I understand what previous cities have been affected by the union or division?

I wonder why I need to link excel file city names to a list of stores in each city, and I would like to automatically update the changes to the cities where they are present when I decide to update excel files. I must find the right criterion to avoid mistakes.

Could you give me a hand to understand the system with which the geonames database was created and how to set up the excel file?

Thank you
Google Traduttore per le aziende:Translator ToolkitTraduttore
marc



Joined: 08/12/2005 07:39:47
Messages: 4412
Offline

Hi Stefano

The geonameid is unique and never changes.

You speak about 'administrative divisions'. They can indeed split, merge or become victim of a large reorganisation. An indication is the adminX code, which usually is the country specific code (in Italy the one coming from istat) for levels adm2 or below. The adm1 code mostly is the code used by the US government. Admin divisions are usually not deleted when they cease to exist. They change the feature code to 'historic'.

Example:
Casali del Manco is a new municipality in Italy. It has the geonames feature:
http://www.geonames.org/11670253/casali-del-manco.html
with admin3code 078156.

It is replacing 5 municipalties. Among them
http://www.geonames.org/6541746/casole-bruzio.html
with adm3code 078028. The featurecode has changed from ADM3 to ADM3H.

Just from the feature and the codes it is difficult to know exactly what happend. We use the polygon (also from istat) to determine for the spot features within the adm3 where they now belong to as the boundaries can also change during splits/mergers and reorgs. It is possible that not the entire municipality makes the same change.

Best Regards

Marc


[WWW]
stefanoste78



Joined: 27/08/2017 08:11:24
Messages: 7
Offline

you wrote that Casali del Manco is replacing 5 minucipality. if before a change, I know that, for example, a school is located in one of these 5 municipalities has a name "x" and I associate this school with the "x" town. In the time when there is a geopolitical change how will I know that the school will no longer be associated with the "x" town hall but at the Casali del Manco?



marc



Joined: 08/12/2005 07:39:47
Messages: 4412
Offline

The admin codes of the features will change. Example:
http://www.geonames.org/8958992/cicerata.html
Click on the history tab to see the changes:
adm3:078028>078156

If the school is included in geonames as a separate feature then it will be updated by geonames. If you have the school only on your own system then you will find out that the admincode3 no longer is valid municipality and you have then to figure out what has happened.

Best Regards

Marc

[WWW]
stefanoste78



Joined: 27/08/2017 08:11:24
Messages: 7
Offline

thank you
 
Forum Index -> General
Go to:   
Powered by JForum 2.1.5 © JForum Team