gvSIG-Desktop 1.11. User manual

This geoprocess allows you to transfer the attributes of one layer to another based on a common element. In contrast to the join sql operator in the relational data bases, in this case, the common element is not that a field of the two tables takes the same value, but that the related elements in the two layers meet some spatial criteria.

The “Spatial join” geoprocess allows you to follow two types of spatial criteria to establish the spatial link:

Nearest neighbour (1->1 relationship). This assigns the attributes of the nearest element in the related layer to an element in the source layer.

If the nearest element intersects (or in the case of polygons is “Contained in”) with the source element, the algorithm will take the first element analysed in the possible intersections.

Contained in (1->M relationship). This relates an element in the source layer with several elements in the destination layer (in particular, with those that intersect).

In this case, the source layer will not inherit the related layer’s attributes, but the operation will be very similar to the "Dissolve" geoprocess.

The user can choose one or several summary functions (average, minimum, maximum, summatory) to be applied on the numerical attributes of the related layer for the M elements related to an element in the source layer.