The Features API

What is Features

Features HTTP API performs a spacial query on a dataset using a RESTful interface.

URI Template

Requests for the Features HTTP API must include the base and request formats.

Base

The base format is made up of two parts, the base service location and the request: 

    https://data.nowwhere.com.au/features/features.svc/REQUEST

Request

The request format is made up of three parts, as follows: 

    FEATURE_CODE.RESPONSE_TYPE?PARAMETERS

Feature Code

FEATURE_CODE can be one of two values, either “all” to query on all accessible feature types or a particular feature code, for example “POI_FastFoodAu0909” to query over fast food restaurants only.

Response Type

RESPONSE_TYPE refers to how the service response will be formatted. Options here are “xml”, and “json”.

Parameters

PARAMETERS are query string parameters in the structure “key=value”. The following table describes the available parameters.

Parameter Type Description
Pts String A collection of points to search around. Each point should be in the format “<longitude> <latitude>”. Points are separated with a comma. You cannot use this option with bbox.
Bbox String A bounding box which restricts results to items within its bounds. The query uses the left bottom and top right points in the format “<longitude> <latitude> , <longitude> <latitude>”. You cannot use this option with buffer or pts.
Buffer Integer The distance, in metres, from the defined points in which to search for features. Default= 1 metre. You cannot use this option with bbox.
Items Integer Maximum number of items to return. If not defined returns maximum.
Sortby String Tells the service to sort results by the chosen criteria, the default is to sort by “Feature_ID”. Any field name defined for the feature type can be specified. If this parameter is set to “distance” then the results are sorted according to radial distance from the first point in the pts parameter. Distance and Field sorting are mutually exclusive.
Filter String Allows for selection of records by filtering based on columns and values. This parameter is similar to the WHERE CLAUSE in SQLs.

Example JSON

Finds the nearest 10 items to a point sorted by distance.

https://data.nowwhere.com.au/features/features.svc/POI_FastFoodAu0909.json?items=10&sortby=distance,pts=150.82 -34.016&buffer=5000

Finds 10 items within a bounding box

https://data.nowwhere.com.au/features/features.svc/POI_FastFoodAu0909.json?bbox=150.82 -34.016, 151.348 -33.724&items=10

Finds all items within a buffer to multiple points

https://data.nowwhere.com.au/features/features.svc/POI_FastFoodAu0909.json?pts=132 -50,132.1 -50.1, 132.2 -50.5&buffer=5000

Finds up to 100 items within a bounding box where the company name field contains "Subway" or "KFC" 

https://data.nowwhere.com.au/features/features.svc/POI_FastFoodAu0909.json?items=100&filter=[(company Like "%Subway%" or company Like "%KFC%")]&bbox=151.07688598853%20-33.842355494582%20151.31412201147%20-33.804136234948

Example JSON response

{"type":"FeatureCollection",
    "features":[ {"type":"Feature",
                "geometry":{
                            "type":"Point",
                            "coordinates":[144.999235,-37.818291]},
                "properties":{
                            "State":"VIC",
                            "Phone1":"0394277767",
                            "Fax":"",
                            "ExternalUri":"",
                            "Postcode":"3121",
                            "distance":"77",
                            "DisplayName":"McDonald's",
                            "FeatureId":"742aa26a-5412-4879-b30b-2a8798f7c61d",
                            "Street":"227 Church Street",
                            "Suburb":"Richmond",
                            "LastUpdated":"11/10/2010 3:00:13 PM",
                            "FeatureTypeId":"3f19c279-19de-4353-80c3-e0c16c644dca",
                            "Company":"McDonald's",
                            "GeocodeResult":"1"}},
        
                {"type":"Feature",
                "geometry":{
                            "type":"Point",
                            "coordinates":[144.998142,-37.818485]},
                "properties":{
                            "State":"VIC",
                            "Phone1":"0394284048",
                            "Fax":"",
                            "ExternalUri":"",
                            "Postcode":"3121",
                            "distance":"154",
                            "DisplayName":"Subway",
                            "FeatureId":"c872b9c8-3723-48d9-96da-ff55995bf569",
                            "Street":"222 Bridge Road","Suburb":"Richmond",
                            "LastUpdated":"11/10/2010 3:00:13 PM",
                            "FeatureTypeId":"3f19c279-19de-4353-80c3-e0c16c644dca",
                            "Company":"Subway",
                            "GeocodeResult":"1"}},
        
                {"type":"Feature",
                "geometry":{
                            "type":"Point",
                            "coordinates":[144.99311,-37.8179]},
                "properties":{
                            "State":"VIC",
                            "Phone1":"0394290160",
                            "Fax":"",
                            "ExternalUri":"http://www.hudsonscoffee.com.au",
                            "Postcode":"3121",
                            "distance":"602",
                            "DisplayName":"Hudsons Coffee Stores",
                            "FeatureId":"d34bbce7-755c-48bd-913d-1fd901cec983",
                            "Street":"89 Bridge Road",
                            "Suburb":"Richmond",
                            "LastUpdated":"11/10/2010 3:00:13 PM",
                            "FeatureTypeId":"3f19c279-19de-4353-80c3-e0c16c644dca",
                            "Company":"Hudsons Coffee Stores",
                            "GeocodeResult":"1"}}],
        
        "properties":{"total":"3","items":"3"}
}

Example XML

Finds the nearest 10 items to a point sorted by distance.

https://data.nowwhere.com.au/features/features.svc/POI_FastFoodAu0909.xml?items=10&sortby=distance,pts=150.82 -34.016&buffer=5000

Finds 10 items within a bounding box

https://data.nowwhere.com.au/features/features.svc/POI_FastFoodAu0909.xml?bbox=150.82 -34.016, 151.348 -33.724&items=10

Finds all items within a buffer to multiple points

https://data.nowwhere.com.au/features/features.svc/POI_FastFoodAu0909.xml?pts=132 -50,132.1 -50.1, 132.2 -50.5&buffer=5000

Finds up to 100 items within a bounding box where the company name field contains "Subway" or "KFC" 

https://data.nowwhere.com.au/features/features.svc/POI_FastFoodAu0909.xml?items=100&filter=[(company Like "%Subway%" or company Like "%KFC%")]&bbox=151.07688598853%20-33.842355494582%20151.31412201147%20-33.804136234948

Example XML response

  <type>FeatureCollection</type>
  <features>
    <type>Feature</type>
    <geometry>
      <type>Point</type>
      <coordinates>144.999235</coordinates>
      <coordinates>-37.818291</coordinates>
    </geometry>
    <properties>
      <State>VIC</State>
      <Phone1>0394277767</Phone1>
      <Fax/>
      <ExternalUri/>
      <Postcode>3121</Postcode>
      <distance>77</distance>
      <DisplayName>McDonald's</DisplayName>
      <FeatureId>742aa26a-5412-4879-b30b-2a8798f7c61d</FeatureId>
      <Street>227 Church Street</Street>
      <Suburb>Richmond</Suburb>
      <LastUpdated>11/10/2010 3:00:13 PM</LastUpdated>
      <FeatureTypeId>3f19c279-19de-4353-80c3-e0c16c644dca</FeatureTypeId>
      <Company>McDonald's</Company>
      <GeocodeResult>1</GeocodeResult>
    </properties>
  </features>
  <features>
    <type>Feature</type>
    <geometry>
      <type>Point</type>
      <coordinates>144.998142</coordinates>
      <coordinates>-37.818485</coordinates>
    </geometry>
    <properties>
      <State>VIC</State>
      <Phone1>0394284048</Phone1>
      <Fax/>
      <ExternalUri/>
      <Postcode>3121</Postcode>
      <distance>154</distance>
      <DisplayName>Subway</DisplayName>
      <FeatureId>c872b9c8-3723-48d9-96da-ff55995bf569</FeatureId>
      <Street>222 Bridge Road</Street>
      <Suburb>Richmond</Suburb>
      <LastUpdated>11/10/2010 3:00:13 PM</LastUpdated>
      <FeatureTypeId>3f19c279-19de-4353-80c3-e0c16c644dca</FeatureTypeId>
      <Company>Subway</Company>
      <GeocodeResult>1</GeocodeResult>
    </properties>
  </features>
  <features>
    <type>Feature</type>
    <geometry>
      <type>Point</type>
      <coordinates>144.99311</coordinates>
      <coordinates>-37.8179</coordinates>
    </geometry>
    <properties>
      <State>VIC</State>
      <Phone1>0394290160</Phone1>
      <Fax/>
      <ExternalUri>http://www.hudsonscoffee.com.au</ExternalUri>
      <Postcode>3121</Postcode>
      <distance>602</distance>
      <DisplayName>Hudsons Coffee Stores</DisplayName>
      <FeatureId>d34bbce7-755c-48bd-913d-1fd901cec983</FeatureId>
      <Street>89 Bridge Road</Street>
      <Suburb>Richmond</Suburb>
      <LastUpdated>11/10/2010 3:00:13 PM</LastUpdated>
      <FeatureTypeId>3f19c279-19de-4353-80c3-e0c16c644dca</FeatureTypeId>
      <Company>Hudsons Coffee Stores</Company>
      <GeocodeResult>1</GeocodeResult>
    </properties>
  </features>
  <properties>
    <total>3</total>
    <items>3</items>
  </properties>