science

Interlis

Interlis is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Interlis rather than just read about it. In short: INTERLIS is a standard for the modeling and integration of geodata into contemporary and future geographic information systems. The current version is INTERLIS version 2.3 (English), which is also listed as Swiss standard SN612031.

Key takeaways

Interlis belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Interlis to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Interlis from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

INTERLIS is a standard for the modeling and integration of geodata into contemporary and future geographic information systems. The current version is INTERLIS version 2.3 (English), which is also listed as Swiss standard SN612031.

Overview Unified, documented geodata provides many advantages, including:

standardized documentation compatible data exchange comprehensive integration of geodata e.g. from different data owners. quality proofing long term data storage contract-proof security and the availability of the software INTERLIS helps to fulfill the above-mentioned requirements. Consequently, the discussion of interfaces about fixed formats and open program interfaces (APIs) and interfaces leads to the question which type of geodata should be captured and maintained. INTERLIS is not only targeting the mass market of the casual geodata viewers but was specially designed as an answer to the needs of the users and producers (the doers) who are relying on explicitly described geodata structures. Additional properties of this language include being specially adapted to geographic information systems implementation, as well as considerable dedication to practicability and extensibility.

External links GDAL Support to INTERLIS INTERLIS home page

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Interlis

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Interlis claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Interlis before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Interlis ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Interlis

In research: Interlis appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Interlis in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Interlis is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Geographic information systems, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Interlis outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Interlis in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Interlis means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Interlis out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Interlis in simple terms?

Why does Interlis matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Interlis?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Interlis.