Access to Swiss Geodata

Lib4RI users can now access again the Swiss geodata distributed via GeoVITE. The access to GeoVITE ceased in October 2016 after a relaunch of the platform was planned as part of the SUK P-5 project Geodata4Edu. Geodata4Edu is planned as a national portal for geodata in teaching and research for Switzerland. It offers access to a comprehensive range of geodata and is geared towards students and researchers with both basic and specialist GIS knowledge. Meanwhile the project is quite advanced and GeoVITE was relaunched with most of the data and functionalities originally included.

There are two principal ways to access data: A browser-based download service (GeoVITE) and a web service for GIS programs. To use the download service you can search for data directly in the search slot on the Geodata4edu homepage. By clicking on the link “See all details” in the results you will be provided with a link to the dataset on GeoVITE. On GeoVITE you can then define an area of interest, add additional layers and download the data to your computer. Alternatively, you can also go directly to GeoVITE, define an area of interest, look for available datasets and download them.

Information on available datasets is provided on http://geodata4edu.ethz.ch/availableDatasets.html. More datasets are available via the web services. To open a dataset this way you simply click on a search results on the Geodata4Edu homepage. The dataset will then open in your desktop GIS after login. Much more information on data, ways of access, the services provided and the project itself can be found on the Geodata4Edu homepage.

You will find more information on the geodata and maps available at Lib4RI on our website. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions on this topic. Eawag members might also want to look at the information on the Eawag intranet (contact: Rosi Siber). At PSI Roland Blättler (IT Licensing Manager & Coordinator) is responsible for the distribution of geodata and at WSL Martin Hägeli.