postgis

http://wiki.huihoo.com/wiki/PostGIS

Install
When you install PostgreSQL, do not install the PostGIS included in the PostgreSQL installer, it is often a few versions behind.Instead, use the separate PostGIS installer.
Linux & UNIX
tar xvfz postgis-1.3.1.tar.gzcd postgis-1.3.1./configuremakemake installcreatelang plpgsql yourtestdatabasepsql -d yourtestdatabase -f lwpostgis.sqlpsql -d yourtestdatabase -f spatial_ref_sys.sql
or Windows
http://postgis.refractions.net/download/windows/psql -U postgres postgispostgis=# SELECT postgis_version();
DB initialization
createdb test-gis
createlang plpgsql test-gis
psql -f /usr/share/postgresql-8.1-postgis/lwpostgis.sql -d test-gis
psql -f /usr/share/postgresql-8.1-postgis/spatial_ref_sys.sql -d test-gis
or sql in E:/PostgreSQL/8.3/share/contrib
two OpenGIS meta-data tables: SPATIAL_REF_SYS and GEOMETRY_COLUMNS.
CREATE TABLE spatial_ref_sys(  srid integer NOT NULL,  auth_name character varying(256),  auth_srid integer,  srtext character varying(2048),  proj4text character varying(2048),  CONSTRAINT spatial_ref_sys_pkey PRIMARY KEY (srid))
CREATE TABLE geometry_columns (   f_table_catalog    VARRCHAR(256) NOT NULL,   f_table_schema     VARCHAR(256) NOT NULL,  f_table_nam        VARCHAR(256) NOT NULL,   f_geometry_column  VARCHAR(256) NOT NULL,   coord_dimension    INTEGER NOT NULL,   srid               INTEGER NOT NULL,   type               VARCHAR(30) NOT NULL )
template_postgis
template_postgis template database include PostGIS functions
create spatially-enabled databases
createdb -T template_postgis my_spatial_dborCREATE DATABASE my_spatial_db TEMPLATE=template_postgis 
SRID
The OpenGIS specification also requires that the internal storage format of spatial objects include a spatial referencing system identifier (SRID). The SRID is required when creating spatial objects for insertion into the database.
shp2pgsql
shp2pgsql - shapefile to postgis loader
The shp2pgsql data loader converts ESRI Shape files into SQL suitable for insertion into a PostGIS/PostgreSQL database.
examples:
shp2pgsql shaperoads roadstable roadsdb > roads.sqlpsql -d roadsdb -f roads.sqlshp2pgsql shaperoads roadstable roadsdb | psql -d roadsdb