In geocompr/geocompkg: Geocomputation with R Metapackage

# publish slides
cp -Rv slides/1hr* ~/geocompr/geocompr.github.io/static/presentations
cd ~/geocompr/geocompr.github.io
git status
git add -A
git commit -am 'Add slides'
git push
hugo
cd public
git status
# git diff
git add -A
git commit -am 'Update site'
git push
cd ~/geocompr/geocompkg

# setup

options(htmltools.dir.version = FALSE)
library(RefManageR)
BibOptions(check.entries = FALSE, 
           bib.style = "authoryear", 
           cite.style = 'alphabetic', 
           style = "markdown",
           first.inits = FALSE,
           hyperlink = FALSE, 
           dashed = FALSE)
my_bib = ReadBib("refs.bib", check = FALSE)

## Quick example
library(leaflet)
library(osmdata)
library(tmap)
lida = opq("Leeds") %>% 
  add_osm_feature(key = "name", value = "Worsley Building") %>% 
  osmdata_sf()
# m = mapview::mapview(lida$osm_polygons, zoom = 16)
lida_centroid = lida$osm_polygons %>% 
  sf::st_centroid()
lon = sf::st_coordinates(lida_centroid)[1]
lat = sf::st_coordinates(lida_centroid)[2]
m = tm_shape(lida$osm_polygons) +
  tm_polygons(col = "red") +
  tm_view(set.view = c(lon + 0.005, lat - 0.005, 15)) +
  tm_basemap(server = leaflet::providers$CartoDB.Positron) +
  tm_minimap(server = leaflet::providers$OpenTopoMap, zoomLevelOffset = -10) +
  tm_scale_bar()
tmap_mode("view")
m

---

What is geocomputation?

.pull-left[

GeoComputation is about using the various different types of geodata and about developing relevant geo-tools within the overall context of a 'scientific' approach r Citep(my_bib, "openshaw_geocomputation_2000", .opts = list(cite.style = "authoryear")).

]

.pull-right[

knitr::include_graphics("http://www.ccg.leeds.ac.uk/people/s.openshaw/s.openshaw.png")

]

--

• But we do differ from early definitions in one important way:

At the turn of the 21st Century it was unrealistic to expect readers to be able to reproduce code examples, due to barriers preventing access to the necessary hardware, software and data

---

Other aspects of the definition

--

What distinguishes geocomputation from the older quantitative geography, is its emphasis on "creative and experimental" GIS applications r Citep(my_bib, "longley_geocomputation_1998", .opts = list(cite.style = "authoryear")).

--

It's about doing "practical work that is beneficial or useful" r Citep(my_bib, "openshaw_geocomputation_2000", .opts = list(cite.style = "authoryear")).

--

about harnessing the power of modern computers to do things with geographic data.

---

background-image: url("https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CvzEQcfWIAAIs-N.jpg") background-size: cover

---

Enter sf

• sf is a recently developed package for spatial (vector) data
• Combines the functionality of three previous packages: sp, rgeos and rgdal
• Has many advantages, including:
  • Faster data I/O
  • More geometry types supported
  • Compatibility with the tidyverse

library(sf)

---

A brief history of geographic data in R

R's predecesor was S, which was itself inspired by lisp r Citep(my_bib, "chambers_extending_2016", .opts = list(cite.style = "authoryear")).

This is geographic analysis in S r Citep(my_bib, "rowlingson_splancs_1993", .opts = list(cite.style = "authoryear")):

pts <- spoints(scan('cavities'))
uk()
pointmap(pts,add=T) 
zoom()
uk(add=T) 
pointmap(pts,add=T)
poly<-getpoly() 

---

R code is robust

Still works today, 25 years later:

library(splancs)

---

Exercises

• See https://github.com/geocompr/geocompkg/releases for courses

• See https://geocompr.github.io/presentations/attr.html for attribut operations

• See https://geocompr.robinlovelace.net/spatial-operations.html

---

References

PrintBibliography(my_bib)
# RefManageR::WriteBib(my_bib, "refs-geostat.bib")

geocompr/geocompkg documentation built on July 5, 2025, 2:35 a.m.