A BANG file is a nested, balanced grid file used in spatial databases to organize information into cells and improve search indexing times. It allows for distance as a factor in data relationships and can store information in overlapping cells. This organization makes data retrieval easier and provides insight into data relationships.
A nested, balanced grid file (known as a BANG file) is a file that breaks up its component space into a non-periodic grid, where cells within the file are referred to as sets of points. These files are used in spatial databases, where a general organizational layout is required to reduce search indexing times, making it easier to retrieve files following a query. A BANG file stores information specifically based on the relationships between various elements within the file.
Spatial databases are databases that store information in virtual “space”, allowing the end user to organize information into geometric shapes such as lines and polygons. This adds distance as a factor to the relationship between data points, because data in a spatial database is separated not just by values, but by physical proximity from other information in the database. A BANG file is a point method for organizing these types of spatial files within a system.
A BANG file works like a regular XY chart. When information is stored in a BANG file, it is sequestered within specific cells in the file. This organizes the data, allowing related items to be placed “closer” to each other and locating items in the same or adjacent cells. The BANG file provides a higher level of order within the computer.
Cells in BANG files can intersect each other. There may be overlap between cells, like in a Venn diagram. This allows you to properly store information that falls into multiple categories. For example, the overlap between cells in a BANG file could be used to store information that could fit into multiple organizational categories, such as a work contact who is also a close personal friend.
This additional level of organization makes it easier to retrieve data from the system. When a BANG file is accessed, computers have a basic idea of where to look for the desired data. In addition to facilitating data retrieval, this can provide an indication of a data’s relationship to other data in the file.
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