FME (software)

The base product is FME Form (formerly FME Desktop); this is a standalone software package with an interface that enables the user to graphically build workflows for data translation, automation, and format and coordinate conversion.{{cite web |title=What is ETL… and How Can it Turn You into a Geospatial Rock Star? |url=https://www.xyht.com/spatial-itgis/what-is-etl-and-how-can-it-turn-you-into-a-geospatial-rock-star/ |website=XYHt |date=4 June 2020 |access-date=5 November 2022 |archive-date=6 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106001414/https://www.xyht.com/spatial-itgis/what-is-etl-and-how-can-it-turn-you-into-a-geospatial-rock-star/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Safe Software's FME Professional Suite 2003 |url=https://www.directionsmag.com/article/3781 |website=Direction Mag |access-date=5 November 2022 |archive-date=6 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106001411/https://www.directionsmag.com/article/3781 |url-status=live }}{{cite book |last1=Plewe |first1=Brandon |title=GIS Online Information Retrieval, Mapping, and the Internet |date=1997 |publisher=OnWord Press |isbn=9781566901376 |page=120 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BJ0sAQAAMAAJ&dq=feature+manipulation+engine&pg=PA120 |access-date=2023-03-19 |archive-date=2023-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412203539/https://books.google.com/books?id=BJ0sAQAAMAAJ&dq=feature+manipulation+engine&pg=PA120 |url-status=live }} FME Flow (formerly FME Server) is an 'on-premises' solution that permits on demand server based instantiations of tailored FME workflows. FME Flow Hosted (formerly FME Cloud) is similar to FME Flow however is hosted 'as needed' in the AWS Cloud.{{cite web |title=Harness the Power of FME Server in the Cloud |url=https://www.safe.com/fme/fme-cloud/ |website=Safe Software |access-date=5 November 2022 |archive-date=6 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106001411/https://www.safe.com/fme/fme-cloud/ |url-status=live }}

FME data transformation workflows typically consist of a combination of the following 'building blocks':

1. Readers to input from single or multiple data sources in a variety of formats or databases.
2. Transformers to manipulate, transform and analyse the data.{{cite web |title=FME Transformer Gallery |url=https://www.safe.com/transformers/ |website=Safe Software |access-date=20 December 2022 |archive-date=20 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220202552/https://www.safe.com/transformers/ |url-status=live }}
3. Writers to output the data in a number of different formats.

Any number of readers, writers and transformers can be used in an FME workflow. A further tool is the Data Inspector, which can present spatial workflow results in a cartographic display.

The ArcGIS Pro software can use the FME engine and workflows as part of the data interoperability extension.{{cite web |title=ArcGIS Data Interoperability or FME Desktop |url=https://www.safe.com/esri/arcgis-data-interoperability-extension/ |website=Safe Software |access-date=5 November 2022 |archive-date=6 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106001411/https://www.safe.com/esri/arcgis-data-interoperability-extension/ |url-status=live }} In 2015 the FME software was integrated with the What3Words geolocation system.{{cite web |title=what3words Joins Forces with Safe Software |url=https://www.gim-international.com/content/news/what3words-joins-forces-with-safe-software |website=GIM International |access-date=5 November 2022 |archive-date=6 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106001413/https://www.gim-international.com/content/news/what3words-joins-forces-with-safe-software |url-status=live }}

As of November 2022, FME has an estimated 0.32% of the total data integration software market. The Information Technology, governmental, utilities, and oil and gas sectors form the largest organisational user base.{{cite web |title=Companies using FME |url=https://enlyft.com/tech/products/fme |website=Enlyft |access-date=5 November 2022 |archive-date=6 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106001408/https://enlyft.com/tech/products/fme |url-status=live }} Examples of the use of FME include routing for emergency fire response, backend data quality management and sub-surface modelling for infrastructure projects, CAD to GIS file conversions, and BIM data extraction for indoor navigation.{{cite web |title=Developing the Digital Sub-surface Model for Crossrail 2 |url=https://www.gim-international.com/content/article/developing-the-digital-sub-surface-model-for-crossrail-2 |website=GIM International |access-date=5 November 2022 |archive-date=6 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106001409/https://www.gim-international.com/content/article/developing-the-digital-sub-surface-model-for-crossrail-2 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=1Spatial helps London Fire Brigade achieve 95% faster processing of route queries with FME |url=https://www.geoconnexion.com/publication-articles/1spatial-helps-london-fire-brigade-achieve-95-faster-processing-of-route-queries-with-fme |website=GeoConnexion.com |access-date=5 November 2022 |archive-date=6 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106001409/https://www.geoconnexion.com/publication-articles/1spatial-helps-london-fire-brigade-achieve-95-faster-processing-of-route-queries-with-fme |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Balfour Beatty VINCI |url=https://www.safe.com/customers/balfour-beatty-vinci/ |website=Safe Software |access-date=5 November 2022 |archive-date=6 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106001411/https://www.safe.com/customers/balfour-beatty-vinci/ |url-status=live }}{{cite book |last1=Zhen |first1=Liu |last2=Jing |first2=Changfeng |last3=Chen |first3=Xiuzhong |title=2012 International Conference on Computer Science and Service System |chapter=Files' Conversion from CAD to GIS Using Spatial Data Conversion Tools Provided by FME |date=2012 |pages=1939–1942 |doi=10.1109/CSSS.2012.484 |publisher=IEEE|isbn=978-0-7695-4719-0 |s2cid=10343042 }}{{cite journal |last1=Tekavec |first1=Jernej |last2=Lisec |first2=Anka |title=3D Geometry-Based Indoor Network Extraction for Navigation Applications Using SFCGAL |journal=ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information |date=2020 |volume=9 |issue=7 |page=417 |doi=10.3390/ijgi9070417 |bibcode=2020IJGI....9..417T |doi-access=free |url=https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?id=145156&dn= }}

FME is considered a comprehensive platform for BIM data exchange and support of spatial data. Reviews indicate it is strong in the analytic, conversion and interoperability areas, flexible in scope, with a strong user community. However, the cartographic capability is considered poor, interactive editing tools are absent, and the licensing costs are seen as significant.{{cite book |last1=Mitchell |first1=Tyler |title=Web Mapping Illustrated |date=2005 |publisher=O'Reilly Media |isbn=9780596008659 |page=18 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o4nvqe7ofgEC&dq=feature+manipulation+engine&pg=PA18 |access-date=6 November 2022 |archive-date=12 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412203540/https://books.google.com/books?id=o4nvqe7ofgEC&dq=feature+manipulation+engine&pg=PA18 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=The 6 Best Geospatial Data Integration Tools to Consider in 2022 |url=https://solutionsreview.com/data-integration/the-best-geospatial-data-integration-tools/ |website=Solutions Review |date=20 October 2022 |access-date=5 November 2022 |archive-date=6 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106001409/https://solutionsreview.com/data-integration/the-best-geospatial-data-integration-tools/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Interoperable Data Exchange – A Key Factor for BIM |url=https://www.gim-international.com/content/article/interoperable-data-exchange-a-key-factor-for-bim |website=GIM International |access-date=5 November 2022 |archive-date=6 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106001412/https://www.gim-international.com/content/article/interoperable-data-exchange-a-key-factor-for-bim |url-status=live }} In January 2024 JMI Equity obtained a minor share of Safe Software. Safe Software wants to triple the net annual revenue in the next five years.{{cite web |title=US-based JMI Equity buys out Safe Software co-founder in strategic investment |url=https://betakit.com/us-based-jmi-equity-buys-out-safe-software-co-founder-in-strategic-investment/ |website=BetaKit |access-date=22 December 2024 |archive-date=22 December 2024 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241222164206/https://betakit.com/us-based-jmi-equity-buys-out-safe-software-co-founder-in-strategic-investment/ |url-status=live }}

• {{ Annotated link | Geographic information system software}}
• {{ Annotated link | QGIS}}
• {{ Annotated link | GDAL}}
• {{ Annotated link | ArcGIS}}
• {{ Annotated link | File format (GIS)}}
• {{ Annotated link | Spatial Archive and Interchange Format}}

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