Geometry Methods Supported by Spatial Indexes

Spatial indexes support the following set-oriented geometry methods under certain conditions: STContains(), STDistance(), STEquals(), STIntersects(), STOverlaps(), STTouches(), and STWithin(). To be supported by a spatial index, these methods must be used within the WHERE or JOIN ON clause of a query, and they must occur within a predicate of the following general form:

geometry1.method_name(geometry2) comparison_operatorvalid_number

To return a non-null result, geometry1 and geometry2 must have the same spatial reference identifier (SRID). Otherwise, the method returns NULL.

Spatial indexes support the following predicate forms:

• geometry1.STContains(geometry2) = 1

• geometry1.STDistance(geometry2) < number

• geometry1.STDistance(geometry2) <= number

• geometry1.STEquals(geometry2) = 1

• geometry1.STIntersects(geometry2) = 1

• geometry1.STOverlaps(geometry2) = 1

• geometry1.STTouches(geometry2) = 1

• geometry1.STWithin(geometry2) = 1