Vector data is the internal data stored in the vector structure of a computer. It is the direct product of tracking digitizer. In the vector data structure, point data can be directly described by coordinate values; Line data can be described by sequential coordinate chains with even or uneven intervals; Regional data (or polygon data) can be described by boundary lines.
The organization of vector data is complex, with arc segments as the basic logical unit, and each arc segment is defined by two or more intersecting nodes and described by the attributes of two adjacent polygons.
In computer, the advantage of using vector data is that the storage capacity is small, and the topological relationship between data items can extract some features from the point coordinate chain. The main disadvantage is the complexity of data editing, updating and processing software.