OK, this is a long one, but I wanted everyone to see the set of line-codes that I am integrating into the geodatabase. The codes are based on terminology in the new digital geologic map standards published by the FGDC. The seemingly overly detailed list is based on degrees of certainty relative to two aspects of lines on a geologic map: 1. What sort of line it is and how certain you are about that; and 2. How well the line's location is known.

Each funny looking code is a combination of the following characters that account for a variety of lines and a variety of degrees of certainty about what and where they are:

Line Types [kind]

C Contact
X Fault
R Rock body (marker bed or key bed)
Z Scarp (as feature, not contact)
M Morphologic
B Boundary

Prefixes [category]

g generic
l landslide
i internal
f fluvial
v volcanic
s sedimentary
z scarp
d depression
m morphologic feature

Suffixes [location]

c certain
q questionable
a accurate
x approximate
c concealed
i inferred

Code followed by Name

uB Boundary—undifferentiated
mB Boundary—mapsheet
pB Boundary—property
sB Boundary—scratch
wB Boundary—water
eB Boundary—exclusion
gCca Contact—Identity and existence certain, location accurate
gCqa Contact—Identity or existence questionable, location accurate
gCcx Contact—Identity and existence certain, location approximate
gCqx Contact—Identity or existence questionable, location approximate
gCci Contact—Identity and existence certain, location inferred
gCqi Contact—Identity or existence questionable, location inferred
iCca Internal contact—Identity and existence certain, location accurate
iCqa Internal contact—Identity or existence questionable, location accurate
iCcx Internal contact—Identity and existence certain, location approximate
iCqx Internal contact—Identity or existence questionable, location approximate
sCca Incised-scarp sedimentary contact—Identity and existence certain, location accurate.
sCqa Incised-scarp sedimentary contact—Identity or existence questionable, location accurate.
sCcx Incised-scarp sedimentary contact—Identity and existence certain, location approximate.
sCqx Incised-scarp sedimentary contact—Identity or existence questionable, location approx.
ldCca Sag-pond or closed depression on landslide (mapped to scale)
viCca Contact separating individual lava flows within same map unit—Identity and existence certain, location accurate
viCcx Contact separating individual lava flows within same map unit—Identity and existence certain, location approximate
viCqx Contact separating individual lava flows within same map unit—Identity or existence questionable, location approximate
gXca Fault (generic; vertical, subvertical, or high-angle; or unknown or unspecified orientation or sense of slip)—Identity and existence certain, location accurate
gXqa Fault (generic; vertical, subvertical, or high-angle; or unknown or unspecified orientation or sense of slip)—Identity or existence questionable, location accurate
gXqx Fault (generic; vertical, subvertical, or high-angle; or unknown or unspecified orientation or sense of slip)—Identity or existence questionable, location approximate
gXcc Fault (generic; vertical, subvertical, or high-angle; or unknown or unspecified orientation or sense of slip)—Identity and existence certain, location concealed
kRca Key bed—Identity and existence certain, location accurate
kRcx Key bed—Identity and existence certain, location approximate
fZca Fluvial terrace scarp—Identity and existence certain, location accurate. Hachures point down scarp
fZqa Fluvial terrace scarp—Identity or existence questionable, location accurate. Hachures point down scarp
fZcx Fluvial terrace scarp—Identity and existence certain, location approximate. Hachures point downscarp
lZca Head or main scarp of landslide—Active, sharp, distinct, and accurately located. Hachures point down scarp
lZcx Head or main scarp of landslide—Inactive, subdued, indistinct, and (or) approximately located. Hachures point down scarp
liZca Internal or minor scarp in landslide—Active, sharp,distinct, and accurately located. Hachures point down scarp
liZcx Internal or minor scarp in landslide—Inactive, subdued, indistinct, and (or) approximately located. Hachures point down scarp
vMca Flow lobe or lava-flow front—Identity and existence certain, location accurate. Hachures on side of overlying younger flow
vMqa Flow lobe or lava-flow front—Identity or existence questionable, location accurate. Hachures on side of overlying younger flow
vMcx Flow lobe or lava-flow front—Identity and existence certain, location approximate. Hachures on side of overlying younger flow
vMqa Flow lobe or lava-flow front—Identity or existence questionable, location approximate. Hachures onside of overlying younger flow
vMm Crest line of pressure ridge or tumulus on lava flow