It is explained on https://www.r-spatial.org/r/2017/06/22/spatial-index.html that "The R tree is constructed on the first argument (x), and used to match all geometries on the second argument (y) of binary functions". However, it is finally not explained what are the criteria that could guide the user in the choice of the sf object to put in the first argument. Are there some rules of thumb for this choice?
What is the best order of arguments for spatially indexed functions of sf (st_intersects, etc.)?
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1 Answers
Generally, with creating spatial indexes you want to start with a larger envelopes that decompose to smaller envelopes. So, if you are extending from that then starting with a geometry with a larger extent then building smaller envelopes from that would match the general schema of how these selections are optimized.
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