[gdal-dev] For GEOS support, GDAL trunk now requires GEOS >= 3.1.0

[Even Rouault]

Hi,

Just to inform you that the requirement for GEOS support has jumped from GEOS 
2.2.0 to GEOS 3.1.0 (GEOS still being an optional, but recommanded, 
dependency).

Why ?

- Up to now, we used the global GEOS error and warning handler functions, 
which caused problems when mixing GDAL with other software using GEOS itself. 
For a recent example of such a problem : 
https://github.com/mapserver/mapserver/issues/4733

- Using the "new" GEOSXXXXX_r functions enable us to drop a global mutex in 
OGRGeometry::exportToGEOS(), which is always good.

I don't anticipate it will be an annoyance to anybody. GEOS 3.1.0 was released 
in March 2009, so people running a cutting-edge GDAL trunk should also have 
GEOS >= 3.1.0. I've also verified that the old-stable Ubuntu (Lucid 10.04) and 
Debian (squeeze) ship at least with GEOS 3.1.0, so that should be safe.

Best regards,

Even

-- 
Geospatial professional services
http://even.rouault.free.fr/services.html