[GeoNode-devel] Q: collaborative mapping with custom data fields and workflow - is geonode the right tool?

Karma Kolabor collaborista at gmail.com
Tue Aug 25 14:49:57 PDT 2015


Hi,

I would like to develop a web project that realizes collaborative
mapping with custom data fields attached to the POIs, plus there
should be a workflow that enables editors to review new additions
before publishing them.

I found the PGIS example of the cartaro.org project @
http://demo.cartaro.org/collaborative-mapping to be quite near to what
I would like to realize, however I would prefer django and python as a
stack.

>From what I understand from the geonode docs and examples it seems to
be more about cataloging of different maps - I only need one map and I
can not find any references to any kind of workflow in geonode.

As I know django, I am quite sure that custom fields (only some text
and number fields needed here) attached to spatial data should be no
problem, also I know there are some workflow solutions existing for
django, however I would like to ask: will a usecase like this still be
on par with the envisioned use cases for geonode or will I find myself
using the wrong tool for the job quickly?

If I am on the right track with geonode, it would be great if you
could give me some hints in which direction to look - maybe even some
examples?

If there is nothing realized that comes near my planned project right
now, but attaching custom fields to geodata and a workflow system
sounds attractive to you, what directions would you take, if it would
be a part of a future geonode? Do you have some experiences and
recommendations for which way to go?

Regarding custom fields: I know the django datamodel has a serious
limitation with dynamic fields, see e.g. [1], but things like
django-hstore [2] are actively developed and seem to be a good
workaround, used in similar projects like nodeshot [3], which I am
evaluating too. For the special case I am working on I will not need
fields to be created dynamically by the user, so fixing them in the
model definition is ok - however it would be interesting to read what
you think about that scenario.

Regarding workflow - seems like django-viewflow [4] atm is very
popular [5] - has geonode some built in workflow capacity? I just need
a very simple approval workflow, but how simple this ever might be, it
needs some kind of permission management - and again there are too
many things [6] out there for this, unfortunately. What would you
recommend / prefer for perfect harmony with what you are planning for
geonode?

Thanks for your attention,
have anice day,
Karma


[1] - http://www.slideshare.net/schacki/django-dynamic-models20130502
[2] - https://github.com/djangonauts/django-hstore
[3] - http://nodeshot.org/
[4] - https://github.com/viewflow/viewflow
[5] - https://www.djangopackages.com/grids/g/workflow/
[6] - https://www.djangopackages.com/grids/g/perms/


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