MapServer productivity tools. ? wxWindows

Thu Nov 2 10:53:11 EST 2000

also possibly use wxWindows
excellent for cross platform use
  www.wxwindows.org

dave

----- Original Message -----
From: "Doyon, Jean-Francois" <Jean-Francois.Doyon at CCRS.NRCan.gc.ca>
To: <RAldridge at linuxstart.com>; "'Stephen Lime'"
<steve.lime at dnr.state.mn.us>
Cc: <mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu>
Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2000 2:57 PM
Subject: RE: MapServer productivity tools.


> I would TOTALLY support this idea, as I like a lot of other people
> obviously, also thought of it.
>
> Perl/Tk seems like an bvious choice, but I'd like ot throw the idea of
using
> Java out there, possibly Swig'ifing MapServer with Java, as Dan had once
> suggested (This would also allow for a MapServer for JSP's !).
> And it would be even more truely cross-platform.
>
> But aside form that technical detail, The functionality Robert describes
> would be very handy indeed.
>
> Another thing I've worked on in the past, is to have the mapfile stored
> entirely (Or as much as possible) in an RDBMS. I allready did this
actually,
> and it works fine. I then use one of the MapScripts to get and build
> maps/layers on the fly, based on given parameters.  The main idea behind
> this was to allow web based management of the maps, layers, colors,
symbols,
> whatever. The tough part is making the whole system behave exactly like a
> mapfile, keep track and dealing with changes in mapfile formats, and also
> issues with some undocumented things.
>
> And while I'm at it, providing a Perl Module/PHP Classes to provide an
> interface to this system would also be very handy. An API if you will.
Heck,
> even the CGI version could support this.
>
> I would be most interested in continuing (restarting ?) work on this since
> I've had to put it on the back burner for a while.
>
> Are we gonna have -utils mailing list now ? :)
>
> J.F.
>
> > ----------
> > From: Stephen Lime[SMTP:steve.lime at dnr.state.mn.us]
> > Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2000 10:23 PM
> > To: RAldridge at linuxstart.com
> > Cc: mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu
> > Subject: Re: MapServer productivity tools.
> >
> > I am working on an alternative to the ArcView method that uses MapScript
> > and Perl/Tk. Again all it needs is some others to help out. Nice thing
> > about this approach is the cross platform support (assuming mapscript
can
> > be compiled everywhere).
> >
> > Steve
> >
> > >>> RAldridge <RAldridge at linuxstart.com> 11/01/00 16:52 PM >>>
> > Steve,
> >
> > I agree that productivity tools for MapServer would be nice.  The
ArcView
> > apps for producing .map files are a good idea.  However, many of us are
> > developing MapServer apps on Linux and I feel it would be nice to have a
> > tool that works in Linux.
> >
> > That being said, it seems to me that we should be able to develop a .map
> > file generator using ShapeLib with Python, PHP, C, or something.  You
> > could use it to build a "view" using available shapefiles, images, and
> > symbol files.  Once you have it looking like you want it, you could save
> > the .map file.  The .map file would basically correspond to the .apr
file
> > in ArcView.  I would hope that the tool would allow you to open existing
> > .map files, view them graphically, add/remove layers, change symbology,
> > etc. and re-save the file.
> >
> > I know all of this is easier said than done, but I can't see any
technical
> > obstacles to doing something like this.  It's simply a matter of getting
> > the people with the appropriate skills interested in the project.
> >
> > Perhaps, we should look at existing projects (OSSIM, ???) and see if
they
> > would be interested in providing for the functionality we need in their
> > projects.  Frank Warmerdam (ShapeLib) told me sometime back that he was
> > working on a "Shapefile Viewer/Editor" that would work on Linux.
Perhaps
> > if his app can load/view images and shapefiles, he could simply add
> > functionality to use MapServer symbol files and write out .map files.
> >
> > Keep us posted.  I'd like to see something developed in this area.
> >
> > Later,
> >
> > Robert Aldridge
> >
> >
> > >Stephen Lime <steve.lime at dnr.state.mn.us> wrote:
> > >
> > >>From ??? Fri Feb 19 09: 25
> > >>From owner-mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu Wed Nov  1 17: 06
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> > >>Precedence: bulk
> > >
> > >>Seems one of the biggest holes in the MapServer application is the
lack
> > of tools for
> > >>building and administering MapServer applications. Again this is an
area
> > where the
> > >>group at large can help out. I know folks are using ArcView to build
> > .map files. Cool,
> > >>but why don't we get together and support a single version that is
> > distributed via the
> > >>MapServer web site? Could those doing this contact me off the list and
> > I'll help
> > >>facilitate it?
> > >>
> > >>Other tools? Cough 'em up and let's get an archive going. I've got
> > several MapScript
> > >>tools for doing all sorts of things. I'm willing to reorganize the
> > site's utils section to get
> > >>this stuff out there.
> > >>
> > >>I've alsobeen writing a client application environment to allow
> > higher-end applications
> > >>to be easily created. The environment consists of an applet to display
> > images (it has a
> > >>few other features) and a javascript library to manage coordinates and
> > layers. It tells
> > >>the applet what image to retrieve and so on. Those components are just
> > about ready
> > >>for use, sans documentation. The first app I've built on top of these
> > components can
> > >>be previewed at:
> > >>
> > >>  http://maps.dnr.state.mn.us/landview
> > >>
> > >>You'll need version 4.5 or higher browsers to use it. (I haven't
> > investigated older ones
> > >>yet) This type of software is what I'd really like focus on, but will
> > need help given all the
> > >>other stuff that needs doing. This runs on top of the new 3.3.012 CVS
> > version.
> > >>
> > >>Steve
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>Stephen Lime
> > >>Internet Applications Analyst
> > >>
> > >>Minnesota DNR
> > >>500 Lafayette Road
> > >>St. Paul, MN 55155
> > >>651-297-2937
> > >>
> > >
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> >
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