[Mapserver-users] OGC versus ESRI's ArcGIS Server {Scanned}

[Simon Greener]

I have to admit that your request is rather confusing... but here
goes...

MapObjects can't do what you want to do. MapObjects (MO) 2.x is,
effectively, no longer being 
promoted or sold by ESRI Inc. Anyone care to correct me on this?  MO
used to have a companion extension 
called MOIMS which was nothing more than a single ActiveX control
called the WebLink control that allowed any MO application
to respond to HTTP requests and hence publish on the web. But this is
old technology using a proprietary call
interface (ie POST name/value pairs) and it not compatible with
anything at all really.  With the release of ArcIMS 3.0 MOIMS
was withdrawn from sale. You can no longer buy the MOIMS extension (ie
the WebLink control). Though I doubt it was really 
worth the money ESRI wanted for it anyway.

Anyone know of a commercial ActiveX control that can plug into IIS and
all traditional VB applications to respond to HTTP Posts?
The signature of the WebLink control was extremely small with (from
memory) functions to start and stop it, listen for a request, 
unpack its name/value pairs and write out a response. Less than a
handful of functions and properties.

I know of a MO based application exactly like what you want to build.
Its IMS capabilities had to be withdrawn when ESRI
withdrew the WebLink control from sale but which could do what you want
if only someone, anyone, out there knew where
one could source a simple ActiveX control that implemented what MO's
WebLink control did.  I suggest you contact the author
of the application, Valerie MacDuff at (val.macduff at intragis.com.au). 


Her application, IntraGIS, is rather like MapInfo's recently announce
Exponare but with many years more development.
She recently implemented support for MapServer image catalogs and, with
me pushing hard, is thinking about extending her
server code to access Open Source GIS data sources and services.   It
will do all that you want but it is a product that would
supercede what you have done.

An alternative to MO for GIS development in the standalone and IMS
sphere's is TatukGIS's DK and IMS products. YOu should contact 
them at www.tatukgis.com as their products are very cheap, powerful,
functional and cost $0 for deployment for desktop apps an 
only USD1000 per server for their IMS product.

Remember that ArcGIS Server is not comparable to OGC web offerings.  It
is more about being a powerful, high-end, geoprocessing engine
rather than an IMS. I think you probably mean ArcIMS vs OGC?  There are
some good commercial SDKs out there to do OGC Web Service 
integration within an application, one of the best of these is Nuke
Gold's Carbon Tools VS.NET components.

> 1) Display Maps & Labels                 

If you want these to come from an ArcIMS powered server then you will
need ArcObjects development
kit. Expensive is all I can say! Not just in terms of the developer kit
but also the runtime deployments.
If you go the OGC route then you will need some developer components.
Unfortunately there are no
open source development products for VB/VS.NET controls for accessing
and displaying GIS data (eg OCX)
or for accessing WMS/WFS servers.  You have to go commercial - see Nuke
for client tools: there are no
tools around to help you turn your application into an OGC server
itself.

> 2) Is Point In
> 3) Touch or Area Intersect
> 4) Record sets
> 5) Create points from Coordinates

I take it that these are the functions you want YOUR server to perform
for YOUR clients?
Certainly TatukGIS's DK can do all these things and can make them
available to your clients.

But if you want your client to talk to an OGC server to do this, then
MapServer is probably not
what you want.

regards
Simon

GIS - A Great Profession, and a lifelong Passion!
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Simon Greener           email: simon.greener at forestrytas.com.au
GIS Manager                 Ph: +61 3 6233 8143
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