using asp and mapserver to put an image at a lat/lon coordinate

[Brent Fraser]

Andrea,

I thought I would add a couple of comments to Ed's reply.

Ed is correct: you don't need to use ASP to show points on a Mapserver
graphic; just use the standard CGI or WMS interface.  One way is load the
points into a mapserver-supported database like PostgreSQL/PostGIS.  We used
this method a couple of years ago to track ships.  Their positions were
uploaded into the PostGIS database every 1/2 hour.  MapServer was configured
to access the ship's location table as a point layer and display a ship
symbol (We used a TrueType font with glyphs editted to represent the 8
cardinal directions).

  If you don't like the choices for the mapserver-supported databases, you
might be able to use an OGR type CONNECTION to connect to MS Access or some
other ODBC compliant database, although I haven't tried this myself.

Brent Fraser


----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrea Edwards" <andrea.edwards at NULC.AC.UK>
To: <MAPSERVER-USERS at LISTS.UMN.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 8:47 AM
Subject: [UMN_MAPSERVER-USERS] using asp and mapserver to put an image at a
lat/lon coordinate


Hello

 I am new to mapserver and I am really struggling. Any help would be greatly
valued.

 I want to use mapserver for an internet mapping application but I do not
want to use php or perl. I would prefer to use asp. However, this precludes
my use of mapscript.

 For my application I need to be able to access some gps coordinates from a
database and then position a graphic on top of the map at this coordinate.

 I have only a basic knowledge of mapserver. I believe that I can
dynamically change map file parameters via a form or url. In theory
therefore I can create a get request in my asp code and send this to
mapserver using an asp component such asphttp (I have seen this discussed in
the archives).

 I believe that to add an image to a map I have to use a symbol and set its
type to pixmap. However, I cannot see any parameters for specifying the
location of the image in the map in (x,y) coordinates. Am I on the right
track? Please can you tell me how I specify the location of the image.

 I want to know if it's possible to access the mapserver c api directly from
asp. I have seen a resource called VisualBasic.Net GIS which accesses
mapserver so it must be possible though I expect its not a trivial task.
Whilst this library is very useful it does not seem to have any features for
positioning graphics at a certain coordinate.

I guess I am hoping there is an asp equivalent of mapscript somewhere that I
can use or buy.

 I have used aspmap which I think is very good. However, I would really like
to use mapserver because I would really like to make use of its ability to
return flash vector files. That way I can do all my zooming and panning on
the client in flash (one day when I know how)

 Thank you very much. Please help!!

andrea