[mapserver-users] Open Source solution to display PNG maps converted from SVG in a map viewer with labels and possibly tiles

[Jeremy Short]

My goal is to render an SVG image map to PNG to display on our website 
within a mapviewer of some sort with panning and zooming capability. We 
have many maps. I want to use an Open Source solution. Our web server is 
running Apache.

Additionally we want to add a "layer" of text labels which will not get 
bigger when we zoom in. Too, since we have large pictures so they don't 
degrade when one zooms in, we would like to explore the ability to send 
only "tiles" of the map picture if it's required.

What I have found thus far:

1. Using OpenLayers as a client gives us the ability to load a PNG file, 
pan, and zoom.

2. For the ability to add layers of text labels and transport tiles of 
data I explored the possiblity to use Mapserver. It appears Mapserver 
requires a map file like an SHP file as input and it will output a PNG. 
I would like to feed it as input a PNG file but I don't know if 
Mapserver is designed for this.

Looking further into this I see one can possibly use a tool like gvSIG 
or AB Viewer to translate a PNG to a SHP file but I want to automate the 
process without this extra step because people will be modifying the SVG 
file periodically.

There seems like there must be a better way to accomplish what I want 
which is to render PNG images in a client web browser with the ability 
to navigate within the map and to render text labels and transport tiles 
of information. Is there?



-- 
Jeremy Short
IT Programmer
The Lodging Company
http://www.skihills.com/