[mapserver-users] Multilingual map files

[Kralidis,Tom [Ontario]]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Peter Hopfgartner [mailto:peter.hopfgartner at r3-gis.com] 
> Sent: Friday, 06 February 2009 05:29
> To: Kralidis,Tom [Ontario]
> Cc: mapserver-users at lists.osgeo.org; Paolo Viskanic
> Subject: Re: [mapserver-users] Multilingual map files
> 
> Kralidis,Tom [Ontario] wrote:
> >  
> >
> >   
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: mapserver-users-bounces at lists.osgeo.org
> >> [mailto:mapserver-users-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf 
> Of Peter 
> >> Hopfgartner
> >> Sent: Wednesday, 04 February 2009 08:47
> >> To: mapserver-users at lists.osgeo.org
> >> Cc: Paolo Viskanic
> >> Subject: [mapserver-users] Multilingual map files
> >>
> >> Dear list members
> >>
> >> I would like ask how map files for multilingual applications are 
> >> handled by mapserver users.
> >>
> >> Multilingual information may impact the map in various ways. 
> >> As by now, those come to mind:
> >>
> >> * Fix strings in the map file, (NAME, DESCRIPTION etc)
> >> * Database borne data, changing column for different 
> languages as for 
> >> LABELITEM
> >> * Queries changing with language, so that DATA/FILTER 
> statements must 
> >> be adapted to the current language (e.g.
> >> WHERE lang_id='en').
> >>
> >> What we are currently doing is to write the mapfiles like:
> >>
> >>     CLASS
> >>         NAME "IT:Progetti linee|DE:Projekte Linien"
> >>         SYMBOL 'circle'
> >>         SIZE 3
> >>         COLOR 0 0 255
> >>     END
> >>
> >>     METADATA
> >>         "DESCRIPTION" "IT:Progetti|DE:Projekte"
> >>     END
> >>
> >>     LABELITEM "IT:gemi|DE:gemd"
> >>
> >> and modify the labels through Mapscript before rendering the map. 
> >> This works if the map file is processed by Mapscript, whereas it 
> >> would not work for CGI and W*S services. We would need a 
> map file for 
> >> each language for those services.
> >>
> >>     
> >
> > For WxS, the specs themselves don't handle this, but it 
> would be nice 
> > to handle multilingual metadata in one document, i.e.:
> >
> > <Name xml:lang="en-CA">road</Name>
> > <Name xml:lang="fr-CA">rue</Name>
> >
> >   
> I remember Arnulf Christel mentioning some work on 
> multilingual WxS by OGC. Do you know anything about this?

I wonder if Arnulf can refresh our memories?

> > In our environment, we've created one mapfile / language.  
> One thing 
> > you could do is use MapScript WxS to intercept an incoming request 
> > (say with an extended lang parameter), then, once you have 
> the lang, 
> > set the values in the mapfile accordingly.
> >
> > ..Tom
> >
> >
> >   
> Thanks,
> 
> Peter
> >> How do you handle i18n in MapServer?
> >>
> >>     
> >
> >   
> 
> 
> -- 
>  
> Dott. Peter Hopfgartner
>  
> R3 GIS Srl - GmbH
> Via Johann Kravogl-Str. 2
> I-39012 Meran/Merano (BZ)
> Email: peter.hopfgartner at r3-gis.com
> Tel. : +39 0473 494949
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> 
>