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@dnr.state.mn.us> wrote:
>
>>From ??? Fri Feb 19 09: 25
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>>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 also been 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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