[Mapserver-dev] Re: 3.7 and native image rendering support

[Steve Lime]

The PNG and GIF support are pure fluff in my mind. I can't imagine people use them much. 
I've always considered a base version of MapServer to be made up of GD and LibTiff and
perhaps Freetype. That's just my history I guess.

3.7 is not ready, so now's the time. I'm still fixing joins (almost done) but graticule code, oracle
spatial fixes and I imagine other stuff are still being finalized. EPPL7 OGR support would be
crucial for several groups here in MN.

I can ditch the old drivers and screw around with msDrawRasterLayer, as you know I'm not 
afraid to dive right in. The 8-bit/24-bit stuff is complicated so this would have to make life
easier...

Steve

>>> Frank Warmerdam <warmerdam at pobox.com> 02/07/03 04:40PM >>>
Steve Lime wrote:
> Currently a lite version requires libtiff anyway, and since you're distributing binaries it
> doesn't seem that bad. Building GDAL from source may be a pain though. (Out of
> curiosity does the default build support LZW TIFF or would that require a custom
> build?)

Steve,

Why does a lite version require libtiff?  The default build of GDAL's
internal libtiff TIFF driver supports decompressing LZW but not
compressing them.

> My vote is for simplification...

That's an important vote.  When would we strip away stuff?  Conservatively I
would like to see such a change happen post-3.7 though that puts us in the
ackward position of possible releasing a 3.7 with some buggy drivers.

Also, who would implement this?  I guess if we just strip out everything
bug GDAL it wouldn't be a big job.

Best regards,

-- 
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I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com 
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and watch the world go round - Rush    | Geospatial Programmer for Rent