[Mapserver-dev] IGNORE_MISSING_DATA - make this dynamic?

[Norman Vine]

Frank Warmerdam writes:
> 
> Currently we have a macro called IGNORE_MISSING_DATA that if defined
> causes MapServer to quietly proceed if some raster files or shapefiles are
> not found that are expected (such as those from a tileindex, or the main
> DATA file for a layer).  It would appear, at least on Unix, that this symbol
> is normally defined meaning that most mapserver binaries are very forgiving
> (but not terribly informative) about layers with missing files.
> 
> I feel that having it as a compile time directive makes it harder for folks
> who just receive binaries to control this behaviour.  Also, having it
> turned on by default makes it harder for folks to debug problems in their
> maps as they work.
> 
> I would like to suggest getting rid of the macro, and instead having a
> layer or map level directive (via PROCESSING or CONFIG) to control this
> dynamically.  Furthermore, I would like the default be to error-out on
> missing data, so the user who anticipates this happening sometimes would
> have to add the directive to get the more forgiving behaviour.
> 
> Any thoughts on this?  Is this a feature that should be put off till after
> the 4.4 release?  Should I just forget the idea?

I am all for including this in the MAP file so as to have finer grain 
control and late binding behavior but ....  

I would leave default behavior as is in that I haven't heard a lot
of complaints and the classic 'don't change for change's sake' 
argument.

Cheers

Norman