[mapserver-dev] RFC-60: Label enhancement to skip ANGLE FOLLOW labels with overlapping chars

[Lime, Steve D (DNR)]

There will likely be a few changes that may break mapfile compatibility (RFC 59
Draft identifies a couple) between 5.x and 6.0, but this isn't one of them. 

Because this addition fixes broken labels (in most cases) I think it should be 
turned on by default. I'd mimic the GeoServer setting (but not keyword) so that 
things look similar out of the box. Users will always have the option to tweak 
the value, but I doubt anyone will turn the feature completely off, so why start 
that way...

My 2 cents.

Steve


-----Original Message-----
From: mapserver-dev-bounces at lists.osgeo.org [mailto:mapserver-dev-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf Of Stephen Woodbridge
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2010 9:44 AM
To: Smith, Michael D ERDC-CRREL-NH; mapserver-dev
Subject: Re: [mapserver-dev] RFC-60: Label enhancement to skip ANGLE FOLLOW labels with overlapping chars

On 8/27/2010 9:52 AM, Smith, Michael D ERDC-CRREL-NH wrote:
> Jeff et al,
>
> My recommendation would be that if its a change in behavior, the make it
> explicit to turn it on, not explicit to turn it off.
>
> I do think this will be a very important addition to labeling.

I think we need to take into account the bigger picture for this 
release. 6.0 is a major release and we expect that there will feature 
changes that will break backwards compatibility. I think we should make 
this decision based on what other things are also changing. For example 
do we have other mapfile changes that will break compatibility? Will the 
rendering changes break compatibility? Others changes. If this is the 
only significant change to the mapfile that might break compatibility 
then I might be more persuaded to to worry about backwards compatibility.

I think one of the on going goals for mapserver is to simplify mapfiles 
going forward. If I have to add a new keyword to activate every new 
feature this is not going to meet that goal.

While I am one that usually fights for backwards compatibility, I do not 
think it is a simple decision on a major release like 6.0.

-Steve W
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