symbolization based on joined attributes?

[Stephen Lime]

With the standard package the attributes must be part of the shapefile.
You can get around that by using MapScript. and processing shapes
in turn within the scripting environment. Hopefully most base layers would
not have to handled this way so the performance hit wouldn't be that
bad.

Steve

Stephen Lime
Internet Applications Analyst

Minnesota DNR
500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-297-2937

>>> "Luzny, Stephen" <SLuzny at agr.gov.sk.ca> 03/23/00 02:31PM >>>
Hello,

I have not looked at Mapserver in depth yet, but need to determine if it
will be suitable for the application we have in mind.

The application would allow a user to input values at the web page and have
those values determine which data to attach to the shapefile. Based on the
variables, the appropriate legend, title, etc would be selected/constructed
for the map as well. This would allow the creation of a large number of
different maps with relatively little work being done. We want to avoid
having a seperate file or set of files for each individual map to be
produced (that is currently the case with ArcView IMS and likely to be true
with ArcIMS as well).

Is there a mechanism whereby attribute data residing an a database (eg. MS
Access) can be joined to a shapefile, which is then used in the creation of
a custom map on the fly? (the legend would apply to the joined attributes)
OR
Does the data have to be merged with the shapefile .dbf component? (I saw
some posts to this effect in the archives from November)

I will not be in the office on Friday, so if I do not reply to messages by
the end of today I will have to get to them on Monday.

-------------------------------------------------------
Stephen Luzny
GIS Analyst, Geomatics Unit
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Ph: 306 787-5167  Fax: 306 787-0276
Email: SLuzny at agr.gov.sk.ca