How to zoom to place names

[Rob Atkinson]

A quick heads up-

In our implementation of the OpenGIS "USL pilot" we are exploring the use of
XML encoded gazetteers - static at this stage but looking for standard
query/response behaviours next.

The mapimage applet is being used to show locations as the user hovers over a
list of placenames generated from this list, and an OGC map call used to access
the base map for the applet.

This will all be released (mapinage source) and an example visible within about
a week

Rob Atkinson

Stephen Lime wrote:

> I'd use an external database to hold my points, query it and use the
> results to initialize MapServer sessions. That's what we do here with
> the GNIS database for Minnesota. You can use the point and then
> either a scale value or a buffer (i.e. 5 miles) to initialize an interface.
>
> Unless you have a relatively small set of points of interest, pull down
> lists get bulky. I suppose you could regionalize them so the list changes
> as you zoom or pan, but that seems like an awful lot of work.
>
> Steve
>
> Stephen Lime
> Internet Applications Analyst
>
> Minnesota DNR
> 500 Lafayette Road
> St. Paul, MN 55155
> 651-297-2937
>
> >>> Doug Nebert <ddnebert at usgs.gov> 05/10/00 12:08PM >>>
> I have a need to use my map interface in two ways: 1) for the
> geographically literate, let them zoom in by dragging a rectangle and 2)
> for the spatially-challenged have a picklist of places that they can
> click on and have the map zoom to that location upon request.
>
> How should I package and translate such place names (they have envelope
> bounding rectangles associated with them) so that a refresh_map event
> would request a new map to be drawn for that area?
>
> How should I structure the names service? The biggest trick is that I
> have a large number of place names I could bring to use from an online
> gazetteer of 700,000 placenames! But I think I will start small with
> political subdivisions and big cities that only number in the thousands.
>
> Any hints or examples of code as to how I might structure this would be
> most helpful, and the kind of thing I would think many would like to see
> in a demo FAQ.
>
> --
> Douglas D. Nebert
> Clearinghouse Coordinator
> FGDC Secretariat        Phone: +1 703 648 4151  Fax: +1 703 648-5755
> Pager Messaging:        http://clearinghouse3.fgdc.gov/dougmsg.html



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