[mapserver-users] distance search in PLSS

[Puneet Kishor]

not directly a mapserver question, but...

given a PLSS quarter-section, and a distance (let's assume, in increments of
1/4 mile, since each qs is a quarter-mile square), I want to return a list
of all the quarter-sections and their parent sections, townships, and
ranges. 

For example, if I choose T21, R10, S23, NW, what trsq values would be around
it within a radius of 1/2 mile.

Also, let's assume that I am interested in pass-through selections. So,
every 1/4 mi incremented radius will select the "next" outer set of trsq.

The catch is, I don't want to do this spatially... instead, I want to use a
database... in other words, pure logic and math.

I have a table of PLSS values with fields for t, r, s, qs. PLSS follows a
set pattern. It is reasonable to assume that an algorithm could be devised
to do this on the fly.

Any ideas, anyone?

tia,

pk/