[mapserver-users] XML mapfile?

[Roberto Micarelli]

On Wednesday 22 May 2002 02:19 pm, Daniel Morissette wrote:
>
> I agree that XML might give more flexibility to the user by allowing him
> to read the mapfile from external tools, but it would be at the cost of
> performance (i.e. speed) when parsing the mapfile for every request.
> Combine this loss of performance with the fact that XML would be harder
> to edit manually than the current format, and you know where I stand
> personally.

I agree. Given the run-once nature of CGIs, program initialization 
performance has highest priority. If one had a resident http daemon things 
could get in favour of XML. This could probably be a good job for servlets, 
so that I suggest to improve the Java support instead of refactoring actual 
map file code. A servlet could easily cache the configuration into the 
session and translate between the XML representation and the MapServer API.

Rob