[Mapserver-users] Transforming lat/long points into shapefiles

[Vincent Schut]

Justin,

though it is possible (even with php_mapscript) to create shapefiles 'on the 
fly' this probably would be far from efficient for you, as you will keep 
loading - updating - saving etc. shapefiles... Shapefiles are slightly 
faster, but mainly suited as a static data source. Better keep your dynamic 
data in a spatially enabled database. You can edit your data (add streets 
etc) then from any scripting language that has an interface for that 
database, php for example. Postgresql with posgis could be perfect: see 
www.postgresql.org, http://postgis.refractions.net/ . Mapserver can directly 
access data from a postgis enables postgresql database. See the mapserver 
docs for that.

Regards,
Vincent Schut.

On Friday 02 May 2003 09:29, Justin Garre wrote:
> Given a set of start and end latitude and longitude points that comprise a
> street rout, how do I transform them into a shapefile in an automated
> manner from a database?  This database would be consistently updated with
> new data from the field so it is important that we be able to have our map
> be capable of automatically displaying the data as it becomes available.
>
> Is the most common and time efficient way of doing this to have a new
> shapefile be created and displayed in real-time on our map during each data
> update from the field or is there a way to simply have the street network
> shapefile draw data from a database real-time and update its attributes
> without creating an all new shapefile?  Depending on which is best, are
> there any text resources out there that show how this is accomplished in
> database design?
>
> I have been having difficulty in finding information on this topic both
> through Google searches and on the Mapserver support site so I appreciate
> both your patience and any help that you can provide.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Justin Garre
> University of Washington
> garre_gis at hotmail.com
>
>
>
>
>
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-- 
______________________________________
Vincent Schut (schut at sarvision.com)
Sarvision B.V.
Wageningen, The Netherlands
www.sarvision.com