[Mapserver-users] Mapscript: Perl v PHP

[Sean Gillies]

Dimeo, Christopher wrote:

> Hi all-
> 
> I was just looking through the functionality lists for mapscript, both PHP
> and Perl.  Presently, it appears that Perl is the more robust of the two.
> 
> Is this the case?  If no:
> 
> What are the strengths of one versus the other?
> Aside from language preference why would/should I use one versus the other?
> 
> If yes:
> 
> Is the intent to provide equal functionality in both versions (within
> constraints of each respective language)?
> 
> Thanks
> c
> 

Bzzzt, wrong. :)

The PHP MapScript module has a host of developers, a legion of users,
and is the basis for several higher-level products like MapLab and
Chameleon.  It works on UNIX, Linux, Win32.  It is certainly more mature
and robust than the Perl MapScript module, which doesn't work yet (to my 
knowledge) on Win32.

The Perl MapScript module is one language interface to code that it
shares with Python, Ruby, and (defunct?) Java MapScript modules through
the use of SWIG, the Simple Wrapper Interface Generator, www.swig.org.
Recent development of this module, and testing of the module is
primarily driven by Python users.

If you are not already tied to a language, take a look at Python.  After
PHP, it is the most feature-rich MapScript module, and you may also be
able to use the GDAL/OGR modules (Python only as far as I know).  The
main weakness of Python is that it is a bit slow but since MapScript is
C code and GDAL/OGR is C/C++ you are spared from this.

The answer to your final question is yes, we are trying to merge the
PHP and SWIG-based (Perl, Python, Ruby) modules to a common API.  We're
already 85-90% there by my conservative estimate.

cheers,
Sean