Mapserver problems

Wed Dec 15 00:28:00 PST 2004

Hi,

I am using png format for output.
Considering the input format is a png file with transparency, it should not
matter what the output format is. The output does not need to have
transparency.  It could be something like jpeg or bitmap or whatever, and it
still should work correctly.
I have included two sample maps rendered using the two different mapserver
versions.

Version 4.2.5 image is mapserv_4-2-5.png        This is the correct one.
Version 4.4.0 image is mapserv_4-4.png            This is the one with the
problem.

I have also included my symbol file, mobileicon.png, which is a PNG file
with transparency.  This you can verify with an image editing tool like
Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Gimp, etc.

I have not changed my input map file format between mapserver versions.
Maybe I am missing something that version 4.4 needs ?

Here is some code from my map file.

OUTPUTFORMAT
 NAME PNG
 DRIVER 'GD/PNG'
 MIMETYPE 'image/png'
 EXTENSION PNG
 IMAGEMODE RGB
END

Now this is making a plain 24bit png file with no transparency.  But there
should not be a problem here as I dont need transparency in my output.  What
I want is it to overlay my symbol file correctly.   In certain places in my
project I pipe the output of mapserver into a Java applet.  Now java does
not like png that well, so I then use JPEG format for output.  When using
jpeg output I get the same results with 4.2.5 and 4.4 .. eg 4.2.5 works, and
4.4 does not.

Here is how I am specifying my symbol:

SYMBOL
   Name "mi83467696824027"
   Type PIXMAP
   Image "/home/maps/tempmap/mi83467696824027.png"
END

now the image file mi83467696824027.png is identical to the mobileicon.png
image.  It just has another name in this case as its sucked out of database
on the fly when I create the map file.

My Script file makes a mif file with the lat/lon of where the symbol should
be.
I then make a layer using the symbol like this.

LAYER
   NAME "mobile_Layer"
   TYPE point
   CONNECTIONTYPE OGR
   CONNECTION "/home/maps/tempmap/83467696824027.mif"
   STATUS DEFAULT
   CLASSITEM "Car"
    CLASS
     COLOR 0 0 0
     SYMBOL "mi83467696824027"
   END
END

Ok, now here you will see I specify the color to be 0 0 0 which is black.
But if I remove this statement, the Symbol is not drawn at all on either
version.  On 4.2.5 it accepts the transparency in the symbol image file.  In
4.4, it does not.  I have also found that on version 4.4, with some
different symbol image files with transparency, the color is say green
instead of black.  This seems to be because its ignoring the transparency
and drawing the color in the color map thats supposed to be transparent.
This I see as a problem.  Have they perhaps added some other
statement/directive to go into the mapfile somewhere to solve this ?? Or is
this just a nasty bug in the newer version ??  I hope I have clearly
explained my difficulties ??  Do any of you out there have any ideas ??

Thanks and Regards,

James Anderson.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Sean Gillies" <sgillies at frii.com>
To: "James Anderson" <james at DANISAT.NET>
Cc: <MAPSERVER-USERS at LISTS.UMN.EDU>
Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 5:57 PM
Subject: Re: Mapserver problems

| On Dec 13, 2004, at 8:09 AM, James Anderson wrote:
|
| > This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
| >
| > ------=_NextPart_000_0047_01C4E136.7C4F1E60
| > Content-Type: text/plain;
| >         charset="Windows-1252"
| > Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
| >
| >
| >
| > Hi,
| >
| > After Upgrading from Mapserver 4.2.5
| >
| > MapServer version 4.2.5 OUTPUT=3DPNG OUTPUT=3DJPEG OUTPUT=3DWBMP =
| > SUPPORTS=3DPROJ SUPPORTS=3DFREETYPE SUPPORTS=3DWMS_SERVER
| > INPUT=3DEPPL7 =
| > INPUT=3DOGR INPUT=3DGDAL INPUT=3DSHAPEFILE
| >
| >
| > To Mapserver 4.4.0
| > MapServer version 4.4.0 OUTPUT=3DPNG OUTPUT=3DJPEG OUTPUT=3DWBMP =
| > SUPPORTS=3DPROJ SUPPORTS=3DFREETYPE SUPPORTS=3DWMS_SERVER
| > INPUT=3DEPPL7 =
| > INPUT=3DOGR INPUT=3DGDAL INPUT=3DSHAPEFILE
| >
| > I am having problems with symbols and transparency.
| > I have been using transparent png files.  Since the upgrade the =
| > transparent part of the symbols comes out all black.  This makes my
| > map =
| > look rather nasty.
| >
| > Does anyone have any idea whats changed in the newer mapserver version
| > =
| > that might cause this ?
| >
| > Any help appreciated.
| >
| > Thanks,
| >
| > James Anderson.
| >
|
| James,
|
| You omitted what is probably the most important information we
| need ... what output format are you using?  Do you define
| transparency for the output?
|
| In many cases where a user reports that they have different
| results between versions, it turns out that the user has changed
| their *usage* between versions.  I'm not discounting your problem,
| just want to make sure that you've absolutely ruled out that cause.
|
| Sean
|
| --
| Sean Gillies
| sgillies at frii dot com
| http://users.frii.com/sgillies
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