[Mapserver-users] Researching the Capabilities of MapServer

Mon Mar 1 08:56:31 EST 2004

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Hello all,

I am new to the world of MapServer, and have many questions, mostly
regarding the capabilities of MapServer.  At this point I am merely
researching the possibility of using MapServer as a replacement for an
existing ArcIMS setup.  I have set up the basic Itasca demo, and have =
it
(mostly) working with some of our own data.  From what I have seen, =
basic
.cgi MapServer is not able to perform many of the tasks necessary (see
below).  However, I am beginning to learn of the other available =
projects
(e.g. GeoServer, MapScript, etc.) that work with MapServer to do many =
of
these things.  At this point, I have not used any of these other tools, =
and
no next to nothing about them (the MapServer that I have set up =
currently
allows only the basic .cgi functionality [pan, zoom, query] of the =
Itasca
Demo.)  I would like to know if the features listed below are possible, =
and
if so, how I would go about implementing these features (e.g. do I need =
PHP,
dhtml, GeoServer, MapScript, etc., etc.)

What I would like is a full featured application which can perform the
following tasks:

	-	search based on text field(s) and then zoom to matching
record(s)  (e.g. enter a city name and a street name, and zoom to that
street)
	-	geocode addresses (e.g. interpolate positions along a street
based on from/to address ranges and zoom to that point)
	-	search based on topology (e.g. find where two streets
intersect and zoom to that location)
	-	have an "identify" tool which pops up attributes of
feature(s) when they are clicked on
	-	measure distance between points selected by the user
	-	draw buffers around a clicked point based on a user defined
radius
	-	highlight a selected feature and retain its highlighting
until the user "clears" it

Also, I would appreciate a brief run-down of the applications which =
work
with MapServer (e.g. GeoServer, MapScript, etc.), how they relate to
MapServer (and each other), and what each one does.

I realize this email covers a broad range of topics, and is asking a =
lot--so
thanks in advance for helping me out with all these questions!

Darren Cope
Statistics Canada/Statistique Canada
Geography Division/Division de la g=E9ographie
Jean Talon 3D5
Ottawa, Canada
(613) 951-6461

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<P><FONT FACE=3D"Times New Roman">Hello all,</FONT>
</P>

I am new to the world of MapServer, =
and have many questions, mostly regarding the capabilities of =
MapServer.&nbsp; At this point I am merely researching the possibility =
of using MapServer as a replacement for an existing ArcIMS setup.&nbsp; =
I have set up the basic Itasca demo, and have it (mostly) working with =
some of our own data.&nbsp; From what I have seen, basic .cgi MapServer =
is not able to perform many of the tasks necessary (see below).&nbsp; =
However, I am beginning to learn of the other available projects (e.g. =
GeoServer, MapScript, etc.) that work with MapServer to do many of =
these things.&nbsp; At this point, I have not used any of these other =
tools, and no next to nothing about them (the MapServer that I have set =
up currently allows only the basic .cgi functionality [pan, zoom, =
query] of the Itasca Demo.)&nbsp; I would like to know if the features =
listed below are possible, and if so, how I would go about implementing =
these features (e.g. do I need PHP, dhtml, GeoServer, MapScript, etc., =
etc.)

What I would like is a full featured =
application which can perform the following tasks:

<UL>
-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; =
search based on text field(s) and then zoom to matching record(s)&nbsp; =
(e.g. enter a city name and a street name, and zoom to that =
street)

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; =
geocode addresses (e.g. interpolate positions along a street based on =
from/to address ranges and zoom to that point)

-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; =
search based on topology (e.g. find where two streets intersect and =
zoom to that location)
 -&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; have an =
&quot;identify&quot; tool which pops up attributes of feature(s) when =
they are clicked on
 -&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; measure distance between =
points selected by the user
 -&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; draw buffers around a =
clicked point based on a user defined radius
 -&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; highlight a selected =
feature and retain its highlighting until the user &quot;clears&quot; =
it

</UL>
Also, I would appreciate a brief =
run-down of the applications which work with MapServer (e.g. GeoServer, =
MapScript, etc.), how they relate to MapServer (and each other), and =
what each one does.

<P><FONT FACE=3D"Times New Roman">I realize this email covers a broad =
range of topics, and is asking a lot--so thanks in advance for helping =
me out with all these questions!</FONT></P>

<P><B><FONT SIZE=3D1 FACE=3D"Arial Narrow">Darren Cope</FONT></B>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D1 FACE=3D"Arial Narrow">Statistics Canada/Statistique =
Canada</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D1 FACE=3D"Arial Narrow">Geography Division/Division de =
la g=E9ographie</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D1 FACE=3D"Arial Narrow">Jean Talon 3D5</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D1 FACE=3D"Arial Narrow">Ottawa, Canada</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D1 FACE=3D"Arial Narrow">(613) 951-6461</FONT>
</P>

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