[Mapserver-users] Researching the Capabilities of MapServer
Jean-Francois.Doyon at CCRS.NRCan.gc.ca
Jean-Francois.Doyon at CCRS.NRCan.gc.ca
Mon Mar 1 10:04:06 EST 2004
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Darren,
=20
MapScript is basically the API to the mapserver core functionality. =
There
are bindings to many common languages, such as PHP, Python and Perl, =
PHP
being the most widely used one ... Personally I prefer Python. Reading =
the
MapScript documentation should give you a pretty good idea of what you =
might
achieve with it. GeoServer is an entirely different, Java-based =
project.
It is NOT a mapping server however, but an OGC WFS Server (See
http://www.opengis.org/ <http://www.opengis.org/> for info on that). =
Some
people have had some success with Java MapScript lately I believe also =
...
You could also look at http://deegree.sourceforge.net/
<http://deegree.sourceforge.net/> which provides a mapping server, but =
over
WMS only I think.
=20
As to your specific functionality questions, you can achieve everything =
but:
=20
- Geocoding: You can use mapserver to display the results, but =
mapserver
itself is purely designed to render maps, so the geocoding (Figuring =
out the
coordinates from an address) itself would have to be done separately. =
There
are web services that offer such functionality (Such as our Postal Code
lookup Service), although I guess you guys at stats can have much =
better
data than we do :) This is a good example of using MapScript to bind
MapServer's functionality with external logic to extend it, and is a =
common
application.
=20
- Topology searching: Don't think there is any functionality to do this =
in
the mapscript API. The idea comes up every once in a while that this =
would
be a nice to have, but some would argue as to whether this belongs in =
the
mapserver itself. Some good solutions would be to supplement MapServer =
with
PostGIS ( http://postgis.refractions.net =
<http://postgis.refractions.net> )
which provides topological functionality, binding somehow to GEOS =
directly (
http://geos.refractions.net <http://geos.refractions.net> ), using the =
Java
Topology Suite, and so on, and once the desired location has been =
figured
out, use MapServer to display the map zoomed in to it.
=20
Hope this helps,
=20
Jean-Fran=E7ois Doyon=20
Internet Service Development and Systems Support / Soutien de =
syst=E8mes et
developement de services Internet=20
GeoAccess Division / Division G=E9oAcc=E8s=20
Canada Center for Remote Sensing / Centre canadien de =
t=E9l=E9d=E9tection=20
Natural Resources Canada / Ressources naturelles Canada=20
Phone / T=E9l=E9phone: (613) 992-4902=20
Fax / T=E9l=E9copieur: (613) 947-2410=20
http://atlas.gc.ca <http://atlas.gc.ca/> =20
=20
=20
-----Original Message-----
From: mapserver-users-admin at lists.gis.umn.edu
[mailto:mapserver-users-admin at lists.gis.umn.edu]On Behalf Of
Darren.Cope at statcan.ca
Sent: Monday, March 01, 2004 8:57 AM
To: mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu
Subject: [Mapserver-users] Researching the Capabilities of MapServer
Hello all,=20
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:=20
- 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)=20
- have an "identify" tool which pops up attributes of feature(s) =
when
they are clicked on=20
- measure distance between points selected by the user=20
- draw buffers around a clicked point based on a user defined =
radius=20
- highlight a selected feature and retain its highlighting until =
the
user "clears" it=20
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=20
Statistics Canada/Statistique Canada=20
Geography Division/Division de la g=E9ographie=20
Jean Talon 3D5=20
Ottawa, Canada=20
(613) 951-6461=20
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<HTML><HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV=3D"Content-Type" CONTENT=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Diso-8859-1">
<TITLE>Researching the Capabilities of MapServer</TITLE>
<META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=3DGENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D919344914-01032004><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2>Darren,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D919344914-01032004><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D919344914-01032004><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2>MapScript is basically the API to the mapserver core =
functionality. =20
There are bindings to many common languages, such as PHP, Python and =
Perl, PHP=20
being the most widely used one ... Personally I prefer Python. =
Reading the=20
MapScript documentation should give you a pretty good idea of what you =
might=20
achieve with it. GeoServer is an entirely different,=20
Java-based project. It is NOT a mapping server however, but =
an OGC=20
WFS Server (See <A =
href=3D"http://www.opengis.org/">http://www.opengis.org/</A>=20
for info on that). Some people have had some success with Java =
MapScript=20
lately I believe also ... You could also look at <A=20
href=3D"http://deegree.sourceforge.net/">http://deegree.sourceforge.net/=
</A> which=20
provides a mapping server, but over WMS only I =
think.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D919344914-01032004><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D919344914-01032004><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>As to=20
your specific functionality questions, you can achieve everything=20
but:</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D919344914-01032004><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D919344914-01032004><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>-=20
Geocoding: You can use mapserver to display the results, but mapserver =
itself is=20
purely designed to render maps, so the geocoding (Figuring out the =
coordinates=20
from an address) itself would have to be done separately. =
There are=20
web services that offer such functionality (Such as our Postal Code =
lookup=20
Service), although I guess you guys at stats can have much better data =
than we=20
do :) This is a good example of using MapScript to bind MapServer's=20
functionality with external logic to extend it, and is a common=20
application.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D919344914-01032004><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D919344914-01032004><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>-=20
Topology searching: Don't think there is any functionality to do this =
in the=20
mapscript API. The idea comes up every once in a while that this =
would be=20
a nice to have, but some would argue as to whether this belongs in the =
mapserver=20
itself. Some good solutions would be to supplement MapServer with =
PostGIS=20
( <A =
href=3D"http://postgis.refractions.net">http://postgis.refractions.net</=
A> )=20
which provides topological functionality, binding somehow to GEOS =
directly ( <A=20
href=3D"http://geos.refractions.net">http://geos.refractions.net</A> ), =
using the=20
Java Topology Suite, and so on, and once the desired location has been =
figured=20
out, use MapServer to display the map zoomed in to =
it.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D919344914-01032004><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D919344914-01032004><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>Hope=20
this helps,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D919344914-01032004><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D919344914-01032004>
<P><FONT face=3D"Courier New" size=3D2>Jean-Fran=E7ois Doyon</FONT> =
<BR><FONT=20
face=3D"Courier New" size=3D2>Internet Service Development and Systems =
Support /=20
Soutien de syst=E8mes et developement de services Internet</FONT> =
<BR><FONT=20
face=3D"Courier New" size=3D2>GeoAccess Division / Division =
G=E9oAcc=E8s</FONT>=20
<BR><FONT face=3D"Courier New" size=3D2>Canada Center for Remote =
Sensing / Centre=20
canadien de t=E9l=E9d=E9tection</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3D"Courier New" =
size=3D2>Natural=20
Resources Canada / Ressources naturelles Canada</FONT> <BR><FONT=20
face=3D"Courier New" size=3D2>Phone / T=E9l=E9phone: (613) =
992-4902</FONT> <BR><FONT=20
face=3D"Courier New" size=3D2>Fax / T=E9l=E9copieur: (613) =
947-2410</FONT> <BR><FONT=20
face=3D"Courier New" size=3D2><A href=3D"http://atlas.gc.ca/"=20
target=3D_blank>http://atlas.gc.ca</A></FONT> </P></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D919344914-01032004><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D919344914-01032004><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr style=3D"MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><FONT =
face=3DTahoma=20
size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>=20
mapserver-users-admin at lists.gis.umn.edu=20
[mailto:mapserver-users-admin at lists.gis.umn.edu]<B>On Behalf Of=20
</B>Darren.Cope at statcan.ca<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, March 01, 2004 =
8:57=20
AM<BR><B>To:</B> mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu<BR><B>Subject:</B> =
[Mapserver-users] Researching the Capabilities of=20
MapServer<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman">Hello all,</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman">I am new to the world of MapServer, =
and have=20
many questions, mostly regarding the capabilities of MapServer. =
At this=20
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=20
demo, and have it (mostly) working with some of our own data. =
>From what=20
I have seen, basic .cgi MapServer is not able to perform many of the =
tasks=20
necessary (see below). However, I am beginning to learn of the =
other=20
available projects (e.g. GeoServer, MapScript, etc.) that work with =
MapServer=20
to do many of these things. At this point, I have not used any =
of these=20
other tools, and no next to nothing about them (the MapServer that I =
have set=20
up currently allows only the basic .cgi functionality [pan, zoom, =
query] of=20
the Itasca Demo.) I would like to know if the features listed =
below are=20
possible, and if so, how I would go about implementing these features =
(e.g. do=20
I need PHP, dhtml, GeoServer, MapScript, etc., etc.)</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman">What I would like is a full =
featured=20
application which can perform the following tasks:</FONT> </P>
<UL>
<P><FONT face=3D"Times New =
Roman">- search=20
based on text field(s) and then zoom to matching record(s) =
(e.g. enter=20
a city name and a street name, and zoom to that street)</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=3D"Times New =
Roman">- =20
geocode addresses (e.g. interpolate positions along a street based =
on=20
from/to address ranges and zoom to that point)</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=3D"Times New =
Roman">- search=20
based on topology (e.g. find where two streets intersect and zoom =
to that=20
location)</FONT> <BR><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">- have =
an=20
"identify" tool which pops up attributes of feature(s) when they =
are clicked=20
on</FONT> <BR><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">- =
measure=20
distance between points selected by the user</FONT> <BR><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">- draw =
buffers=20
around a clicked point based on a user defined radius</FONT> =
<BR><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">- =
highlight a=20
selected feature and retain its highlighting until the user =
"clears"=20
it</FONT> </P></UL>
<P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman">Also, I would appreciate a brief =
run-down of=20
the applications which work with MapServer (e.g. GeoServer, =
MapScript, etc.),=20
how they relate to MapServer (and each other), and what each one=20
does.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman">I realize this email covers a broad =
range of=20
topics, and is asking a lot--so thanks in advance for helping me out =
with all=20
these questions!</FONT></P>
<P><B><FONT face=3D"Arial Narrow" size=3D1>Darren Cope</FONT></B> =
<BR><FONT=20
face=3D"Arial Narrow" size=3D1>Statistics Canada/Statistique =
Canada</FONT>=20
<BR><FONT face=3D"Arial Narrow" size=3D1>Geography Division/Division =
de la=20
g=E9ographie</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3D"Arial Narrow" size=3D1>Jean =
Talon 3D5</FONT>=20
<BR><FONT face=3D"Arial Narrow" size=3D1>Ottawa, Canada</FONT> =
<BR><FONT=20
face=3D"Arial Narrow" size=3D1>(613) 951-6461</FONT> =
</P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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