[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 08:32:54 PST 2004


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Oh, one big ommission on my part:
=20
Some fo the things you talk about could potentially need a Java applet:
=20
The Distance measuring tool can be implemented on the client using a =
Java
applet, there are a few alreadin existence that probably provide this
functionality (I don't know for sure, I have severe allergic reactions =
to
Java in the browser).  Otherwise you can always go back to the server =
and
figure it out there obviously.  Some people have implemented in =
JavaScript,
such as the Chameleon toolkit ( http://www.maptools.org
<http://www.maptools.org>  ).
=20
The buffer you're pretty much going to NEED a Java applet, as I've =
never
heard of any way to draw circles in a browser in any other =
cross-browser way
(There's also the possibility of using SVG or Flash interfaces =
actually, but
that may be less cross-platform).
=20
J.F.

-----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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<BODY>
<DIV><SPAN class=804080816-01032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Oh, 
one big ommission on my part:</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=804080816-01032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff 
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=804080816-01032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Some 
fo the things you talk about could potentially need a Java 
applet:</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=804080816-01032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff 
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=804080816-01032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>The 
Distance measuring tool can be implemented on the client using a Java applet, 
there are a few alreadin existence that probably provide this functionality (I 
don't know for sure, I have severe allergic reactions to Java in the 
browser).  Otherwise you can always go back to the server and figure it out 
there obviously.  Some people have implemented in JavaScript, such as the 
Chameleon toolkit ( <A 
href="http://www.maptools.org">http://www.maptools.org</A> 
).</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=804080816-01032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff 
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=804080816-01032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>The 
buffer you're pretty much going to NEED a Java applet, as I've never heard of 
any way to draw circles in a browser in any other cross-browser way (There's 
also the possibility of using SVG or Flash interfaces actually, but that may be 
less cross-platform).</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=804080816-01032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff 
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=804080816-01032004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff 
size=2>J.F.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma 
  size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> 
  mapserver-users-admin at lists.gis.umn.edu 
  [mailto:mapserver-users-admin at lists.gis.umn.edu]<B>On Behalf Of 
  </B>Darren.Cope at statcan.ca<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, March 01, 2004 8:57 
  AM<BR><B>To:</B> mapserver-users at lists.gis.umn.edu<BR><B>Subject:</B> 
  [Mapserver-users] Researching the Capabilities of 
  MapServer<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
  <P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Hello all,</FONT> </P>
  <P><FONT face="Times New Roman">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.)</FONT></P>
  <P><FONT face="Times New Roman">What I would like is a full featured 
  application which can perform the following tasks:</FONT> </P>
  <UL>
    <P><FONT face="Times New Roman">-       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)</FONT></P>
    <P><FONT face="Times New Roman">-       
    geocode addresses (e.g. interpolate positions along a street based on 
    from/to address ranges and zoom to that point)</FONT></P>
    <P><FONT face="Times New Roman">-       search 
    based on topology (e.g. find where two streets intersect and zoom to that 
    location)</FONT> <BR><FONT 
    face="Times New Roman">-       have an 
    "identify" tool which pops up attributes of feature(s) when they are clicked 
    on</FONT> <BR><FONT 
    face="Times New Roman">-       measure 
    distance between points selected by the user</FONT> <BR><FONT 
    face="Times New Roman">-       draw buffers 
    around a clicked point based on a user defined radius</FONT> <BR><FONT 
    face="Times New Roman">-       highlight a 
    selected feature and retain its highlighting until the user "clears" 
    it</FONT> </P></UL>
  <P><FONT face="Times New Roman">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.</FONT></P>
  <P><FONT face="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 face="Arial Narrow" size=1>Darren Cope</FONT></B> <BR><FONT 
  face="Arial Narrow" size=1>Statistics Canada/Statistique Canada</FONT> 
  <BR><FONT face="Arial Narrow" size=1>Geography Division/Division de la 
  géographie</FONT> <BR><FONT face="Arial Narrow" size=1>Jean Talon 3D5</FONT> 
  <BR><FONT face="Arial Narrow" size=1>Ottawa, Canada</FONT> <BR><FONT 
  face="Arial Narrow" size=1>(613) 951-6461</FONT> </P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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