Foundation and Mapserver MAP file manage tool

[Jeff McKenna]

I hear ya Bart, it's so needed.  I for one think such a tool is very
useful (whenever we travel internationally it's MapLab that we're known
for it seems), and a few of us continue to help support MapLab users for
that reason.  But something is definitely needed.

If you haven't already, take a run-through of the MSE Studio
product.  It seems to allow for exactly what Steve mentioned - creating 
pre-styled layers that are available in multiple applications.


jeff



Steve Lime wrote:
> I agree totally with Frank's assessment of the role of a foundation.
> If this is to happen I think it needs to be driven internally from
> within the MapServer community.
> 
> I too think it necessary, but I'm not envisioning a web-based tool.
> I'd love to see a map portfolio management tool developed. Something
> to manage common sets of configuration elements. At the DNR we have
> 20+ applications of various levels of complexity and in each one of
> them we have a lakes layer, always drawn the same. It would be cool
> if you could define a lakes layer "template" that would contain base
> info like color, datasource and such and then could develop
> "instances" of that template for specific applications. Each instance
> might have be a bit different but would draw upon the same template.
> Change the template and all the instances change, change an instance
> and the template (and other apps) are untouched. The management
> application would allow you to drag instances of a template into a
> new configuration (or create new ones). Perhaps this could be done
> via the web. I was also thinking about the possibilty of using
> Eclipse to build a MapServer IDE. Just some thoughts...
> 
> Steve
> 
> 
>>>> Frank Warmerdam <warmerdam at POBOX.COM> 12/14/05 8:43 AM >>>
> 
> On 12/14/05, Eijnden, B. van den (Bart)
> <b.vdeijnden at agi.rws.minvenw.nl> wrote:
> 
>> Hi list,
>> 
>> still one of the things really missing around Mapserver is a good
>> universal web-based visual management tool for MAP files, which can
>> export/deploy MAP files as well as import existing MAP files.
>> 
>> Are there plans within the Foundation to address this?
> 
> 
> Bart,
> 
> There aren't any specific plans for the foundation to pursue 
> technical developments like this.  In fact, there is some question to
> what extent the foundation itself out to be driving or sponsoring 
> software development.  So in that realm things are "to be
> determined".
> 
> In any event, there are several web based interfaces to mapfiles 
> already in existance, such as the MapLab from maptools.org. I'm not
> convinced that any of them are "universal" or even all that great but
> then I haven't done any in depth investigation.
> 
> I'm not really sure how practical and useful such a tool would be.
> And to some extent building such a thing would be stepping on the
> toes of a number of existing projects - something that should not be
> done lightly by the foundation.
> 
> Best regards,


-- 
Jeff McKenna
DM Solutions Group Inc.
http://www.dmsolutions.ca