Foundation and Mapserver MAP file manage tool

[Bob Basques]

Jeff McKenna wrote:

>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.
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This is something that we've dealt with here at the City as well.  We've 
taken a slightly different approach.  We went with MapFiles per layer.  
This was mostly from necessity.  We needed the Data Admin's to be able 
to manage their own data (own their respective MAP files), this has 
worked pretty well, but we needed to build our own middle ware to pull 
the pieces togetherfor distribution/visualization. 

In the end it meant we could do some thing very intersting things with 
the user interface having things seperated this way.   More on this when 
I get a Public Version ready.  :c)

Basically, we're already set up to do this type of thing, even to pass 
in a MAP file fragment/chunk via the Web for on the fly settings made by 
the users.

There's big potential here for something like this.  We're still 
evaluating our Business needs, but this seems to satisfy a lot of what 
we're after for a user interface and capabilities list.

bobb


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>jeff
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>Steve Lime wrote:
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>>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
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>>>>>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:
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>>>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,
>>    
>>
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