Labeling of multi-polygon(?) states

[Stephen Woodbridge]

Jeff,

There is no automatic way that I know of, but to get the most control I 
would create a point layer for the label points.

-Steve W.

Jeff de La Beaujardiere wrote:
> I am using the "statesp020" dataset from USGS National Atlas
> (http://edcftp.cr.usgs.gov/pub/data/nationalatlas/statesp020.tar.gz).
> 
> When I ask Mapserver to draw labels, some states have a single label 
> centered in the state (e.g., Alabama), while others have multiple labels 
> around their edges (e.g., Florida). See, for example,
> http://map05.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/modis?SERVICE=WMS&VERSION=1.1.1&REQUEST=GetMap&LAYERS=states20m&STYLES=default&SRS=EPSG:4326&BBOX=-100.075,23.63125,-65.075,36.13125&WIDTH=700&HEIGHT=250&FORMAT=image/png 
> 
> 
> I assume this is because states with complicated boundaries, such as 
> along the coast, are built from several polygons, and each polygon is 
> given a label. I can reduce the number of labels per state by setting 
> MINDISTANCE, but I cannot get the labels of such states placed near the 
> geographic center of the state--the label is always on the boundary 
> (e.g., at the tip of the Florida keys).
> 
> Is there a way to get better control of the label position, or to 
> rebuild the shapefile in a way that perhaps produces a lower-res border 
> but has better labeling?
> 
> -Jeff DLB
>