time series representations in Mapserver

[uli mueller [geOps]]

Gerry

In combination with PostGIS you get nice possibilities. I never liked 
date handling in Shape/dBase-Files, although it is possible too. However 
with a real db (MySQL might do it also) you get all functionality you'll 
ever need for dates.

For the MapServer side I used two approaches:

1) set a filter on a layer. Manipulate it with JS or use the variable 
substitution through MapServer's CGI.
The filter may look something like:
FILTER "((datefield >=(('%startdate%')::date)) AND (datefield 
<(('%enddate% ')::date)))"
See an (best viewed with IE:-( example at 
http://geops.info/korams/mapserver.php (map with yearly kills of 
domestic animals by lynx)

2) setup your MapServer app as a WMS. Then you may use WMS time support 
(http://mapserver.gis.umn.edu/doc44/wms-time-support-howto.html).
The second solution seems more transparent to me, but was available only 
since MS4.4. With WMS times it becomes really easy to set any time / 
time period you like. If you use chameleon as a client you may even use 
their TimeFilter widget to specify time according to OGC.
Only problem was that anything in your layer's FILTER parameter will be 
overridden by the WMS time 
(http://mapserver.gis.umn.edu/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=1261).

Before MS4.4 more solutions were proposed on the list, e.g. 
http://lists.gis.umn.edu/pipermail/mapserver-users/2003-December/008977.html

Gerry Creager N5JXS wrote:
> We're looking at several applications where we need some time-selection 
> capabilities.  Has anyone done this successfully with Mapserver, and if 
> so, might you share some tips?
> 
> TIA,gerry


-- 
geOps GeoInformatics
D-79100 Freiburg