MyGIS and WFS

[Stefanie Weykam]

Hi list members,

Now that we have our prototype up and running, it's time to make some
considerations for the future data incorporations.
We are working with MapServer4.4 and MapScript on Windows2000. For now, we
have all the spatial data (and all stable attributes) stored in shapefiles
and all the survey data in MySQL.

Query the data and render maps according to query results will be very
important, as well as sharing data with others.

I was wondering if we should migrate everything to MySQL as spatial database
(tell me somebody that it is easy to compile MapServer with MyGIS
support!?).

How does this migration affect our WMS/WFS server capabilities? (makes it
easier or more complicated?)
Are the attribute data ONLY queriable if we have the spatial data in a
spatial database?

How would you render a polygon layer, having let's say 6 classes
representing quantitative data on a colour ramp?
I guess, one would first determine MIN and MAX values in a field, then the
difference between MAX and MIN, divide this value by 6, create 6 class
objects and 6 symbol objects, use 6 class expressions according to the
previously determined value ranges and that's it (?). Can such a map be
requested by a client?

Another problem: The users would like to stick to Access as a database
familiar to them. I know that it is possible to transfer locally stored
Access tables to MySQL, then set up links in the Access database that point
to the tables managed by the MySQL database server, but I have not tried it
out. Is this an option or should we rather write an export/import routine?
I'm afraid, actualisations will be quite frequent.

Any comments would be appreciated,
Stefanie Weykam