MapScript with C#

[Abe Gillespie]

I'd like to add to this discussion by asking another question:

What's the status with multithreading in the C# MapScript dll?  Has
that been worked out?  If so, is there any documentation of it?

Thanks.
-Abe

On 5/17/05, Sean Gillies <sgillies at frii.com> wrote:
> Comments below ...
> 
> On May 17, 2005, at 9:16 AM, Mike Saunt wrote:
> 
> > ------=_Part_2791_24165453.1116342986046
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> > Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
> > Content-Disposition: inline
> >
> > Hi All
> >
> > I thought I'd send out an exploratory email with regards to MapScript
> > in C#=
> > .=20
> > I'm a developer in the UK and having come from a commercial mapping=20
> > background mainly MapInfo with a bit of ESRI, Oracle etc thrown in. It
> > is m=
> > y=20
> > first exploration into Open Source Mapping and once having a version=20
> > compiled and running (with help from others on this list) I have found
> > it=
> > =20
> > quite simple to set up and pass around from machine to machine i.e.
> > No=20
> > massive sets of overheads with COM registration etc just a few dll's.
> >
> > I have taken this step as I wanted to learn MapScript in an
> > environment tha=
> > t=20
> > I am familiar with i.e. .NET. The only 'issue' comes down to the
> > compilatio=
> > n=20
> > process and the building of SWIG interface. I have recieved some
> > binaries=
> > =20
> > and source from different members of the group and this has been
> > excellent=
> > =20
> > and has got me up and running.=20
> >
> > I was wondering if anyone has plans to compile windows binaries and
> > SWIG=20
> > Interfaces etc on a regular basis. If not then would anyone find it=20
> > beneficial if these were done for them?
> >
> 
> For C#?  Other than the dot net gis project, no, and I'm not sure of
> the status there.  I haven't heard from them in a while.  Both Frank
> Warmerdam and Howard Butler are distributing Python mapscript for
> win32.  Frank's FWTools also includes GDAL/OGR, and OpenEV.  I believe
> there are PHP binaries at maptools.org.
> 
> > My longer term plans are to develop on Linux with one of the flavours
> > i.e.=
> > =20
> > Python, Perl or PHP but at present am not sure which will be best
> > suited.
> >
> > Regarding the three environments PHP, Perl or Python I was wondering
> > about=
> > =20
> > the following:
> >
> > Which environment is best supported with MapScript or are they all as
> > good=
> > =20
> > as each other?=20
> >
> > Am I correct in assuming that PHP MapScript is different to that of
> > Perl /=
> > =20
> > Python and therefore the SWIG C# version?
> >
> > Which environment best supports the creation of standard Web services
> > (not=
> > =20
> > WMS / WMF but vanilla web services) ?
> >
> 
> Unless you have an existing mod_perl powered web site into which you
> must integrate mapping there is, frankly, no reason to go with the Perl
> mapscript.  I apologize to all my Perl using friends and colleagues out
> there, but that's just the way it is.  The Python mapscript is the most
> robust, fully featured, and best supported of the SWIG mapscript
> flavors.
> 
> Choosing between PHP and Python mapscript is mostly a matter of the
> framework of your existing site, and a choice of which higher-level
> frameworks you would like to use in the future.  If you go the PHP
> route, you will be able to try out DM Solutions' Chameleon software (at
> maptools.org) which has a lot of users, good support, lots of features.
>   If you go with Python, you will be able to use the ZCO/PrimaGIS
> solution for Zope and Plone (http://primagis.technocore.fi/).  Python
> is also a much richer environment for GIS programming (GDAL/OGR,
> Numeric, etc).
> 
> Vanilla web services?  Python has great XML tools, but the SOAP stuff
> isn't very advanced -- mainly because SOAP (IMO) just isn't very
> useful.  Here's a link:
> http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/webservices/library/ws-pyth5/.
> Python's SOAP might be better now.  I don't know anything about PHP web
> services, but I'm sure they have something.
> 
> > Are there many developers using MapServer and / or MapScript in the
> > C#=20
> > environment? What have the experiences been like?
> >
> > Are there many developers in the UK using MapServer and / or MapScript
> > ?=20
> > What have the experiences been like with large datasets such as
> > Mastermap=
> > =20
> > etc?
> >
> > Apologies for the long email with so many questions but after having
> > dipped=
> > =20
> > my toe in with MapServer I feel like jumping right in!
> >
> > Many Thanks in advance
> > Mike
> 
> Hope this helps,
> Sean
> 
> --
> Sean Gillies
> sgillies at frii dot com
> http://zcologia.com
>