Overlapping symbols

[Steve Lime]

You'd have to switch from a point layer to an annotation layer. With annotation layers the symbol is tied to the text and both are used in computing label collisions. Now, if you don't have text you want to display you can just draw a whitespace (" ") using the class text parameter and this will still work. You may want to sort your datasource so that restraunts or hotels get precedence.

Problem is though that you have to give up one or the other. One other idea might be to offset hotels and restraunt symbols in opposite directions just a bit so the can apprear side-by-side. Styles support an OFFSET parameter.

You still might consider processing the data though. For example, if you could use TrueType markers then you could create an "ammenties" string for each address that could reference multiple business types. The string would be output as a series of symbols centered on a point.

Steve

>>> Martijn van Exel <m.vanexel at BRIDGIS.NL> 10/06/05 1:27 AM >>>
Dear MapServer users,

I have a mapfile with which MapServer (4.4) produces a topographic base layer with thematic symbols on top. I have one layer containing all the thematic data (point features) which I represent with symbols through the use of classes. This works of course :-) The problem however is that the symbols regularly overlap. E.g. I have a class for Hotels and one for Restaurants. It is not uncommon for one address to have both. The result is a messy overlap of hotel and restaurant symbols. Not nice. Is there any way around this without touching the source data?

Thanks i.a. for any pointers,
Regards,

Martijn van Exel
ASP-ontwikkelaar

Onze datadiensten nu ook online via Data Service Providing
------------------- www.bridgis.nl -------------------
Sint Walburgkerkpad 3                    T: 0344 - 636 242
Postbus 71                                   F: 0344 - 636 246
4000 AB  TIEL
----------------- m.vanexel at bridgis.nl ---------------