Mapscript API - csharp - layerObj.getItemType, layerObj.getItemSize, etc...?

[David Lowther]

Thanks for the reply Tamas.

Other issues? Not yet. I've been working pretty steadily integrating
Mapserver (via csharp_mapscript) in a set of .NET 2.0 objects that are used
in an ASP.NET 2.0 GUI/client application. The objects had heretofore used
ArcIMS exclusively (via the ActiveX connector). The goal of the objects is
to abstract many of the basic mapping functions (selection, zooming,
panning, etc...) and provide true .NET usability without having to "mess"
with ArcIMS or Mapserver directly.

Basically you configure your map with XML file (tools, toc, services,
etc...) and then call methods of the GIS object (.ZoomIn, .ZoomOut,
.Identify, .SelectPolygon, .Whatever). Also, all of the client side
JavaScript is generated by the objects based on the configuration of the
map. 

All of these functions work for ArcIMS. I've gotten Mapserver doing panning
and zooming and have a good start on the selection stuff. I can configure my
GIS to use multiple ArcIMS and Mapserver services and layers at the same
time drawn on top of each other. Essentially, cascading ArcIMS and Mapserver
together. (Why not basic WMS? Because you don't get the analysis and data
that I want.)

Someone reading this is thinking "If you can do all the things with
Mapserver, why are you using ArcIMS?" Right now, it's because that's where
this project started. Once I get EVERYTHING working with Mapserver that
works with ArcIMS and see how the thread safety issues affect my reality,
we'll see...

David Lowther
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Tamas Szekeres [mailto:szekerest at gmail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2006 3:03 PM
To: dlowther at coordinatesolutions.com
Cc: MAPSERVER-USERS at lists.umn.edu
Subject: Re: [UMN_MAPSERVER-USERS] Mapscript API - csharp -
layerObj.getItemType, layerObj.getItemSize, etc...?

Hi David,

With the current implementation mapserver stores the field values
uniquely as strings. Therefore you cannot extract further information
(like fieldlength, fieldtype, fieldprecision etc.). Either, there is
not much control on how a data provider converts the values to strings
may cause several further problems when labelling the objects. The
information you are expecting exists at the provider's level but was
not propagated into the mapserver/ mapscript structures.

Are there other issues you have run into not mentioned before?

Tamas


2006/8/3, David Lowther <dlowther at coordinatesolutions.com>:
>
>
>
>
> Hi Everyone,
>
>
>
> I was wondering if I am overlooking a way to get information about a
layers
> items in mapscript. I've been through the docs thoroughly (I think) but am
> only seeing stuff for returning item name and value.  This makes sense
since
> there are so many possible layer types - and therefore item types. Just
> wondering.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
>
>
>
> David Lowther
>
>
>
>
>
> Coordinate Solutions, Inc.
>
>
> 501 N.E. 15th Street
>
>
> Oklahoma City, OK 73104
>
>
> 405.246.9396 (Voice)
>
>
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>
>
> www.coordinatesolutions.com