MapServer and dynamic segmentation

[Steve Pashby]

Hello,

I have a question regarding MapServers capabilities in relation to dynamic
segmentation.

I have only been using MapServer for a few months now and am not sure if
what I want to do is possible.  I am trying to put together an application
for a university thesis project using just the basics of MapServer, (ie,
going by the HTML / CGI way – and not using anything fancy like MapScript
and PHP programming !)

What I want to do is disseminate a road database, where each road is
chopped up into many segments for different road attributes, with each
segment signalling a change in the road condition (ie, a change in width,
a change in construction type, pavement type, etc). All this data is then
stored in an access database, (with an accompanying shapefile of the road
centreline).

My initial plan was to copy the shapefile multiple times, and for each
copy represent one attribute, (so have one shapefile and add in an
attribute column for the different widths, one shapefile for the
construction types, etc
).  However, this could get complicated and
messy.

I guess this type of data may well lend itself to dynamic segmentation.
But can MapServer work with this sort of complex data.  If I was to get
the road data into ArcGIS / Oracle / SDE and use dynamic segmentation
could MapServer handle this ?  Has anyone else had experience with this
before, or done something similar ???  Would using PostGIS  be any better ?

I suppose all I wanted was a very simple application, 
 nothing too
complicated.

I hope this makes sense !

Any advice or guidance on this subject would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,
Steve.