Mapfile Snippet Library / Open Source Cartographic Elements

[Fawcett, David]

Great idea David.  

I have long thought that it would be great to have a repository for
symbol definition, sample symbol files, etc.  

Your idea of adding images or screenshots makes it a lot better!

David.

-----Original Message-----
From: UMN MapServer Users List [mailto:MAPSERVER-USERS at LISTS.UMN.EDU] On
Behalf Of David Bitner
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 11:56 AM
To: MAPSERVER-USERS at LISTS.UMN.EDU
Subject: [UMN_MAPSERVER-USERS] Mapfile Snippet Library / Open Source
Cartographic Elements


What would be the appropriate place (is there an appropriate place) on
the mapserver site to create a library of little pieces from a mapfile
that could be reused by others.  I am thinking things like Styles, Class
Definitions, Font Files, etc..

I would love to see a place where someone could find examples of code
with either screenshots or links to an application using that code for
styling so that anyone looking to start with the creation of mapfiles
could just grab some pieces from the snippet library and get on thier
way.  Alternately, with a commenting system, all the great cartographers
that are part of this community could give input and we could
potentially get some collaboratively developed cartography.

As an example, I would love to see a section dedicated to roads.  As
part of this, I would love to see font files for symbols if anyone has
developed any, any particular styles people have come to use and then
the sections of code displaying all the classes for both lines and
annotation.  I know that there are some really slick looking roads
definitions using both "centerline" style roads as well as "curb to
curb" ie google maps style roads.

I know that designing styles is not difficult per se, but it can
definitely take a lot of futzing around to get something that looks good
and looking through all the apps out there, there are obviously some
folks who have done more futzing than others.  I think something like
this could leverage the abilities (and tastes) of the whole community to
try to raise the bar for visual appearance of Mapserver output.

Any Comments?  Anyone else willing to add to a library like this?

David