Mapfile Snippet Library / Open Source Cartographic Elements

[Gerry Creager]

Weather?  We can contribute something to the library there...

gerry

David Bitner wrote:
> 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

-- 
Gerry Creager -- gerry.creager at tamu.edu
Texas Mesonet -- AATLT, Texas A&M University	
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