How to avoide HUGE .map files

[Ed Dowding]

Does anyone have any advice on how to avoid huge .map files?

We have a flash interface to our mapserver app, and we have mapping for the
whole or europe (and much of america) down to building outline level.

Our interface makes it possible to scroll the map from country to country,
and zoom in/out, so really all styling has to be in the one file.

But...

1) Does it all have to be in that file? Am I right about this?

2) any tips on managing and styling them? I'm currently using jedit since it
has nice code folding. I'm yet to find a GUI that exports .map files in a
format that is immediately usable.

3) any other tips from anyone?

Thanks in advance,

Ed