[mapserver-users] Graticule and Map Frame strategies

[Bob Basques]

Roger, 

While it's not really "Drawing" perse, we use the GeoMoose interface to
do this type of printing, since the GeoMoose interface abstracts out all
it's map layers as separate calls, there is quite a bit of functionality
available for stacking of imagery, particualrly for plotting.

We do use a somewhat complicated method of server side assembly of the
separate image calls via their respective MapFiles.  We generate a
composite image and send to Image or PDF out.

This eased the labor related to printing quite a bit for the larger
percentage of users.

We don't have the specific capabilities that you are looking for in the
interface, but it has come up for discussion on more than one occasion. 
There are plans siiting around related to building a user Print Canvas
for example to give the average user the control of output as you
describe.  Our immediate need is for adding USNG overlays to print outs
for emergency Management and situational awareness.

bobb




>>> "Roger André" <randre at gmail.com> 12/11/08 11:18 AM >>>
Hi All,

I'm curious what options have been explored to create tick marks,
graticules
and outside-of-map symbology?  I'm currently investigating the use of
Matplotlib as a compositer to draw on top of a Mapserver-generated
image,
and while I think this will give nice looking results, the speed of the
process is quite slow, probably because Matplotlib deconstructs the
Mapserver image with PIL and works with it as a numpy array.

I'm interested in hearing about any other tools that allow for the same
sort
of "drawing on top of" strategy, preferrably ones with API's.

Thanks,

Roger
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