[mapserver-users] The right tool for the job

[Brent Fraser]

Colin,

  The short answer is yes, MapServer is a good choice.

    The longer answer:  You can use Mapserver as a CGI syle
application or use a server-side scripting language such as
perl (see the MapScript section of the Mapserver how-to:
http://ms.gis.umn.edu/docs/howto/) to access MapServer
functions.

  Make sure you read the New User page:
http://mapserver.gis.umn.edu/new_users.

  Since you've got your source data already organized, and
Mapserver will supply the server-side functionality (except
for any Perl Mapscript coding you might want to do), likely
most of your effort will be on the client-side interface.
You'll need to select a toolkit if you plan on using a
browser:
    1. code your own html (and perhaps Javascript)
    2. html + dbox/jbox
    3. OpenLayers
    4. other...

Brent Fraser
GeoAnalytic Inc.
Calgary, Alberta

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Colin Wetherbee" <cww at denterprises.org>
To: <mapserver-users at lists.osgeo.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 7:18 PM
Subject: [mapserver-users] The right tool for the job


> Greetings.
>
> I'm new to using GIS data, and I have a project for which
I think GIS
> and MapServer would work well.  I'd like to run the basic
idea by this
> list and get your input as to whether I'm choosing the
right tool for
> the job.
>
> I have a PostgreSQL 8.2 database with PostGIS extensions
installed,
> which stores, in GIS form, coordinates for airports around
the world.
>
> I also have a rather large Perl web application that
accesses other
> things in this database.  This is the application to which
I would like
> to add some fancy maps.
>
> Essentially, I'd like a map of the world, and I'd like to
be able to
> highlight certain airports and draw different types of
lines between
> them, based on dynamic input from the user through the
Perl application.
>   Each web page could potentially include a different sort
of map with
> different locations highlighted.  At peak usage, I suspect
at least 75
> maps would need to be generated per second, with an
average of 30-40
> data points and various amounts of connecting lines
between them per map.
>
> Is this the sort of thing MapServer is good at doing?
I've read some of
> the web site, and really, I can't make heads or tails of
quite a bit of
> it, especially with respect to Perl.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Colin
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