[mapserver-users] Advice for MapServer project

[Timothy Mashford]

Hi list, I am after some advice on how best to achieve a MapServer
project. I am a GIS professional (mainly MapInfo Pro), and I do a lot
of MapBasic programming, however I have limited experience with
Python, JavaScript, Java, VB and C.

My project is a Crime Mapping system where the user first selects a
Date Range of interest, and then views several thematic layers (crime,
traffic accidents etc) over standard base layers (roads, parks etc).
It will also require an address search function for navigation.

I am thinking that dbox.js would be a good interface, providing
suitable pan/zoom/query functions + layer control. The crime data
could be stored in PostGIS, also the address point data for searching.
The base layers would be updated only occasionally, so could be stored
as ShapeFiles for speedy rendering. And MapServer could be controlled
with Python MapScript.

So my question is: does all this sound suitable?? It will require me
to spend a bit of time learning more Python, JavaScript and
PostgreSQL, so I want to make sure I'm heading in the righ direction
before I devote too much effort!

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Tim Mashford.