SV: [mapserver-users] Newbie feedback

[Steve Lime]

Have you created an OSGeo login? Visit
http://www.osgeo.org/osgeo_userid. Once
you have that you should have rights to create tickets in the MapServer
trac instance.

Steve

>>> On 8/12/2009 at 1:38 AM, in message
<2349CC72A0B01C4FAA4FFAE6C735E1DDE291E7 at enerasrv01.Enera.local>, "Lars
Westerlind" <lars.westerlind at enera.se> wrote:
> Hello Jeff,
> Thanks for clarifications.
> I don't have TICKET_CREATE privilege it says. 
> Cheers,
> Lars
> 
> -----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
> Från: mapserver-users-bounces at lists.osgeo.org 
> [mailto:mapserver-users-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] För Jeff McKenna
> Skickat: 11 August 2009 20:34
> Till: mapserver-users at lists.osgeo.org 
> Ämne: Re: [mapserver-users] Newbie feedback
> 
> Hello Lars,
> 
> My comments are inline below:
> 
> Lars Westerlind wrote:
>> Hello all,
>> 
>> we newly installed Mapserver as ms4w installation on windows; and we
are 
>> very satisfied.
> 
> great!
> 
>> 
>> We got up and running very fast, even though we are not fluent in
the 
>> techniques
>> 
>> used (in Partiucar, Apache webserver). However, I want to share a
few 
>> small points that caused
>> 
>> unnecessary problems.
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> 1. A suggestion where in the directory structure to put the mapfiles

>> would be appreciated. If there are
>> 
>> different meanings, give two or three scenarios. Also include the
looks 
>> of the URL reference to the mapfile.
> 
> You should download the MS4W addon packed named "PHP/MapScript Sample

> Application" for an example directory structure.  Here is my advice:
> 
> - place the application in /ms4w/apps
> - /apps/yourapp/ should contain:
>      /data (your data files)
>      /docs (any relevant docs)
>      /etc  (font and symbol files)
>      /htdocs (application files - often html, js, or php*)
>      /maps (your mapfiles)
> 
>> 
>> 2. Why not enclose a small working example with one simplest
possible 
>> mapfile and one shapefile set? And
>> 
>> perhaps another more advanced mapfile with some common techniques
exposed?
> 
> MS4W tries to do that, by providing you working examples that you can

> play around with.
> 
>> 
>> 3. Font handling caused me much problems. As it is a windows 
>> installation, it could be at least a insall note / readme
describing
>> 
>> where to search for the .ttf files. The Mapserver documentation
doesn't 
>> say anything about Windows, and in Windows you need not be very
>> 
>> aware of where to find the font files, so it took some time to find
out. 
>> It appears that the documentation is not very clear either;
>> 
>> I hade to create a fontset file and refer to it to get it work; the

>> documentation hints that font references could be written in the
fontset
>> 
>> clause, but I didn't manage.
> 
> The best way to provide feedback on documentation (and make sure it
is 
> recorded) is to file a ticket in the MapServer tracker 
> (http://trac.osgeo.org/mapserver/), using the "MapServer
Documentation" 
> component.  It would be great help if your ticket could contain 
> suggested text that should be added to the page you are referring to.

> Thanks!
> 
>> 
>> 4. The default font handling (bitmap) was confusing as it appears to
be 
>> ascii based, where the
>> 
>>  true type font appears to be Unicode/UTF-8 based. When doing the 
>> correct 'encoding', the output was silly until I managed to handel
the
>> 
>> true type fonts correctly.
> 
> Maybe to be included in your ticket's text?
> 
>> 
>> 5. I would suggest more examples in the documentation, especially
around 
>> mapfile editing. In examles you
>> 
>> would also get punctuation issues and such
> 
> Please do provide any examples that you think are relevant.  You can

> also post examples and anything that you feel is helpful to others on

> the MapServer Wiki (see lower section of 
> http://trac.osgeo.org/mapserver/)...it's an easy way to add to the 
> documentation and help others quickly!
> 
>>  
>> 
>> I think that was my most important points I think.
>> 
> 
> Thanks for the feedback, keep it coming! :)
> 
> -jeff
>