[mapserver-users] vertical alignment of symbols along a line

[Brent Fraser]

If your symbol is relatively simple, you could use a vector symbol.  Below is a 
method of rendering a line with "hachures" (short lines on one side of the main 
line):

In your layer def:

      CLASS
         NAME 'hachure'
         STYLE
           COLOR 180 180 180
           WIDTH 1
         END
         STYLE
           COLOR 180 180 180
           SIZE 16
           SYMBOL 'hachure'
         END

  With a symbol def:

  Symbol
     NAME 'hachure'
     TYPE VECTOR
     POINTS 5 5 5 10 END
     PATTERN 6 6 END
     FILLED TRUE
  END

To draw a triangle instead of a line, the POINTS object would have to include a 
third vertex (four if you want it filled?); something like:

     POINTS 5 5 10 10 15 5 5 5 END

But you'd have to experiment.  The key (I think) to offsetting the symbol is 
that the symbol's vectors are drawn in the top half of the symbol box, in this 
case the symbol box is 0 to 10 with vectors only in the 5 to 10 range.

Best Regards,
Brent Fraser

windfreak wrote:
> I use truetype fonts to render symbols along a line. The fonts are always
> parallel to the line. Unfortunately I see the fonts are always centered
> vertically along the line. Even symbols like the '^' or '`' symbol appear on
> the line. How can I disable this vertical alignment? 
> Here you see an example of a triangle symbol that should appear above the
> line.  http://n2.nabble.com/file/n4617860/example.png  
> Here you see an example of the '^' symbol, also aligned on the line.
> http://n2.nabble.com/file/n4617860/example2.png 
> 
> 
> -----
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