[mapserver-users] A Question of Group

[Bill Thoen]

Bob Basques wrote:
>
> Bill,
>
>
> This is a shameless plug for GeoMoose functionality, it was prompted 
> by your comments below however, so I don't feel too bad  :c)
>
>
Grab every opportunity that sets you up for a pitch! Although I'm 
actually not unhappy with HTML Legends --I've found workarounds for 
things I don't like-- but it would have been nice to have known in 
advance where it runs out of steam or just doesn't go, so I'd know 
whether I would reach the point of implementing kludges before or after 
I reached my goal.

GeoMoose sounds pretty good and seems to solve my problems 1-2-3... But 
before I go try it out now instead of later and spend a lot of time I 
can't spare contemplating a software switch and testing its capabilities 
for possible use in a project with a tight  deadline,  can you highlight 
for me the top two or three areas where the hard, cold ground rises up 
to meet it (i.e. where it falls on its face)? I'm not looking for what's 
broken, but more along the lines of what it is NOT designed for, so I 
don't make th e mistake of trying to use in a situation where it will 
not do well.

> *  Each layer (or group of layers) is controlled via it's own mapfile, 
> while this might seem cumbersome to manage, it does allow for separate 
> and integrated management of data layers by many data custodians, 
> which is what GeoMoose was originally designed for, many data 
> custodians doing their own thing.  It's also very good for automation 
> purposes in general.
>
>
One of the both strong points and weak points in the FOSS mapping 
software I've seen so far is its almost universal core dependence on 
mapfiles or templates as the driving mechanism. These are powerful in 
that the are easily modified, human and machine readable and you can 
record layer "states" and mix and match the "objects" later on as you 
like to create alternate configurations. But where they're a weak point 
is when you want to provide a warm 'n fuzzy front end for User B. Goode. 
Templates are difficult to work with at that point. They're based on the 
1950s-60s notion of batch programming in which the programmer decides 
where the process starts and ends. So when you try to build an 
interactive, user-driven interface on top of this, the bugs and 
shortcomings you tend to run into are usually rooted in a sort of 
schizophrenia between the two paradigms. Has anyone here considered 
breaking down the rigidity of the mapfile architecture by writing them 
in XML or JSON formats so they can be more easily manipulated by an 
application?

- Bill Thoen