[mapserver-users] efficiently displaying daily changing vector data

[Mr. Puneet Kishor]

I have just finished reading the following thread

Mapserver - User - How to display vector symbols (direction and magnitude) in MapServer?
http://osgeo-org.1803224.n2.nabble.com/How-to-display-vector-symbols-direction-and-magnitude-in-MapServer-td1971531.html


Two questions --

1. What is the most efficient way to display vector data that comes to me on a daily basis as text files. I have x,y, length and angle information in these text files (along with some other info). I guess, I will have to massage the files to convert them to clean CSV with only the first line containing the column names. Then I can access the file as an OGRVRTDataSource. Or, should I insert the data in a Pg table and then use that? The files will be refreshed daily, so the processing needs to be done only once a day.

2. The thread above makes a mention of a Mapfile CLASS definition like so

  CLASS
     SYMBOL 'arrow' 
     ANGLE [Rate] 
     SIZE [Az] 
     COLOR 0 0 0
  END

Is there an arrow symbol definition that I can use, or is that only possible with truetype fonts?