[mapserver-users] ESRI file geodatabase and php mapscript

[Jeff McKenna]

On 12-06-22 12:46 PM, Brian Fischer wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I was wondering if anyone is willing to share any experience they have
> had with using an ESRI File Geodatabase with MapServer.  Specifically
> I’m wondering about:
> 
> 1)      How is the performance when compared against other data sources
> for rendering maps?  Does OGR/GDAL make use of spatial indexes?
> 
> 2)      Can a file geodatabase be accessed through PHP or Python
> mapscript for querying/searching?
> 
> 3)      Could I access a standalone table (non-spatial table) that is
> stored in a file geodatabase with mapscript?  Many want to use this for
> joins and relates in my queries.
> 

Hi Brian,

We did start to look at FileGDB support in MapServer during last year's
WMS Benchmarking exercise.  At the time we were a little early for this
testing, as the FileGDB driver was still going through development; but
now, FileGDB has been available in MS4W since January, and we might take
a look at this again for the upcoming WMS Benchmarking exercise for
September (this may address your performance questions).

As for your specific mapscript questions, as MapServer uses OGR to
connect to FileGDB layers, you should be able to connect to that layer
through mapscript with a CONNECTIONTYPE OGR, no different than other OGR
connections.

That's a good question about non-spatial tables, did you try an ogrinfo
on that table?  Give that a try with MS4W, and then if you can see the
table with ogrinfo then you'll know that at least GDAL/OGR can access it.

-jeff


-- 
Jeff McKenna
MapServer Consulting and Training Services
http://www.gatewaygeomatics.com/