[OpenLayers-Users] How do I draw a box, retreive map coordinates, and pass to a python function?

[Phil Scadden]

okay, here is some outline (what I do for searching). Overview:
Create a vector layer (selectedLayer) in which drawing occurs.
Use a drawfeature control to do the drawing.
When feature added to to drawcontrol, extract the geometry, call server 
with a callback to handle the response.

the code:
selectedLayer = new OpenLayers.Layer.Vector("Selected Layer", {
     wrapDateLine: true,
     displayOutsideMaxExtent: true,
     displayInLayerSwitcher: false,
});
map.addLayer(selectedLayer); (top layer)

            ctrl= new OpenLayers.Control.DrawFeature(selectedLayer, 
OpenLayers.Handler.Polygon, {
                 geodesic: true, // stuff for managing drawing across 
180 line
                 handlerOptions: {
                     citeCompliant: false
                 }
             });
// you can use different handler other than polygon for other geometries
    ctrl.events.register("featureadded", this, function (e) {
         Ext.Ajax.request({ // i am using Ext,  but you can use any ajax 
wrapper you like
             url:'mypythoncode',
             method:'GET',
             success:function(response){
                  // process the response
             },
             params:{
                 geometry:serialize(e.feature.geometry) // you need to 
write serialize to your taste to format the geometry
                 id: new Date().getTime(); // avoid browser caching
             }
         });

That should get you started.

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