[Qgis-user] Deployment scenarios of QGIS Server projects?

[Axel Schaefer]

Hi.

How do you deploy your QGIS Server projects from your desktop to the 
server? Let's collect the possibilities. This should not deal directly 
with the installation but the deployment of your projects between two 
different machines (QGIS Desktop client-machine and QGIS Server 
server-machine).

Background: Out of some talks, I know that there are some possiblities 
to get your QGIS qgs-files to the server and to let for example Apache 
do some work to facilitate an easy way. People are doing that in 
different ways, and I would like to know how. And it seems like all the 
ways provide a good mechanism to distinguish between the GIS-expert 
doing the work on the QGIS project and the sysadmin.


First way, the easy way:

What I'm presenting right now is Level 1 and follows the way Anita 
Graser has described in her blog for Ubuntu: 
https://anitagraser.com/2012/03/30/qgis-server-on-ubuntu-step-by-step/ 
in Chapter "Adding a QGIS project file".

After the installation I have the directory "/usr/lib/cgi-bin" with the 
2 files qgis_mapserv.fcgi and wms_metadata.xml. For every new project 
(in this example called "bonn") I do the following steps.

1.) Create a directory in /usr/lib/cgi-bin called "bonn": 
/usr/lib/cgi-bin/bonn.

2.) Make two symbolic links: First to the "qgis_mapserv.fcgi" file and 
second to the "wms_metadata.xml" file.


   $ /usr/lib/cgi-bin/bonn % sudo ln -s ../qgis_mapserv.fcgi
   $ /usr/lib/cgi-bin/bonn % sudo ln -s ../wms_metadata.xml
   $ /usr/lib/cgi-bin/bonn % ls
   qgis_mapserv.fcgi  wms_metadata.xml
   $ /usr/lib/cgi-bin/bonn %

3.) I create a third symbolic link to the QGIS-Project-file. But that 
resides in my home-directory.


   $ /usr/lib/cgi-bin/bonn % sudo ln -s ~/qgisserver/bonn/bonn.qgs
   $ /usr/lib/cgi-bin/bonn % ls -l
   lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 40 Sep 27 09:43 bonn.qgs -> 
/home/aschaefer/qgisserver/bonn/bonn.qgs
   lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 20 Sep 27 09:38 qgis_mapserv.fcgi -> 
../qgis_mapserv.fcgi
   lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 19 Sep 27 09:38 wms_metadata.xml -> 
../wms_metadata.xml
   $ /usr/lib/cgi-bin/bonn %


The interesting part is the last one. I can handle my qgis-files in my 
own home directory. All I have to do is to call the admin to a) create 
the directory, b) create the two symbolic links to the upper directory 
content and c) create the symbolic link to my project in my home. If I 
chnage the qgs file, the content of the service has changed.

How do I update the content of the qgs-file? In this case via scp or 
some similar technique. I have to copy the file to the server. I do it 
in the beginning, call my admin to do his 3 steps and after that I can 
update my file.

URL to access the WMS: 
http://localhost/cgi-bin/bonn/qgis_mapserv.fcgi?SERVICE=WMS&VERSION=1.3.0&REQUEST=GetCapabilities


Basic condition: I use a central database for my geodata and don't 
hassle with local files.

Advantage: Quick and easy and clearly to arrange. Work of GIS-expert can 
be done without work of admin.

Disadvantage: Still communication and work to do. Might be sufficient 
for small departments with good communication between GIS guy and admin 
guy. The URL goes directly to the qgis_mapserv.fcgi file.

So, how do you do it? Do you use rewrites to hide the unneccessary stuff 
from the URL and to make it look nicer? Do you use automatisms?

Best regards
Axel

-- 
Axel Schaefer
WhereGroup GmbH & Co. KG
Eifelstraße 7
53119 Bonn
Germany

Fon: +49 (0)228 / 90 90 38 - 23
Fax: +49 (0)228 / 90 90 38 - 11

axel.schaefer at wheregroup.com
www.wheregroup.com | www.mapbender.org | www.meldemax.com
Amtsgericht Bonn, HRA 6788
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