[OSGeo-Standards] How to extend OWS Context for several specific cases

[Cameron Shorter]

Jody Garnett wrote:
> Then your Desktop application should be capable to create both types 
> of Context starting from the same map view. One for the server, one 
> for the Web client.
> If I understand you:
> - OWS Context "lite": is the file used to describe a visual map; 
> shared operation picture; or whatever
> - OWS Context "heavy": is a zip file that may contains data and is 
> used to set up a server?
My understanding is that OWS Context was originally designed to describe 
a map, providing an Area of Interest and a list of map layers + styles, 
where the map layers are links to external map services (WMS, WFS, 
external GML files).
Now a layer can also have embedded GML too.
Assuming the embedded GML is small, the Context document is small, and 
is suitable to be stored as XML (as it is).
Adding additional layer services (like Tiled WMS, Google Maps etc) would 
work well within this model.
This is what Jody is referring to as "lite" above.

For storing large datasets, ("OWS Context heavy") I don't think XML is a 
good format as it is too verbose. This might be a good time to look into 
Binary XML again. (Cubewerx has already done some work for the OGC here).

-- 
Cameron Shorter
Geospatial Systems Architect
Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254

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