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Mapserver

This document discusses Portland State University's transition to using open source GIS tools for web mapping, including MapServer and PostGIS. It provides background on the presenters and an overview of setting up a MapServer site using open source components. Examples of web interfaces and front ends for MapServer are also presented.

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22 views18 pages

Mapserver

This document discusses Portland State University's transition to using open source GIS tools for web mapping, including MapServer and PostGIS. It provides background on the presenters and an overview of setting up a MapServer site using open source components. Examples of web interfaces and front ends for MapServer are also presented.

Uploaded by

andenet
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Mapserver

The PSU Experience

David Percy
Geospatial Data Manager, Geology Department

William Garrick
Manager of Academic and Research Computing

Portland State University


2005 the year of OS GIS
• Books
– Mapping Hacks
– Web Mapping Illustrated
– MapServer Essentials
• Google Earth
• AutoDesk
Background of Presenters
• Percy
– Over 20 years of scientific databases including
medical research
– Hired by Geology department in 1998 as data
manager. GIS became an obvious need.
– Began teaching in 1999, since then adding Field
GIS, GIS Programming and this year Web
Mapping
• Will
– Manager of Academic and Research Computing
– Staff at PSU for 8 years
– 12 Student Programmers
Previous Web Mapping at PSU
•Windows servers in offices running ESRI ~ 1998-2004:
•Geology, and Urban Planning
•Map Objects, then ArcIMS: Oregon Geologic Map
and reference
•First Mapserver foray in 2002, project abandoned not
due to mapserver
•Coastal data, database of Glacier Change, all science
goes to the web now.
•ASP pages transitioned to Apache, MySQL, PHP in
2003 in preparation for move to Open Source
Academic and Research Computing
to the rescue!
• Managed servers with Linux
• Ugly install of ArcIMS
• Began discussion of Mapserver/PostGIS
• Other projects requesting webmaps from ARC
• Strong investment in Apache, PHP, MySQL
already.
• Leverage existing strengths
• Cost of Oracle/SQL Server prohibitive at PSU
• Institutional support for Open Source solutions
Components of Open Source
Web Mapping
The new “LAMP”
• L – Linux • L – Linux
• A – Apache • A – Apache
• M – MySQL • M – MapServer
• P – PHP • P – PostGIS
Open Source Components
• GDAL – Raster Library
• OGR – Vector Library
• GD – Graphics Creation
• Proj.4 – Coordinate Systems
• FreeType – Nice fonts!
• GEOS – Geometry Engine
• Shapelib – Shapefile library
Setting up a MapServer Site
• Installation
– Build from source code
– Install a package
• Get data on server
• Create mapfile
– (analogous to AXL)
• Choose or write a front end
– (similar to choice between HTML and JAVA)
• Stateless!
– (No JAVA Servlets!)
A closer look at the “stack”
• Front end –
– PHP/Mapscript with Javascript
– PHP/Mapscript
– Pure CGI with template substitution
• Data in
– PostGIS or Shapefiles for vector
– Geotiff, ECW or JPEG2000 for raster
– Referenced and styled by MAPFILE
• Mapserver CGI built with all the right “includes”
• Webserver – Apache
• Operating system - Linux
The Big Choice:
What front end?
• Percy facilitates open source sessions
– Ka-Map
– Chameleon
– MapBender, MapLab, FIST
• Grad Students revolt!
– Requirements defined
• Pan, Zoom, Query, some AJAX
– In a single weekend prototype developed
– Currently used in three production systems, fourth
almost ready
• Demos!
Web Interfaces
• Ka-map
• Chameleon
• Maplab
• MapBlender
• FIST
• CGI
• Build your own
Conclusions
• Web Mapping is reliable and proven
• GeoDatabases, combined with WFS and
WMS services are reliable and promising
• Be careful what Open Source project you
align with
– Many projects are brilliant, but orphaned
• OSCDL will continue support and
development, both for map interfaces and
backend datastreams.
Data Streams
• End of Monolithic Web Apps
• Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC)
– WMS
– WFS
• Query for capabilities
• High Quality data streams from many
sources, possibly aggregated through
Google Earth
Data Management Partnerships
• Similar to co-location of servers
• Harness the expertise of PSU

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
GeoDatabases
• PostgreSQL
– From Berkely, Ingress
– Transactions, rollback and other modern
database features
– Object – Relational DB
• PostGIS
– Extensions for GIS functionality to PGSQL

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