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Mapserver The PSU Experience

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.

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Mapserver The PSU Experience

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  1. Mapserver The PSU Experience David Percy Geospatial Data Manager, Geology Department William Garrick Manager of Academic and Research Computing Portland State University

  2. 2005 the year of OS GIS • Books • Mapping Hacks • Web Mapping Illustrated • MapServer Essentials • Google Earth • AutoDesk

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. Components of Open Source Web MappingThe new “LAMP” • L – Linux • A – Apache • M – MySQL • P – PHP • L – Linux • A – Apache • M – MapServer • P – PostGIS

  7. 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

  8. 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!)

  9. 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

  10. 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!

  11. Web Interfaces • Ka-map • Chameleon • Maplab • MapBlender • FIST • CGI • Build your own

  12. 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.

  13. 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

  14. Data Management Partnerships • Similar to co-location of servers • Harness the expertise of PSU • percyd@pdx.edu • will@pdx.edu

  15. 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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