3. CGI interaction of MapServer

So far, you can only view maps before creating maps. The general meaning of creating a Web mapping application is to create a map that can be changed by the user (the application). In other words, a user can change the content (or information) of the map. To do this, you need to use the MapServer HTML template.

The application will be interactive and allow users to zoom and roam the map image. You will see how to generate scale bars and legends, and how to embed valid information in the output HTML (similar to the size of the map and the coordinates of the mouse click). In other words, you will generate a “real” map application for the first time.

Also, in addition to being dynamic, scaleable maps also exhibit more ways of presenting detail in different ways.

This section explains more about the interoperation of CGI. Query function is also an important function of MapServer. But the design of MapServer is old, and the query function is clumsy to use. Only a simple description, more query functions, described in the later section of the map service.

• 3.1. MapSever interaction using CGI
  • 3.1.1. Technical note on network access of MapServer
  • 3.1.2. MapServer application development through CGI
  • 3.1.3. MapServer HTML template
• 3.2. Interactive Map and Browse Model
  • 3.2.1. View examples
  • 3.2.2. Submit CGI variables using Post form
  • 3.2.3. Mapfile and template file description
  • 3.2.4. Requirements for MapServer template files
• 3.3. MapServer interaction: browse and zoom control
  • 3.3.1. How to browse and zoom
  • 3.3.2. Pan and zoom map in WebGIS map: POST form submission
  • 3.3.3. View Mapfile
• 3.4. MapServer interaction: layer control
  • 3.4.1. How to control layers
  • 3.4.2. Open and close map layers