MapServer 2012 SOC Ideas


 * Back to the main OSGeo Google Summer of Code 2012 wiki page.
 * Back to the main OSGeo Google Summer of Code 2012 Ideas wiki page.

= MapServer Suite 2012 SOC Ideas =

Enter ideas for development projects here. Note these are just suggestions - students are welcome to propose projects based on their own interests that relate to the MapServer Suite. Our current efforts are based on the following projects:


 * Mapserver Suite This is the mapserver cartographic server, which now includes TinyOWS and MapCache.

You can find the source code, tutorials, the project mailing list and various other information at the links above.

To give you an idea about possible SoC projects, here are some suggestions:

GSoC project : SpatiaLite support in TinyOWS
TinyOWS is a geographical feature server, implementing WFS and WFS-T OGC protocols. TinyOWS focus on performance, KISS design, and strong compliance to the standards. It will be included in the MapServer Suite project as soon as the forthcoming 6.2 release.

TinyOWS currently relies heavily on PostGIS, to get a strong transactionnel backend, and be as close as possible from the data. This leads to good performances and avoid duplication of features (such as GML format I/O for instance).

This SoC project consists in the implementation of a Spatialite additional support for TinyOWS. The aim is to use this lightweight database as a backend, enabling TinyOWS deployment without the need of a PostGIS server.

SpatiaLite is indeed a SQLite spatial extension, adding a whole lot of geographical features to SQLite, creating a convenient and lightweight self- contained spatial database. While being less efficient than PostGIS in a multi- user context, SpatiaLite supports transactions and most of the spatial features needed to act as TinyOWS backend.

The project will include the following steps :
 * Inclusion of SpatiaLite libraries into TinyOWS build system (as optional)
 * Identify all TinyOWS codes related to PostGIS functions.
 * Add missing features into SpatiaLite to be able to act as TinyOWS backend (GeomFromGML for instance)
 * And provide a clean enough patch to get these features commited into the trunk
 * Add multi-database abstraction layer into TinyOWS (to support either PostGIS or SpatiaLite)
 * CreateTinyOWS and SpatiaLite units tests cases
 * Check compliance to CITE tests for OGC standards with SpatiaLite backend
 * Compare performances between PostGIS backend and SpatiaLite backend
 * SQL Injection audit, on the new backend (with a tool like SQLMap)

Lots of other options
There are a lot of other possibilities that we would be happy to discuss with any students interested. Best you contact us on the MapServer mailing list:


 * http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/mapserver-dev

= Mentor Candidates =

The following individuals are potentially willing to serve as MapServer mentors or co-mentors.


 * Olivier Courtin 
 * Brad Hards  (on SpatiaLite stuff)