[[TOC]]
= !GeoExplorer =
Work has started to integrate !OpenGeo's !GeoExplorer as an alternate/replacement Map Viewing Client.

== Why? ==
 * Good for Users to use consistent tools across applications
 * Good for Developers to be part of a bigger community
 * We want to rewrite to have most of the app in static !JavaScript with [http://yuiblog.com/blog/2007/06/12/module-pattern/ module pattern] anyway
  * ease contributions from !JavaScript developers (who may be put off the Python part)
  * support caching
 * There are some [wiki:BluePrintGISGeoExplorer#GeoExplorerhaswhichMVCdoesnt cool features] available which we'd like to make use of

== Links ==
 * [http://demo.eden.sahanafoundation.org/eden/gis/geoexplorer Sahana Demo site]
 * [http://suite.opengeo.org/geoexplorer OpenGeo Demo site]
 * [http://suite.opengeo.org/docs/geoexplorer/index.html Geoexplorer Documentation]
 * [http://projects.opengeo.org/geoext/wiki/GeoExplorer OpenGeo Wiki]
 * !OpenGeo are using !GeoExplorer as part of !GeoNode:
  * http://geonode.org
  * http://dev.geonode.org/trac
 * These tools will be merged with !GeoExplorer:
  * [http://suite.opengeo.org/geoeditor/ GeoEditor]
  * [http://suite.opengeo.org/styler/ Styler]

== How ==
 * [https://github.com/opengeo/GeoExplorer GeoExplorer GitHub]
 * [https://github.com/opengeo/gxp GXP GitHub] - toolset upon which !GeoExplorer is built
 * [http://getsatisfaction.com/opengeo OpenGeo Community Forum]

 * GeoExplorer extends gxp.Viewer
 * Composer extends GeoExplorer (adds left 3 buttons)

Server shouldn't write out JavaScript:
 * config should be passed between client & server using JSON config objects

== Feature Comparison ==
=== !GeoExplorer has which MVC doesn't ===
 * Save personalised, bookmarkable map views (layers / viewport)
 * Browse for new WMS servers/layers
 * Google Earth 'layer'
 * Legend panel for WMS layers
 * Print support more complete
  * Warning for unsupported layers
 * Implementation of 'group' for different layer folders (can use this for Internal/External feeds)
 * Icons in top toolbar ('north') instead of Map panel title: more screen real-estate for map & potentially space for more icons (although good to keep uncluttered if possible)

=== MVC has which !GeoExplorer doesn't ===
NB It should be relatively easy to patch some of these in within Sahana (using a slightly-modified version of the existing Python code) as an interim measure to getting them added to the !GeoExplorer !JavaScript libraries [[BR]](crossed-out lines here have been implemented, some like that).

 * WFS Layers
 * Extra Google layers (!MapMaker)
 * Yahoo layers
 * WMS Browser (do we need this with the multi-server browser?)
 * Overview map
 * ~~Internal feature layers~~
 * ~~KML/GeoRSS/GPX layers~~
 * ~~Extra OSM layers (!CycleMap, Hillshading, Taiwan, Custom)~~
 * ~~Potlatch2 integration~~
 * ~~HTML5 !GeoLocation support~~
 * ~~!GeoNames Search~~
 * ~~Mouse Pointer: Lat/Lon & MGRS~~
 * Configurability
  * can we embed a map into a page?
   * should be possible by using an Ext.Panel:
{{{
config[portalConfig]: ``Ext.Panel`` if it has a ``renderTo`` property, or an ``Ext.Viewport`` otherwise
}}}
  * can we have a popup window for the !LocationSelector?
   * Switching to Ext.Window isn't easy. Overriding initPortal in Sahana.js means we lose the toolbar/layerContainer/legendContainer
  * can each button have an enabled option?

== Issues with !GeoExplorer ==
=== Outstanding ===
 * Internal Feature Layers need to populate the Legend
 * Localisation
  * get the i18n strings added to the PO files on Pootle (via Python .py? or separate process?)
  * text strings are sometimes still hidden in private methods not separate public variables
  * http://www.sencha.com/learn/Tutorial:Localizing_Ext
 * Published maps: {{{geoexplorer/viewer.html#id}}}
  * Doesn't appear to read the config at all!
  * Viewer sends about to geoexplorer/about.html
 * How to edit Title/Abstract(Description)/Contact when saving a map?
 * How to save a WMS Server when saving a Map? ({{{"source":"source78"}}})
 * Not clear when saving whether this is a New map or an Update
  * Should have a 'Save As' option
 * scaleLinePanel ugly: remove the Scale Chooser?
 * Layer-Switcher in Embedded View not as nice...why different UI (just that we have less space not a reason since we can collapse mini)
 * HTML5 geoLocation isn't always reliable (sometimes screen just flashes & the viewport doesn't go to correct location)
 * Rewrite KML/GeoRSS/GPX feeds:
  * Parse config from {{{/eden/gis/layer_kml.json}}}
   * Single Store for all layers. (No need to support pulling config from multiple Sahana's. Also makes it easier for the caching/unzipping)
   * Future: Make it easy to Add new Feeds within GeoExplorer via {{{/eden/gis/layer_kml/create.json}}}
  * Caching / unzipping of KMZs means that we don't just want to read the config but also to initiate the server-side processes for this functionality
=== Changed ===
Local to Sahana:
 * OSM uses {{{TMSSource.js}}} to allow displaying across the dateline [{{{gxp/loader.js}}}]
 * Base layers above Overlays [{{{GeoExplorer.js}}}]
  * NB if try to {{{//expanded: true,}}} then get weird effects with 1 baselayer appearing on load & a different one when the Base Layers folder is opened
 * {{{Composer.js}}} showEmbedWindow shows wrong link: geoexplorer/viewer.html (can't redirect as web2py doesn't see the '#')

=== Fixed ===
Can go upstream: https://github.com/opengeo/GeoExplorer/pull/1
 * Ext 3.0.0 -> 3.3.1 (Test they work ok with 3.0.0 too):
  * {{{header: false}}} (westPanel)   [{{{GeoExplorer.js}}}]
 * !OpenLayers 2.9 -> 2.10
  * Can remove the 'Patch the !SphericalMercator layer' from the top of {{{GeoExplorer.js}}}
 * !GeoExt - >Trunk
  * Can {{{//,items: []}}} [{{{GeoExplorer.js}}}] since http://trac.geoext.org/ticket/305 is fixed

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[wiki:BluePrintGeographicInformationSystems GIS BluePrints]