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 anyway
  • ease contributions from JavaScript developers (who may be put off the Python part)
  • support caching
• There are some cool features available which we'd like to make use of

Links

• ​Sahana Demo site
• ​OpenGeo Demo site
• ​OpenGeo Wiki
• ​OpenGeo Trunk code
• OpenGeo are using GeoExplorer as part of GeoNode:
  • ​http://geonode.org
  • ​http://dev.geonode.org/trac

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

• Internal feature layers (do these as KML?)
• KML/GeoRSS/GPX layers (use source 'ol'?)
• Clustering
• Extra OSM layers (CycleMap, Hillshading, Taiwan, Custom)
• Extra Google layers (MapMaker)
• Yahoo layers
• Potlatch2 integration
• HTML5 GeoLocation support
• GeoNames Search
• Overview map
• Mouse Pointer: Lat/Lon & MGRS
• Configurability
  • we could have each button have an enabled option?

Issues with GeoExplorer

Outstanding

• 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
• No Mouse wheel to zoom
• 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)
• Currently has issues with GeoExt 1.0 (j is null)
• Not tried updating to latest GXP version from ​GitHub yet

Fixed

• Ext 3.0.0 -> 3.2.1 (Test they work ok with 3.0.0 too):
  • height: 27 (north) [GeoExplorer.js & Viewer.js]
  • header: false (westPanel) [GeoExplorer.js]
• OpenLayers 2.9 -> 2.10
  • Can remove the 'Patch the SphericalMercator layer' from the top of GeoExplorer.js

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