If you want to integrate Google StreetView within your GeoExt application, the StreetViewPanel can be of interest.
A demo can be found here
Testers are welcome for this beta 
Archive for November, 2009
Beta of the GeoExt UX: StreetViewPanel
Monday, November 30th, 2009 by Cédric MoulletUniversal Principles of Design: Cost-Benefit
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 by Cédric Moullet“An activity will be pursued only if its benefits are equal to or greater than the costs”.
If a function can be performed in 2 s in ArcView, QGis, Udig or Mapinfo and it takes 20 s in a web maping applications, the web maping applications will for sure not be used.
The important thing is to evaluate the ratio Cost-Benefit and not only the cost or the benefit. Typically, a complex wizard can be proposed if the benefit for the user is very high. But, if the benefit is low, than the wizard will simply be ignored.
Source: “Universal Principles of Design” from Lidwell, Holden and Butler
Universal Principles of Design: Cost-Benefit
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 by Cédric Moullet“An activity will be pursued only if its benefits are equal to or greater than the costs”.
If a function can be performed in 2 s in ArcView, QGis, Udig or Mapinfo and it takes 20 s in a web maping applications, the web maping applications will for sure not be used.
The important thing is to evaluate the ratio Cost-Benefit and not only the cost or the benefit. Typically, a complex wizard can be proposed if the benefit for the user is very high. But, if the benefit is low, than the wizard will simply be ignored.
Source: “Universal Principles of Design” from Lidwell, Holden and Butler
MapFish application receives the Globe Award
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 by Cédric MoulletThe British Guild of Travel Writers has given SwitzerlandMobility the 2009 Globe Award.
If you don’t want to make some bike or Kanu, you can do it virtually here
MapFish application receives the Globe Award
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 by Cédric MoulletThe British Guild of Travel Writers has given SwitzerlandMobility the 2009 Globe Award.
If you don’t want to canoe or ride a bike, you can always do it virtually here
SuisseMobile, lauréat du prestigieux “Globe Award”
Thursday, November 19th, 2009 by Claude PhiliponaSuisseMobile , dont le système de visualisation cartographique a été réalisé par Camptocamp à l’aide du framework MapFish reçoit le "Globe Award".
Le 8 novembre dernier, les quelque 270 membres de l’Association britannique des rédacteurs de tourisme (British Guild of Travel Writers) ont décerné leur prix le plus prestigieux, le «Globe Award», à SuisseMobile. Cette association regroupe journalistes, auteurs, éditeurs, photographes et reporters britanniques spécialisés dans les récits de voyage. A l’occasion de la remise du prix, ils ont salué SuisseMobile comme «la quintessence du tourisme durable, qui promeut les modes de transport les plus respectueux de l’environnement, encourage le tourisme dans des régions périphériques et permet à de petites entreprises de bénéficier des retombées économiques du tourisme.»
Après le Prix suisse du design, le Prix Evenir de l’Union pétrolière suisse, le Prix vélo et le Milestone 2008, ce Globe Award est la suite de distinctions récompensant La Suisse à vélo et SuisseMobile.
The first GeoExt ux is born: GeoNames Search
Thursday, November 19th, 2009 by Cédric MoulletAfter some discussion at Foss4g2009, the GeoExt community decided to allow developers to provide additional functionality and UI components built on top of GeoExt. This can be done through the GeoExt ux.
The first GeoExt ux is a GeoNames search that can easily be integrated in your applications.
See the demo here and the description here.
OGC web service security without login
Monday, November 16th, 2009 by Cédric MoulletI got this week three times the same question: “I have an OGC web service, which is secured (basic auth, for example). For my web mapping application, is is possible to access to it without login ?”
The answer is NO !!!
In order to secure a web service, you need an authentication process and an authorization process. Basically, you need to know who is connected and what are the rights of the connected user. If one of these elemnts is missing, you will not be able to secure your web service.
Of course, you can create a nice server proxy that will filter/modify or whatever the request to the secured web service (in this case, the proxy will send the login information to the secured OGC service), but this proxy will basically expose what you want to expose to the web applications. It will not secure anything, it will simply hide what you don’t want to show to the web application. MapServer can, for example, plays this role.
So, a choice has to be made: login or no login !
OGC web service security without login
Monday, November 16th, 2009 by Cédric MoulletI got this week three times the same question: “I have an OGC web service, which is secured (basic auth, for example). For my web mapping application, is is possible to access to it without login ?”
The answer is NO !!!
In order to secure a web service, you need an authentication process and an authorization process. Basically, you need to know who is connected and what are the rights of the connected user. If one of these elemnts is missing, you will not be able to secure your web service.
Of course, you can create a nice server proxy that will filter/modify or whatever the request to the secured web service (in this case, the proxy will send the login information to the secured OGC service), but this proxy will basically expose what you want to expose to the web applications. It will not secure anything, it will simply hide what you don’t want to show to the web application. MapServer can, for example, plays this role.
So, a choice has to be made: login or no login !
MapFish starts the OSGEO incubation process !
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 by Cédric MoulletBoth MapFish and GeoServer projects have been accepted yesterday to the OSGEO (Open Source Geospatial foundation) incubation process.
MapFish initial discussions started at Foss4G 2006. I think that the MapFish community did a fantastic work in order to provide an easy-to-use web 2.0 development framework. It’s now an honour to be recognized on the OSGEO level, together with very well-established Open Source projects.
We face now some very interesting challenge like defining the exact content of MapFish, deciding about the license model and the copyright assignment, organizing the PSC and the governance etc, etc… But maybe, the biggest challenge will be to explain what is exactly MapFish and what are its benefits. Anyone who is willing to participate to these initial discussions is welcome to join an IRC meeting tomorrow.
Thanks to Gary Sherman for accepting to be our mentor in this process.
MapFish Client discussing with MapFish Server