= Suggestions / Enhancements =

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== Improved support for dashed lines ==

To improve the support of dashed lines in Mapserver, INITIALGAP needs to be added as a STYLE
parameter and GAP needs to specify the centre to centre distance between points.

=== Current support for dashed lines in Mapserver ===

Dashed lines have "always" been supported by Mapserver. Currently (Mapserver 6.0) with the
LAYER-> CLASS-> STYLE-> PATTERN parameter.

{{{PATTERN <length1> <gap1> <length2> <gap2> ... END}}}

The pattern is repeated until the end of the line is reached.

=== Support for styling of dashed lines with point symbols ===

Lines can be styled with point symbols using the LAYER-> CLASS-> STYLE-> GAP parameter,
which places point symbols along a line with a spacing given by GAP. Currently, dashed lines can not
be styled in this way. It is not possible to make the signature in the figure with Mapserver:
In order to support this kind of signature (which is used on orienteering maps), it must be possible to
specify the gap to the first symbol on the line separately. For instance using INITIALGAP (as used in
SLD), as suggested in Mapserver ticket #3879. Using INITIALGAP, the signature can be specified
as follows:

{{{
STYLE # DASHED LINE
  COLOR 0 0 0
  WIDTH 0.1
  PATTERN 2.25 0.25 END
END
STYLE # POINTS
  SYMBOL "circlef"
  COLOR 0 0 0
  SIZE 0.4
  INITIALGAP 1.125
  GAP 2.5
END
}}}

To simplify this kind of styling, it is also important that the GAP value specifies the centre to centre
distance between the points (as suggested in Mapserver ticket #3867).

=== Support for styling of dashed lines with dashed lines ===

Lines can be styled with dashed lines by overlay (STYLE on STYLE). But styling of dashed lines
with dashed lines is currently not possible. In order to make this possible it is necessary to specify a
gap to the start of the pattern, for instance using INITIALGAP, as used for point symbols.

[[Image()]]

{{{
STYLE
  COLOR 0 0 0
  WIDTH 0.2
  PATTERN 2.25 0.25 END
END
STYLE
  COLOR 255 255 255
  WIDTH 0.1
  INITIALGAP 0.5
  PATTERN 1.25 1.25 END
END
}}}

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