MapGuide RFC 41 - .NET boilerplatte and samples for building web services (MgServerExtensions) ¶

This page contains an change request (RFC) for the MapGuide Open Source project. More MapGuide RFCs can be found on the RFCs page.

Status ¶

RFC Template Version	(1.0)
Submission Date	(Date/Time submitted)
Last Modified	Maksim Sestic Timestamp
Author	Maksim Sestic
RFC Status	draft
Implementation Status	under development)
Proposed Milestone	(2.1)
Assigned PSC guide(s)	(when determined)
Voting History	(vote date)
+1	Bob, Andy, Haris
+0	Paul
-0	Tom, Bruce
-1	Jason (troublemaker)

Overview ¶

Simple .NET wrapper over existing managed MapGuide API. Enables easier access to resources and repositories, also including some additional functionality. Includes samples for building and consuming web services.

Motivation ¶

Present managed wrapper doesn't help much when it comes to accessing MG's resources and repositories - up to the point where developers need to parse XML files manually, since there's no way of managed serialization/deserialization of underlying unmanaged types. Except for that, proposed managed API (dubbed "MgServerExtensions") offers some additional functionaliy not originally found within MG API: tile cache management, creating PDF documents from ready-made templates, samples of exposing and consuming custom web services, etc.

I also need a feedback on usability of proposed API when it comes to .NET developers.

Proposed Solution ¶

This solution doesn't target any specific segment of MG, although it may become one. It's rather both pointer and helper for .NET developers developing custom client/server solutions based on MG (using ASP.NET and/or AJAX.NET). MgServerExtensions may serve as a separate component to MG, similar to MGE's "Web Server Extensions". Installer part still TBD, but this is a lesser problem.

See attached MgServerExtensions API help.

Implications ¶

There are no backwards compatibility issues.

Test Plan ¶

MapGuide Server: MGE 2008 - passed / MG Open Source - TBD

Server: Windows (IIS, .NET) - passed / Linux (Apache, Mono) - TBD

Client: ASP.NET - passed / PHP - passed / Java - TBD

Funding/Resources ¶

TBD