Suas Mapserver - an Open Source Framework for Extended Web Map Services

The Web Map Server Implementation Specification (WMS), originally developed and published by the Open Geospatial Consortium, was finally adopted by ISO as an international standard. According to this standard maps are presented either in “picture” formats or “graphic element” formats. While the pictorial (visual) representation uses raster formats, graphic element formats include Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) or Web Computer Graphics Metafile (WebCGM) format. In this paper a framework named SUAS for supporting extended Web Map Services will be presented. Geo-data is converted to Well Known Text format (WKT) and stored in a database management system, retrieved by the WMS server upon user request and transferred – optionally compressed – through the Internet. Finally it is visualized in Web browsers on desktop computers or mobile devices, natively or using special map clients. Besides supporting the WMS standard operations, additional formats and extensions have been included in this framework. The development proves that open, XML-based standards in combination with modern programming languages and integrated development environments allow rapid implementation of recommendations and standards in geo-informatics. * Corresponding author.