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