Hi, I was jumping with joy this morning when I saw the announcement that the new version 8.0.19.0 dealt with a couple of updates related to OGC WMServers:

#26-Aug-10 05:04

A new update for Manifold is now available.

Changes since previous update:

• (Fix)The Manifold OGC WMS server no longer reports wrong coordinate boxes for systems other than lat/lon

  (Fix) Linking data from an OGC WMS server correctly handles relative service URLs in the capabilities document.

My issue up to now is not being able to choose the coordinate system when linking to images from a wms server. The images always come back in lats & long. I was hoping with this release it's been fixed.

But alas, even with this update, I'm still unable to retrieve an image in a projection other than lats and long. A common projection in BC is (what else?) BC Albers (EPSG 3005) and it's available from the provincial WMServers. I can use QGis and retrieve images in BC Albers or UTM. But in Manifold, there is still no way to select from among the available coordinate systems when connecting to a WMServer.

Are other people able to link to OGC WMServers and select a projection from the ones offered by the server?

Here is the URL for hillshades from a government of British Columbia WMS server if anyone wants to test:

http://openmaps.gov.bc.ca/imagex/ecw_wms.dll?service=wms&version=1.1.1&request=getcapabilities

Here's the page with all the WMS URLs

http://archive.ilmb.gov.bc.ca/dm/wms/index.html

Well, the ability to choose a specific coordinate system from the list of all coordinate systems supported by a specific OGC WMS server is a feature. Granted, it doesn't look like a particularly big feature, but it is still a feature, and when it will be implemented, the relevant item in the list of changes won't be prefixed with the word "(Fix)".

I absolutely agree that being able to control the coordinate system used by the image linked from an OGC WMS server is useful. This is in the wishlist.

If you are a web developer, you can force Manifold to use the coordinate system you want by writing a simple page which will redirect all traffic to the desired OGC WMS server, but hook the GetCapabilities request and respond with a static XML taken from the original server and edited manually (just strip all lat/lon systems), then connecting Manifold to the OGC WMS server through that page. Clumsy, but should work...

Hi Adam,

Thanks for confirming this feature is on the development list. As for developing a web page, that's beyond my abilities. I'm just a user, not a techie.

was this item:

478. The installation packages no longer contain geocoding servers for Geocoder.US and Microsoft Virtual Earth.

removed due to licensing issues.

No. Embedding an image server into Manifold itself means you have to issue a new build of Manifold to adjust to any changes. Providing an image server as a download means you can maintain it just by updating the web page.

Putting it on the web page also allows provision of source, and allows users who want to make changes to do so, which is not possible if it is built into Manifold.

See http://www.manifold.net/servers.shtml - the AllServersPack recommended download has the geocoding servers and many image servers. The AllServersSources download has all the sources.

What Mike says.

Geocoding servers are similar to image servers in that both at times require rapid changes in order to keep up with shifts in used URLs and whatnot, or they just stop working. We thought it would be logical to handle geocoding servers similarly to image servers and distribute them separately from Manifold rather than bundled in. That's all.

Tonyw, following up on adamw's comment:

but it is still a feature, and when it will be implemented, the relevant item in the list of changes won't be prefixed with the word "(Fix)".

Visit http://www.manifold.net/info/suggestions.shtml - See the tips, especially the third bullet down. :-)

Hi Mike, is that the bullet with the clause "Do not base your purchase decision of additional Manifold licenses on an expectation that a suggestion will be implemented as a feature"?

Hmm, Adam, can you clarify if "being on the wish list" is the same as "accepted and planned for development"? I've sent a detailed request in previously so I can only hope. This would be a very useful feature and would open up the possibility of using images from WMServers in the selected projection rather than unprojected in lat & long.

is that the bullet

No, sorry for not being more clear. I meant the "tips" section from http://www.manifold.net/info/suggestions.shtml:

Tips for Effective Suggestions

Some tips on how to make product suggestions that will influence the product as rapidly as you would like:

• [...]
• [...]
• Don't call a new feature you would like to see a "bugfix." For example, comments of the form "I've found a terrible bug in Manifold - it doesn't include a full-featured word processor like Microsoft Word" are a good way to lose credibility. If the product does not do something as it is documented, that's a "bug". If it does not include a feature or capability you would like to see, or if it is missing opportunities for additions here or there that greatly expand the usage of an existing feature, that's a new feature suggestion.

can you clarify if "being on the wish list" is the same as "accepted and planned for development"?

The only way to find out what is planned for development is to attend an NDA briefing. Regarding a suggestion there is guidance from the same URL:

How do I find out the status of a suggestion? Once a suggestion is made there is no way to tell the status until it appears in a new release.

That is in there because it is literally true, there for useful guidance. Don't second guess it. Instead, study the whole URL carefully so you can understand why it is true. That will help you use the process to your maximum advantage.

Being on the wishlist means it is one of tens of thousands of items on the wishlist. That's an important step in the right direction but it is just one step. As the URL advises in the ground rules, for more steps priority is a factor, but so are targets of opportunity and so is credibility in the case of advocates for infrequently-suggested items.

Thanks Mike

I've sent a suggestion into Sales some time ago (I think over a year ago) following the tips on the suggestion page. It was a pretty detailed suggestion with screen shots. I'll just have to wait and see if the OGC dialog box is eventually enhanced to allow one to select from the choice of coordinate systems offered by a WMServer.