Map Server Overview

Manifold System includes the ability to publish a map for viewing on Internet through ordinary browsers. The Manifold Internet Map Server (IMS) is an integral part of Manifold System. Manifold IMS can publish maps, drawings, images or surfaces from .map files to Internet in conjunction with Microsoft's Internet Information Server (IIS).

With the Manifold map server anyone with a Windows server and a DSL connection, cable modem or other full-time Internet connection can publish dynamic map projects to the web for the entire world to see. Organizational users can publish Manifold projects on their Intranets to provide convenient viewing of data through browsers.

There are four steps to using Manifold IMS to publish to the Internet:

Use Manifold to create a project containing the map or other component to be published. The entire rest of this documentation describes the many capabilities of Manifold at your disposal for creating cool maps.
Create the files required for a map server web page using File - Export - Web Page. This topic describes this step in detail.
Use the created files within a web site. If the files are created directly within a folder in your IIS directory tree (such as C:\InetPub\wwwroot\) the result of the File - Export - Web Page dialog will be an immediately "live" web site. This step is covered in the next topic, Creating a Web Site .
Check to make sure the IUSR_ account for the IIS machine has access permissions to the web site you have created. Use Windows Explorer to view the security settings on all files involved in your web site. [This is an elementary part of setting up a web site within IIS and is really part of the third step above; however, it is so often overlooked by novice webmasters that Technical Support asks we include this as an explicit fourth step.]

Installation and Activation

Manifold IMS is an integral part of Manifold System. Manifold System must be installed on the machine that runs a Manifold IMS web site.

During installation, the installation dialogs offer a choice to install Manifold System for anyone who uses the computer or just for the login in use. Manifold System must be installed for use by everyone who uses the computer in order for Manifold IMS to function.
When Manifold is running as a map server it will not raise the Activation dialog. Before attempting to use the map server within Manifold you must launch Manifold interactively at least once to provide a serial number for preliminary installation, or a serial number and Activation key for permanent installation. See the Activation Keys and Serial Numbers topic.
Note: after installing Manifold on a new IIS machine for the first time, do an iisreset command or reboot the system.
You cannot run Manifold interactively at the same time IMS is running, and you cannot run IMS at the same time that someone is using Manifold interactively on the same machine. If you are trying to use the same machine to run Manifold interactively and also to host an IIS / IMS web site, you must organize your activities so that an interactive session and IMS are not working together at the same time (or, one or both will not work). In such cases you must do an iisreset command after working with Manifold interactively before launching IMS, and you must stop the website and then do an iisreset command before launching Manifold interactively.

Using the File - Export - Web Page Dialog

To publish a map page for use with Manifold IMS, open the component to be published and choose File - Export - Web Page to launch the Export Web Page dialog. This dialog creates a set of Active Server Page (.asp) pages or ASP.NET pages that can be used in a Microsoft IIS web site.

The following instructions assume we have already created the Manifold project that will be published. Most users will have a working copy of the project in some development directory. They will then save a copy of the project to a directory on the server from which it will be published. The map server can then use the copy of the project for publishing.

To create a map server web page:

Launch Manifold and open the .map project that contains the component to be published.
Open the component that is to be published.
Use File - Save to save the project .map file to the location on the server where you want the working copy of the .map file to be stored.
Choose File - Export - Web page.
In the Export Web Page dialog choose a folder in which the web page files should be created. This could a temporary folder or it could be the folder within the C:\InetPub\wwwroot hierarchy that will be used for the web page.
Specify other options as desired and choose OK.
Close the .map file and exit Manifold.
Use the created files within your web site as described in Creating a Web Site .

Files Created

The Export Web Page dialog creates several main files and one directory containing additional files that are used in the web site to create the web page seen by browsers. Files created by the Export Web Page dialog include:

default.asp	Main .asp page. Calls other pages with or without frames depending on the template used.
default.css	Cascading style sheet file specifying fonts and other styles.
default_admin.asp	Administration page that shows the number of current sessions, the dates of the first hit, last hit and last reload, the total hits and a Reload button that can be used to force a reload of all .map files used by all sites hosted by this IMS server. This administration page is created if the Admin page box is checked in the Export Web Page dialog. If you create a default_admin.asp page for your IMS site, make sure to change access permissions on it so that ordinary Internet browsers cannot use it.
config.txt	Configuration information. Provides path to the .map file to be used, the name of the component within the .map file to be published, x size in pixels of image, y size in pixels of image, an optional title and an optional subtitle. The path to the .map file to use is taken based on whatever .map file was being used when the Export Web Page dialog was used. The config.txt allows setting some other options, such as click radius, manually.
images	A directory containing image files in .png format that are used to create toolbar buttons and controls.
map.asp, mapview.asp, tableview.asp	Accessory .asp files that may be created by some templates that are used to create tables and manage the map view displayed.

The .asp files work in concert to generate the HTML stream that is sent to a browser by IIS to display the map image, toolbar, status bar, menu panes and tables that result from queries. Scripting code within the .asp files calls the map server to generate the correct view. Toolbar buttons and other controls are drawn using images stored in an images subdirectory.

Default Configuration

Optional templates used within the Export Web Page dialog will create different pages. The configuration seen in the browser window depends on choices made in the dialog. The illustrations shown below use the Standard template, which is designed for use with newer browsers. The Compatible with 4.x browsers template uses a simpler style. The Compatible template provides all functions of the Standard templates except the Info button.

The default layout positions a toolbar above the main view. Buttons allowing panning surround the view. Clicking on a panning button moves the view in that direction.

Optional tools such as the Find tool or Legend are positioned in menu bars to the right.

Clicking on the down arrows in the menu headings expands the tools.

Permissions

The .map file used with the web site must have security permissions such that the IUSR_ account used for Internet browsers has read access. This account begins with "IUSR_" and ends with the machine name. For example, if our machine is called MAPSERVER the account will be called IUSR_MAPSERVER. Manifold must be installed for everyone to use on the machine.

Very important: Failure to pay attention to permissions and to grant the IUSR_ account read permissions to the .map file being used is the number one technical support call for IMS. If you experience difficulty browsing an IMS web site, save yourself a developer support incident, fire up Windows Explorer and check the permission on the .map file in use. To do so, right click on the file, choose the Security tab and make sure that the IUSR_ account appears in the list of account names that have access to that file. If it does not, Add the IUSR_ account and give it Read & Execute permissions.

If any linked drawings are used in the project that is published, the IUSR_ account must have read access to the tables that control those linked drawings. In some cases, such as when .mdb files are used, the IUSR_ account must have write permissions to the folder in which those files are located, since the map server process must create a lock file as is required when working with .mdb.

Windows administration errors that result in the IUSR_ login not having read access to the .map file are one of the most frequent reasons why an IMS web site will not launch. If the IMS web site does not launch, check the permissions on the .map file and on the folder in which it is located. See the discussion in the Creating a Web Site topic for more information.

Geocoding SQL extensions will not work with Manifold IMS unless the US streets geocoding database is installed within the Manifold application installation folder (normally, C:\Program Files\Manifold System). Therefore, the US streets geocoding database should be installed in the Manifold application installation folder on machines on which Manifold IMS operates. The default installation path for the Manifold geocoding database is C:\Program Files\Manifold System\GCDB, which satisfies the above criteria if Manifold has also been installed to the default path.

Note: Security permissions are part of modern Windows editions such as Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows XP. However, security options are available within Windows NT or 2000 only if the disk drive is formatted using NTFS. If a disk drive has been formatted using FAT32 (as is possible, for example, if someone has arranged a dual boot system that can be booted either as Windows 98 or Windows 2000) then security permissions will not be available.

Since FAT32 does not provide any security options all files and folders located on FAT32 volumes can be read by and written to by anyone (including IUSR_). This, of course, makes it entirely possible to host IIS and IMS on a FAT32 drive, albeit without any security options.

MapPoint and IMS

MapPoint geocoding will normally not work from IMS unless we map anonymous Internet connections to a user account that has more enhanced permissions than the default Internet access IUSR_xxx account.

To enhance permissions for the Internet access account:

Create a regular user account with default permissions that is a member of the Users group.
Open Control Panel - Administrative Tools - Internet Information Services (or the equivalent dialog in your version of Windows).
Right click the folder that contains the published website, select Properties, switch to Directory Security and click Edit under Anonymous access and authentication control.
Set the user account used for anonymous access to the account created in step 1 above.

See the Geocoding with MapPoint topic for use of MapPoint as an auxiliary geocoder.

Dialog Options

Folder	Name of the folder in which to create the new default.asp page. Use the […] button to the right of the Folder box to call a standard Windows browse dialog.
Template	Choose a template to use to create the web page. Different templates will yield different site structures as well as different appearance styles. Standard - Allows all options. Displays each new table in a new browser window. Standard (framed) - Allows all options. Displays tables in a frame within the same browser window. Compatible with 4.x browsers - Allows all options except the Info tool. Generates HTML compatible with older browsers. Displays tables in the same browser window, thus requiring a back command to see the map again. Template selections also include ASP .NET versions of the templates. These should only be used when operating Manifold IMS in an ASP .NET environment. See the section at the end of this topic on using Manifold IMS in ASP .NET.
Size	Size of image to serve. The actual visualization of maps or layers within maps must be served to the browser as an image. Choosing this parameter chooses the size of image served. Any size may be specified, although usually settings are similar to aspect ratios seen in computer display monitors to provide pleasing proportions. Typical settings might be 320x240, 400x300, 640x480 to 800x600. Larger images will result in slower map server operation and slower downloads for viewers. Larger images will also require more of your Internet connection bandwidth.
Embed description info	If checked, write text properties into the .png image that is served in the web page using the component name as the Title property, the component's description text property as the Description property and the Software property set to the "Manifold System…" identification string displayed in the Help - About dialog. This option is a useful way of embedding copyright slogans: enter the copyright text or whatever other text you want embedded into the image into the component's Description property and it will be embedded into the .png image served. Virtually no one who saves your web site's image to their local machine will realize that you have, in effect, "watermarked" it with embedded .png text properties.
Title	Optional title string to use for the generated page. By default the title is set to the name of the component.
Subtitle	Optional subtitle string to use in the page. This string is often used to provide directions, such as "Click on a tool to choose it and then click in the map." When using the "Compatible" template, the directions might be "Click near the edges of the map to scroll in that direction."
Copyright	Optional copyright string to include in fine print at the bottom of the display. Set to " Copyright (C) 2003. All rights reserved." by default.
Queries	If any queries exist in the project, they will be listed in this pane with a checkbox in alphabetical order. Check a query's checkbox to include it in a Queries pane on the web page. See the IMS Queries topic.
Admin page	If checked, create an administrative page for the web site in the form of a default_admin.asp page. The administration page shows the number of current sessions, the dates of the first hit, last hit and last reload, the total hits and a Reload button that can be used to force a reload of all .map files used by all sites hosted by this IMS server. If you create a default_admin.asp page for your IMS site, make sure to change access permissions on it so that ordinary Internet browsers cannot use it.
Find tool	Generates a control pane that allows searching for a particular value in a specified field. This control is for drawings and maps that contain drawings only. Note that the Find tool will list all fields in all drawings in a map that is published, excluding the ID field and intrinsic fields. To avoid confusing users, delete all undesired fields from drawings that are published. Objects found by Find will be shown in selection color.
Hyperlinks	Enable hyperlinks. If a drawing contains a field named URL (which may be any text type or URL type field) double clicking on an object will launch the contents of the URL field in a browser.
Info tool	Generates a toolbar button providing an information tool that displays fields of a clicked object or relevant information for a clicked label or pixel. The clicked object will be shown in selection color and a table will be displayed containing its fields. The Info tool will list all fields in all drawings in a map that is published, excluding the ID field and intrinsic fields
Layers	Generates a control menu that allows turning layers on and off. This control is available for maps only.
Legend	Include a legend in the web page.
Location	Generates a status note at the bottom of the display showing the latitude and longitude of the center of the current display.
Logo	Enabled in Enterprise Edition only. Uncheck to eliminate the "Powered by manifold.net" notice and hyperlink at the bottom of generated images.
Scale	Generates a status note at the bottom of the display specifying current scale in 1:xxx form. This control is for projected components only.
Views	Generates a pane containing a hyperlink for each named view. Named views (saved in the Views pane for that component) will appear under the names used for them in the Views pane. Available only if the component has views saved.
Launch hyperlinks in new browser window	If checked, when a user clicks a hyperlink a new browser window will be launched to display the link. Otherwise, the link will be displayed in the same window. The value of the option is saved into the hyperlinksNew entry within the config.txt file.
Refresh linked components every … minutes	If a linked drawing is in the published project or if a linked table is used in the published component, refresh it automatically every given number of minutes. Refreshing a linked drawing will update it from the controlling database table and refreshing a linked table will guarantee that it uses the latest values from the external table. Choosing a value of 0 will cause the project to be refreshed on every browser request. Do not choose 0 unless a very small number of users will be visiting the website.

Default Controls

The following buttons are created if their control is selected in the web page dialog. Examine the image file names used in the created web page to see the names of the files. These may be opened and edited to alter the appearance of the buttons, if desired, or other graphics files may be substituted by editing the created web page.

	Zoom in - Zoom to a closer view.
	Zooom out - Zoom to a view farther away.
	Zoom to Fit - Zoom to fit entire data set in current view.
	Center - Center view at clicked location.
	Info Tool - Show data fields for object. Shows all fields in all drawings in a map that is published, excluding the ID field and intrinsic fields
	Expand Heading - Open a tool such as Find.
	Contract Heading - Close a tool such as Find.

Controls used in sites generated with the Compatible template are simpler. The map is panned by clicking at different locations in the map with the mouse cursor. Other controls are simple links. Webmasters should experiment with the map server by creating the same web site using different templates to see the different pages created.

How the Map Server Operates

The files created by File - Export - Web Page are placed in a directory within the IIS web site hierarchy, and an IIS application is created using that directory (see Creating a Web Site for details). On the first call to the map server, the map server reads the config.txt file to see what .map file is to be used, the component within the .map file to be published, the size of the map to generate and text to use for tile, subtitle and copyright lines.

When a user browses into the default.asp page, IIS executes the code in the default.asp page (which invokes the other .asp files) to create a web page that is served to the user's browser. Part of the code in the .asp files involves relatively simple HTML that is easily modified. For example, the table structures used to provide the title string or the copyright string are implemented using elementary HTML that may be modified to customize the appearance of the page as desired. Other parts of the code are more sophisticated, client-side or server-side scripting commands that manage the programmatic task of detecting and reacting to user commands and updating the display.

The actual image displaying the map is created by Manifold IMS in a call to the map server. Manifold IMS opens the .map file and works with the component specified to generate a view of the component fitting the zoom and pan commands issued by the user. The map server reads the config.txt file in the same folder as the default.asp file to know how to configure the display. The final view is rendered as a .png image and served by the map server to the browser within the stream of HTML commands created by IIS's processing of the .asp pages.

From the above description it should be clear that when we use File - Export - Web Page to create a default.asp file and attendant files we are not really exporting the component into a different form. Instead, we are creating a set of instructions that are executed by IIS to call Manifold through the map server to use the published component to create web views of our data. Note that when the map server is operating the .map file is in use and cannot be opened by Manifold.

To allow simultaneous editing of the .map file, make a copy of the map file and save the copy as the .map file that is published. See Creating a Web Site for additional operational tips.

When IMS operates updating the .map file (say, by copying a different version into the same location) will not update what is served to the web. To change the .map file dynamically the .map file must be reloaded into the MapServer object either using the Reload method programmatically or by using the administrative page to force a reload manually by pressing the Reload button. Reloading will cause a reload of all .map files used on the server hosting IMS.

The Administration Page

If desired, the Export Web Page dialog can create an administrative page if the Admin page box is checked.

The administrative page is a default_admin.asp page that is created in the same folder as the rest of the IMS web page. The administration page shows the number of current sessions, the dates of the first hit, last hit and last reload, the total hits and also provides a Reload button that can be used to force a reload of all .map files used by all sites hosted by this IMS server.

Because the administrative page's .asp file will be created in the same folder as the default.asp page that powers the site, it will also by default be created with the same access permissions as the default.asp page. That is, anyone going to http://(sitename)/default_admin.asp will be able to operate the administrative page. They will be able to see your web page's statistics and, more importantly, they will be able to force IMS to reload all .map files used by all IMS pages on that server by simply pressing the Reload button. Since a reload takes time, it is not a good idea to allow any visitor to force a reload however often they want to push the Reload button.

Very Important: If you create a default_admin.asp page for your IMS site, make sure to change access permissions on it so that ordinary Internet browsers cannot use it. To do this, in Windows Explorer right click on the default_admin.asp file, choose Properties and choose the Security tab. Remove all entries for allowed user names except Administrator or whatever other login name you wish to allow access to the administration page. Apply the settings and press OK.

Neglecting this important step will not create a security breach in that hackers will be able to steal your data, but it will allow a malevolent user to effectively shut down your map server by repeatedly causing it to Reload .map files.

Layers

When a map component is published via the map server, the Layers control menu option is enabled. Choosing the Layers option in the Export Web Page dialog will add a Layers menu to the web page.

Users can check or uncheck the layers they wish to appear in the map window and then press Apply.

Layers will appear using the same names they have in the map. Therefore, one should choose wisely the names of such layers. Rename any drawings or other components so their names will be useful to people browsing the web site. For example, if creating a map of Mexico one may import a drawing of Mexican railroads from a file called me_railroads.mfd. This will be imported into Manifold using the name Me_railroads Drawing. It would wise to rename such a drawing to "Railroads" so that when it appears as a layer in the map and thus in the Layers control in the web page it is also named "Railroads".

When a map is published using Export Web Page the map server shows all layers that are in the map in the Layers pane.

Layer Restrictions

Layer restrictions in maps are respected in that both hyperlinks and the Info tool in default web page templates will work only on layers that are clickable. To disable hyperlinks or the Info tool in a layer, open the map, right click onto that layer's tab and choose Restrictions and uncheck the clickable box. Interactive selection and editing layer restrictions are not factors in IMS web pages so these layer restrictions are ignored. See the layers pane topic for more information on layer restrictions.

Use of the clickable layer restriction is very important when creating a web page in which hyperlinks or the Info tool will be used. With such web pages there is usually a layer that contains the objects of interest while other layers serve as background layers only. The classic example is a web page that shows dealers that are near some location. The user would like to double click on a dealer point icon to launch a web page with information about that dealer, and the designer of the product wants to make sure that an accidental click on a background map layer, such as a state or nearby road, is ignored.

Accomplish this by having the layer containing the dealer points be clickable with the other layers not being clickable.

Click Accuracy

The default click accuracy in Manifold web pages is 4 pixels. Clicking within four pixels of the center of a point will be the same as clicking directly onto the center of the point. This is normally a good balance between not requiring too much manual dexterity of the user while allowing points to be reasonably close together but separately clickable in dense displays.

To decrease click tolerance, add a line such as the one below to the config.txt file:

clickAccuracy = 8

The above line increases the clicking tolerance to 8 pixels, so that a mouse click within eight pixels of the center of a point will be the same as clicking directly onto that point.

Control Layers with Zoom Ranges

Many Manifold IMS pages will not use the Layers control but will publish all layers in a map as a single image into which users can zoom. In such cases we will often want layers to appear and disappear automatically as users zoom in to or out of the map. For example, as users zoom into a map we might want major roads to appear and as they zoom further into the map we would like detailed streets to appear. Control the appearance of layers using Zoom Ranges .

Automatic Panning and Zooming

When objects are selected with the Find tool or by a query (if the query includes the ID field), Manifold IMS will automatically pan the display to the centroid of the selected set of objects. Zoom will be adjusted to zoom to fit to the selection.

If only one object is selected and it is a point, or if several points are selected that are coincident, Manifold IMS will center the point on screen and will adjust zoom so that the display shows approximately 1/100th of the total data set. The result is usually a good level of zoom for displaying a single point within an entire data set.

Customization

See Creating a Web Site for notes on customizing the configuration created by File - Export - Web Page.

Manifold IMS and ASP .NET

This is an advanced subject for those webmasters who will be operating Manifold IMS in a Microsoft ASP .NET environment. To run Manifold IMS in ASP .NET we must choose an ASP .NET version of the templates in the Export Web Page dialog.

The Export Web Page dialog includes ASP.NET versions of the Standard, Standard framed and Compatible templates. These must be used when operating in an ASP .NET environment.

OpenGL and Manifold IMS

Manifold System requires installation of OpenGL for normal function. This requirement still is necessary on servers that will run Manifold in IMS mode only even though such servers will not be generating 3D terrain views (the normal use of OpenGL).

Modern Windows systems are automatically installed with a functioning OpenGL subsystem (the OpenGL32 and GLU32 DLLs). Older systems with current Windows service packs installed should have these as well.

Other HTTP Servers

Although Manifold IMS is aimed at use in a Microsoft IIS environment, one can write web pages to use IMS under any HTTP server provided the execution environment can instantiate and work with COM objects. The default templates for IMS create .asp files that are intended to be used within a Microsoft IIS environment; however, nothing prevents a user from adapting these files or writing their own script files or web pages for use with an HTTP server other than Microsoft's IIS. This assumes, of course, that the non-IIS HTTP server being used is running on a Windows system since Manifold System runs only under Windows operating systems.

Map Server FAQ

What is the licensing for the map server? Each machine running IIS and serving from the map server must have a Manifold System license installed. Only one Manifold license is required per machine even if multiple sites are served from that machine.

How about generated images? That depends upon the licensing structure of the data you are using. Manifold's license permits you to serve unlimited images of any kind created from the Manifold data sets you use for no additional charge. With public domain data there are no licensing issues either. Some vendors may or may not require more restrictive licenses as a condition of selling you proprietary data.

I don't have a full time Internet connection… how do I use the map server to publish images? If you do not have a full time Internet connection you must install such a connection or find someone who has such a connection. Visit the IMS web pages at manifold.net to learn about service providers or consultants who can host your Manifold web page for you.

How do I publish my maps to a web site I have at my ISP? Your ISP must install Manifold System on the machine that hosts your web site and both your .map file and generated web pages must be uploaded to that machine. Most people will do so via a managed server or co-location plan with the ISP. Because the map server runs extremely well on modern PCs that anyone can afford, another possibility is to install a full-time Internet connection (like a cable modem or DSL line) and run the server on your own machine. Even a relatively low-speed direct connection like a 384K uplink can handle hundreds or thousands of users per day. Another option is to use an Application Service Provider (ASP) or consultant who can set up and operate your Manifold web page for you.

How do I customize the appearance of the generated web page? Change the HTML in the default.asp file and the style settings in the default.css style sheet. Advanced users can tinker with the scripts as well. Changing table structure, background colors and other design elements within these files can create radically different appearances. Add your HTML to customize the page with user instructions, titles and other texts.

Can I program the map server? Yes. Using scripts , one can create very sophisticated interactions with the project through the map server. This is an advanced topic that is not covered by this documentation.

How do I remove the small "Powered by manifold.net" text and hyperlink to the manifold.net IMS page? In Manifold System Professional Edition the logo cannot be removed since it is part of the view generated by the map server itself and is required to be present by the End User License Agreement for Professional Edition. In Manifold System Enterprise Edition the "Powered by manifold.net" text and hyperlink may be removed by unchecking the Logo box in the Export Web Page dialog.

Can I use Manifold IMS to publish more than one map from the same server? Yes. The Manifold map server can use more than one project at a time using different .map files and can even publish more than one component at a time from the same .map file. See Publishing Multiple Pages .

How do I run the map server in my cluster / web farm? The map server bundled with Manifold System is a simple server that is not cluster-enabled. A simple approach to distributing load between multiple servers is to use a round-robin proxy to distribute clients among your servers. For more sophisticated clustering, use the Manifold Advanced Map Server.

What are the browser requirements? Any modern browser can view pages generated by the map server. The browser must be able to execute scripts and to display .png images. All "4.x" and later browsers may be used.

Can the map server run without IIS? Yes. One can write web pages that use IMS under any HTTP server provided the execution environment can instantiate and work with COM objects. However, such usage is not supported by manifold.net since the main development environment and all default templates are targeted at IIS.

What is the IUSR_ account? Because it does not make sense to allow everyone on Internet to have free access to do whatever they want with our web server, Microsoft has thoughtfully provided an IUSR_xxx (xxx is the machine name) login that is automatically assigned to visitors interacting with the web server via Internet. Microsoft also has had the foresight to restrict the IUSR_ account so it cannot rampage around in our machine.

When we set up an Internet application by putting files in the InetPub/wwwroot folder hierarchy, by default visitors get reasonable IUSR_ account access to those files because Microsoft has set up those folders with inheritable permissions that grant the IUSR_ account access within those folders. However, if we want to use files that are not located in that folder hierarchy, we must explicitly grant permission to the IUSR_ account to read or execute such files. For example, if our website contains .asp files that instantiate an object that uses a .map file located somewhere else on our machine, we must make sure that the IUSR_ account can read the .map file.

Can the map server run on a Linux system? No. Manifold System runs only on Microsoft Windows operating systems.

Promote Your Site

Running a web site using the Manifold Map Server? Please send a note to webmaster@manifold.net to let us know about your site. manifold.net would like to promote sites that use Manifold IMS. We'd like to include your site as well. Links to your site (especially from high volume sites like manifold.net) help your site achieve higher rankings on search engines and greater visibility. You'll also be able to take advantage of collaborative methods that the manifold.net community of webmasters can use to help each other achieve greater site visibility.

Promote Your GIS Work

In just about any enterprise one must justify the resources invested into organizations and activities. Showing the tangible results of GIS work by publishing a cool IMS web site can be a spectacularly effective way of showing off your GIS work within your organization. It's easy to show off your GIS work on a web site that anyone with a browser can access from the convenience of his or her desktop. It is much easier to demo your work on a web site than it is to drag people one by one in front of a machine to show them a GIS demonstration.

Even if your mission does not require publishing a map-enabled website to Internet, it is usually a great idea to put up one or more IMS web sites on your organization's internal network just to make sure you get plenty of support within your organization for your GIS work.

If you are running a GIS business that could benefit from additional clients, running one or more IMS web sites that demonstrate your work is a great way to advertise your capabilities. Creating an IMS web site that provides some practical benefit for the industry you serve is a great way to generate links to your site. One good site that draws links from industry ezines and other sites can be worth tens of thousands of dollars in advertising per year.

Host Other Sites

Companies are now launching business plans to be Application Service Providers ("ASPs"), that is, to get into the business of providing hosting services over the Internet including the provision of GIS maps published over the web. At the present writing prices for such services are very high with startup fees of $1500 and recurring charges of $1500 per year for Internet map services that serve only 100 sessions ("hits") per day. Almost any computer that runs Manifold can host dozens of map server web sites at such low hit rates.

If you have a reasonably fast Internet link, IIS and Manifold System, you could provide hosting services for a fee to other Manifold users who do not want to host their own Internet server. Hosting Internet map server sites for government groups and other organizations is a great way to build a GIS consulting business as well, since such organizations often will want assistance in the preparation of the .map file used with the map server.

manifold.net would like to promote individuals and organizations who can host Manifold map server web pages. Please let manifold.net know if you provide this service so we can send referrals your way.

About .PNG Format

The images served to the browser within the map window are created by Manifold IMS in .png format. "PNG" stands for "Portable Network Graphics" and is also known recursively as "PNG is Not GIF".

.png (pronounced "ping" by .png experts) is a format originally developed to replace .gif. The .png format is lossless like .gif but is more efficient than .gif. In addition, .png can save alpha channel transparency. Although .jpg and .gif are more frequently used on the web as a matter of inertia, in simple form (without transparency) .png is universally supported by all modern browsers. .png images therefore can be used anywhere in a web page just like a .jpg or .gif.

Manifold uses .png because it is more efficient than .gif and suffers no loss of information in compression as does .jpg. By using .png Manifold is able to save at least 10% bandwidth as compared to using .gif. Since bandwidth in most sites is precious the simple use of a more efficient format allows at least 10% more simultaneous users at a given hit rate that could otherwise be accomplished with the same hardware and ISP service levels.

.png is also better than .gif because it is not subject to moronic patent threats from Unisys. See Just Say No to GIFs for a quick history on the threat to .gif usage from Unisys.

Security and Access Permissions

See the Creating a Web Site topic for a discussion of security issues and access permissions.

Troubleshooting

Manifold cannot run interactively with the usual user interface at the same time Manifold is functioning as a map server. All interactive sessions must be shut down before IIS can call upon the map server to serve map pages to the web. Conversely, if the map server has been run Manifold can not run interactively until the map server has been unloaded either via an iisreset command (the usual method) or by rebooting the system.

See the troubleshooting topic Problems with the Internet Map Server for detailed checklists of what might be wrong.

The number one problem with IMS reported to tech support is that users neglect to add the IUSR_ account with access permissions to the .map file in use. Using Windows Explorer (do not just depend on the IIS management console or other server management console), right click on the .map file, choose Properties and verify in the Security that the IUSR_ account for the system has necessary read and execute permissions.

See Also

Creating a Web Site
IMS Queries
Publishing Multiple Pages
Optimizing Performance

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