This is a WYSIWYG mapfile editor special for Mapserver running on windows, It supports all features Mapserver providing based on the utilities of Mapserver and other relied GIS Libs. It runs on Windows, and closely based on Mapserver utilities. This version is compatible with the latest release of Mapserver 5.4.0. The latest version is 1.0-RC3, updated on 2009-09-22. Check the change log to find changes since version 1.0 RC1 please. There MUST exist some problems for this release candidate edition, please don't hesitate to mailto:mscompanion@googlegroups.com or join this group http://groups.google.com/group/mscompanion to report bug or get support.

Features

1. WYSIWYG Mapfile Edit
2. Instant Mapfile Visualize
3. Symbol Library displaying and visually selecting
4. support read of mapfiles containing INCLUDEs, and write back with INCLUDE untouched
5. Metadata Editor
6. Projection detect and Edit
7. Inline Feature edit
8. Mapfile line number displaying, click map layer tree and highlight mapfile elements
9. Symbol overlay(Complicated Style) visually editing
10. support data source type detect and CONNECTION string building
11. Support Inline Feature, Grid and Data
12. Support Raster data layer
13. Chart map making
14. Processing ditectives and Expression builder
15. full support relative or obsolute path style in all path related elements
16. export mapfile strictly complying to the version specified(<5.0 5.0 >5.0)
17. get the default version according to the specified shp2img.exe
18. Legend view

• you can find more..., also you can request for more by mailto:mscompanion@googlegroups.com, of cause with some encouraging words if you think I am telling the truth could let me happy (: .

Why use MSCompanion?

1. Lower the learning cost of MapServer Mapfile syntax
2. Speeding up authoring correct mapfiles
3. Mapping in a graphic way, not a literal way
4. Free you of imagining, let you enjoy viewing
5. But because you use MapServer

Steps of Using MSCompanion

0. Please keep in mind this software is not a stand-alone tool dealing with every mapping issue, it is just a wrapper of Mapserver utilities including shp2img, orginfo, gdalinfo and so on. In other word, it is a Mapfile WYSIWYG editor closely relying on Mapserver's capabilities. So, before use this tool, remember install the required utilities metioned, as a suggestion, MS4W is my favorite choice.

1. Extract the exe file from MSCompanion*.zip to any folder of your computer.

2. Click the file to start.

3. Before you start to author a mapfile, you have to tell MSCompanion where the Mapserver Utilities locate, as well as other neccesary utilities, library files and projection related files. You can let MSCompanion guess the folder where the required files locate, but usually you need some patience before it find the right result. For your reference, My installation of MS4W is at D:\ms4w, the paths look like this:

4. At this point, just new a file, right click the root node, and select "Layer Operations" -> "add Layer", then, I think you need not any more words.

Support

If you find any problem, or want to get informed once the updates are available, please go to http://groups.google.com/group/mscompanion and join the group, you will get prompt response and updates. You also can monitor the latest downloads by Subscribe this Feeds : http://code.google.com/feeds/p/mscompanion/downloads/basic .