The RSS (random shutdown syndrome) is still happening. My MacBook goes back to Apple for round 2 today. I was hoping to build MapServer 4.10b2 and GRASS 6.2b2. I need to get my PowerBook back into dev-mode so I can work on those this weekend.
🙁
FreeType updated
I found a fix for the FreeType problem. It was an endian problem for Intel Macs and Mac suitcase fonts.
R Spatial additions
I added the R GDAL package to the GDAL framework download. And there are now instructions for enabling R integration with GRASS.
GRASS fix
GRASS (apps and the build script) fixed so r.out.gdal works.
====== MapServer 4.10 beta 1 ======
MacBook all better. ^_^
MapServer 4.10 beta 1 is available for testing. From the announcement email:
MapServer 4.10 introduces the following new features (and much more):
- MS RFC 9: Item tag for query templates
- MS RFC 11: Support for Curved Labels
- MS RFC 13: SOS support
- MS RFC 14: Relative Coordinates for INLINE features
- MS RFC 16: MapScript WxS Services
- MS RFC 18: Encryption of passwords in mapfilesCurved Labels
- Web Map Context (WMC) 1.1 support
- SLD support in Web Map Context
- Mapfile includes
- GEOS rewrite to use C API and new methods exposed
- GEOS methods ported to PHP MapScript (only in SWIG MapScript before)
…
FreeType problems
It appears there is a problem with FreeType and Mac fonts. By Mac fonts, I mean any that are packaged as Mac suitcases (TrueType and PostScript) or the new OS X dfont. In particular it seems to affect multi-font packages, so could affect OTF fonts if there is more than one font in the OTF file. The problem – segfault (crash).
I never noticed before because I only ever use flat, single-font fonts, like OTF and Windows/Unix style TT and PS fonts. And none of the tools I use have any mechanism for specifying the style or face anyways – it’s expected that the style is a part of the font file name chosen, ie Helvetica-Bold.otf. But, FreeType is supposed to default to the first face in a package, whatever that may be, yet it doesn’t work.
Until I can figure it out, you should use only flat, single-font fonts with GD, ImageMagick, MapServer, GRASS and QGIS. OTF fonts are mostly OK, that is when there is only one face in the file. Unix-style PostScript fonts have a .pfb or .pfa extension. Unix-style TrueType fonts have a .ttf extension. You can use a font conversion utility, such as FontLab’s TransType, to convert fonts to Windows/Unix format.
Interestingly, the FreeType that Apple includes with X11 does not have suitcase fonts enabled, but does have dfonts enabled. I wonder if they had problems also? I recall having an issue like this before, but I couldn’t find anything in my archives…
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Downtime
My MacBook is on its way to Apple for repairs (sudden shutoff syndrome). I’m using an old PowerBook from work until the MacBook returns. It can handle the development needs, but I’ll probably take it easy and only take care of serious problems in the Unix Ports.
On a brighter note, I just found out that there is a ShapeShifter beta that works on Intel (it still has a Rosetta issue, so I don’t recommend it for the casual user). I can finally work on filling in the missing app bits in the Sumomo theme!
MapServer and PHP updates
Both MapServer and PHP now use the frameworks.
PHP has also been updated to 4.4.3. Note that the MagickWand extension has been dropped for now, until I decide what to do with ImageMagick (I’m not very fond of IM, so it has low priority, but a few people were interested and it’s useful for web graphics).
Postgres+PostGIS updates
Postgres and PostGIS have been updated. Postgres itself now doesn’t need anything extra installed – it uses the libedit that comes with OS X instead of readline, much simpler.
PostGIS has been updated to 1.1.3 and now uses the frameworks.
I’ve done minimal testing on Panther, let me know if anyone finds problems on Panther.
GRASS fix
Oops, the GDAL framework and GRASS somehow got linked to a dynamic Postgres library. They wouldn’t work without Postgres installed. Fixed.