Hey,

Since the discussion about the use of the Maps extension [0] to display (static) maps, part of the identified work to make Maps suitable for this purpose has been done.

These are the big todo's, and their current status:

* Make Maps completely modular, to enable removing any part of the functionality that's not wanted, and ensure optimal performance. This todo has been completed, partly in the last Maps release, 0.3.4, and partly in the code for the next version. Things that can now be taken out since they use a hook like system: - Mapping services (so if we only want OpenLayers with OSM, no problem!) - The big 'features'. If you don't want geocoding, parser functions, semantic result formats or form inputs, just remove an includes. - Geocoding services. If you don't want the Google Geocoder service, just remove it, and use one of the others. - Parser functions. Maps only supports display_map and display_point ATM, but others (like display_route) can easily be added, and of course all of them can be removed.

* Make maps able to display maps without any markers. This functionality has been added, and is on SVN trunk [1]. It'll be part of the upcoming 0.4 release [2] of Maps. Displaying a map with no markers can now be done with the display_map parser function (maps with markers use display_point(s)), which is handled by classes that only have the required code for displaying a Map.

* Add an OSM optimized OL service. The current code that handles OL in Maps is not optimized for OSM. Also, I suspect the JS is far from optimal, even if you don't specifically look at OSM handling. I've just started on this todo, and am attempting to re-use as much of the smart things done in SlippyMap. This is the final todo before the 0.4 release.

* Add static map support. No work has been done here yet. This is currently the only todo for v0.5.

Does anyone have remarks on the current code, or the way I'm planning to adapt Maps? Also, are there things I'm missing in the list of requirements for Maps to be suitable for WM usage?

Also, if anyone feels like helping me with the OSM optimisation or static map functionality, or doing it yourself, just give me a poke, and I'll be happy to coordinate efforts :)

[0] http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Maps [1] http://svn.wikimedia.org/viewvc/mediawiki/trunk/extensions/Maps/ [2] http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Maps/Future#Maps_0.4

Cheers! Jeroen De Dauw