Testing GeoServer 2.3.4 with your apps

[Aleda Freeman]

Dear Users of MassGIS GeoServer,

We are in our annual upgrade process.
Our Production servers are currently running GeoServer 2.1.4.
I've put GeoServer 2.3.4 onto the maps server for testing.
I would appreciate it if you would take the time to briefly test your applications against GeoServer 2.3.4 and let me know ASAP if there are any issues.
If have tried to help with this process - I will send out emails to some of you directly following this email  with details of what I have been able to do.
If you need any assistance with your testing please let me know.

I have successfully tested MassGIS applications such as OLIVER and MuniMapper and run our testsuite of WMS, WFS and WPS samples.

At this point I have discovered only a few very minor things to note about GeoServer 2.3.4 vs. GeoServer 2.1.4:

1.  If a GetFeature request uses a callback, in order for the response to have the callback string at the beginning the outputformat must now be "text/javascript" instead of "json".
If no callback is used the outputformat can remain "json".

This works in 2.1.4: 
http://giswebservices.massgis.state.ma.us/geoserver/wfs?request=getfeature&version=1.0.0&service=wfs&propertyname=TOWN%2CTOWN_ID&typename=massgis%3AGISDATA.TOWNS_POLYM&outputformat=json&sortBy=TOWN%20A&CQL_FILTER=TOWN%20like%20%27%25%27&_dc=1375975847439&format_options=callback:stcCallback1001

but not in GeoServer 2.3.4:  (there will be good output but no callback string)
http://maps.massgis.state.ma.us/geoserver/wfs?request=getfeature&version=1.0.0&service=wfs&propertyname=TOWN%2CTOWN_ID&typename=massgis%3AGISDATA.TOWNS_POLYM&outputformat=json&sortBy=TOWN%20A&CQL_FILTER=TOWN%20like%20%27%25%27&_dc=1375975847439&format_options=callback:stcCallback1001

unless outputformat is changed:
http://maps.massgis.state.ma.us/geoserver/wfs?request=getfeature&version=1.0.0&service=wfs&propertyname=TOWN%2CTOWN_ID&typename=massgis%3AGISDATA.TOWNS_POLYM&outputformat=text/javascript&sortBy=TOWN%20A&CQL_FILTER=TOWN%20like%20%27%25%27&_dc=1375975847439&format_options=callback:stcCallback1001

2.   GetFeature URL requests used to be tolerant of a missing service parameter, taking the service from the beginning of the URL:

This works in 2.1.4:   http://giswebservices.massgis.state.ma.us/geoserver/wfs?request=GetFeature&version=1.0.0&typeName=massgis:GISDATA.TOWNS_POLYM&propertyname=TOWN

but not in GeoServer 2.3.4: http://maps.massgis.state.ma.us/geoserver/wfs?request=GetFeature&version=1.0.0&typeName=massgis:GISDATA.TOWNS_POLYM&propertyname=TOWN

For it to work in GeoServer 2.3.4 the service=wfs is required (case does not matter)
http://maps.massgis.state.ma.us/geoserver/wfs?request=GetFeature&version=1.0.0&typeName=massgis:GISDATA.TOWNS_POLYM&propertyname=TOWN&service=wfs 
 
3. GeoServer 2.1.4 was tolerant of incorrect version numbers but GeoServer 2.3.4 is not:
An incorrect version number used to be tolerated (1.0.0. with trailing period as opposed to the correct 1.0.0)

This works in 2.1.4:  http://giswebservices.massgis.state.ma.us/geoserver/wfs?request=GetFeature&version=1.0.0.&typeName=massgis:GISDATA.TOWNS_POLYM&propertyname=TOWN&service=wfs 

but not in GeoServer 2.3.4: http://maps.massgis.state.ma.us/geoserver/wfs?request=GetFeature&version=1.0.0.&typeName=massgis:GISDATA.TOWNS_POLYM&propertyname=TOWN&service=wfs 

Simply correct the version number: http://maps.massgis.state.ma.us/geoserver/wfs?request=GetFeature&version=1.0.0&typeName=massgis:GISDATA.TOWNS_POLYM&propertyname=TOWN&service=wfs

I will let you know when the upgrade is scheduled to occur on giswebservices and at that time I will give more details on new features.

Aleda Freeman, GISP
Web Mapping Services Manager
Office of Geographic Information (MassGIS)
Information Technology Division
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
One Ashburton Place, Room 1601
Boston, Massachusetts 02108
Phone: +1.617.626.4530
Email: aleda....@state.ma.us
Web: http://www.mass.gov/mgis 
Wiki: https://wiki.state.ma.us/confluence/display/massgis
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MassGIS