[Chameleon] Trying to learn too much too quick..guidance requested.

[Andrew Parker]

List:

I need some recommendations on how to proceed on learnng Chamaleon.  l have gone through most of the turorials in O'rielly's "Web Mapping Illustrated" and "Beginning Mapserver" by Apress to gain a basic understanding of Mapserver.  However, I am lacking javascript and php skills.  I also have two reference books on PHP which I am slowly going through.  I also have reviewed some of the reference docs and howto's on the mapserver  and Chameleon documentation sites.  I have yet started to learn javascript, css, advanced html....

Secondly, almost every time I try to
modify the code either from reference documents or from recommendations
in the user list I run into parse errors.  For example, i) grouping
layers  in the legend_template.html that downloaded with Chameleon, ii)
using a Type pixmap in a layer file (parse error); I wanted to use
custom symbology in the xml theme legend.  I just don't know enough
about java and php to fully understand how to correct the problems as recommened by posts.  Additionally, I do not understand how context
files, map files, php files, communicate with each other.  

Therefore, I ask the list to recommend:
1.  A good online tutorial or reference book to learn javascript that would help me with Chameleon.
2.  What step should I take next to understand how chameleon works?  Should I try to understand the php files and phtml files first?
3.  What training is available that may be close to where I live,  Southwestern USA.  



The chameleon project I have compiled to date is available at:  http://mapserver.rthicksconsult.com/test1/index.phtml.


Thanks for your help.
Andrew




 
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