Like WMS and WFS, MapServer mapfiles are an essential component for publishing geospatial data via Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) services. However, the standard workflow for managing these files can be a confusing experience, where analysts often find themselves toggling between text editors and server environments. MapFile Preview is an evolving, browser-based development environment designed to simplify this process, bringing the creation, management, and testing of MapServer configuration files into a single, intuitive interface.
In this abstract, we present the current progress of this tool, which aims to transform MapServer administration from a high-touch technical chore into a visual, validated, and efficient process. Currently a work in progress, the application bridges the gap between raw code and live services through several core, modules:
• Integrated Workspace Management: The tool provides a centralized UI for navigating workspace directories. Analysts can open existing files via a system of aliases, which replaces the need to manage long, complex file paths during the preview process. The "Quick New" and guided form features allow for the rapid generation of starter templates.
• Real-Time Validation and Formatting: To avoid publishing an invalid Mapfile after submission, the application uses a local MapServer binary to perform instant syntax validation. This identifies errors or warnings before a file is ever published to a production environment. Furthermore, an automated formatting engine "pretty-prints" the code, enforcing consistent indentation that simplifies peer review and long-term maintenance.
• Service Previewing: The platform comes with specialized modules for WMS and WFS service testing. GIS Analysts can visualize map layers, legends, and capabilities within the application. The WFS preview includes a layer picker, enabling users to isolate specific data layers to verify that geometry and attribute tables are rendering as intended. Another tool, “CGI Smoke Test,” helps determine whether an issue comes from network connectivity or from the mapfile configuration.
• Auto Metadata and AI Assistance: Understanding the complexity of OGC standards and the potential for manual entry errors, the "Auto Metadata" tool of the application generates metadata blocks for WMS, WFS, and WCS services automatically. To further support the user, the "Mapfile Teacher" tool integrates the Gemini AI model with a conversational interface for technical guidance. This AI model uses the official MapServer documentation, so the tool can offer a context-specific LLM for troubleshooting complex logic or learning new syntax.
As an ongoing development project, MapFile Preview can be a tool for a more accessible GIS administration. By combining mapfile editing, validation, and preview within a single environment, Mapfile Preview reduces time spent identifying syntax errors and supports the faster and finer publication of spatial data services.

Managing water supply networks requires coordinating between infrastructure data, hydraulic analysis, and operational records. When GIS data, hydraulic models, and maintenance attributes are stored in separate and different systems without interoperability between them, it becomes difficult to handle a consistent overview of network conditions and operations. To address this, Consortis Geospatial introduces MAPtheYA: an advanced geospatial platform that bridges these gaps by providing an end-to-end solution for unified water network management.
MAPtheYA, a name derived from the acronym of the Greek Water Utility Services (DEYA), is an online information system for managing water supply networks. It visualizes the hydraulic network and the technical characteristics of each asset. MAPtheYA provides search capabilities for network elements and allows multiple users to edit the network. Thus, the utility’s technical staff can supervise, expand, and modify the hydraulic network.
The platform integrates EPANET hydraulic modeling to allow technical teams to move beyond static geometry into simulation. By calculating flows, pressures, and tank levels over time, MAPtheYA supports complex hypothetical scenarios. The presentation will explain how operators can simulate valve closures, pipe failures, or changes in pressure zones to assess their impact on their wider water network. Results are then presented through thematic maps and graphs for both daily operations and long-term strategic planning.
The next set of capabilities planned is for MAPtheYA to manage operational data such as the recording of technical inspections, fault history, interventions, and ongoing construction projects. This will create a traceable digital record for every component of the infrastructure and allow organizations to have a full view of their network.
The platform will offer a full set of RESTful APIs allowing interoperability with existing systems such as SCADA platforms, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, consumer management systems (CMS), or IoT devices, through its open architecture. This integration enables managers to access information such as consumption data or sensor alerts directly within the GIS environment, supporting more coordinated monitoring and informed decision-making across the water network.
The current work-in-progress interface will be introduced, presenting the main workflows and the general direction of the user interface, which can be divided into three pillars. Three main aspects will be explained: the editing and expansion of the hydraulic network, the modeling capabilities based on EPANET simulation and the monitoring of the hydraulic network’s state using sample data from IoT and hydrometric stations.