How to get data from MS SQL Server 2008 into Mapserver?

Question

I need to create some layers in my map from a Microsoft SQL 2008 database. I am using Openlayers and Mapserver. The Mapserver instance is running on SUSE linux, so the Mapserver documentation on MSSQL that discusses the plugin for Windows is not very helpful. I know it is possible because I have in the past gotten it to work, however I scrapped that project in favor for something else. I now have a need for it once again and have been unsuccessful finding any clear and concise examples. Any help or direction would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

To confirm the Windows plugin you are referring to is the MSSQL Plugin at http://mapserver.org/input/vector/mssql.html?

Does the OGR driver work on Linux when connecting to Linux? http://www.gdal.org/ogr/drv_mssqlspatial.html

It makes reference to a different ODBC driver that can be used in the connection string:

The connection may contain the optional Driver parameter if a custom SQL server driver should be loaded (like FreeTDS). The default is {SQL Server}

FreeTDS is

a set of libraries for Unix and Linux that allows your programs to natively talk to Microsoft SQL Server and Sybase databases.

So maybe this driver can also work with the MapServer SQL Server 2008 plugin? If not you could try creating an OGR Layer.