[DAS2] how to test features?

[Andrew Dalke]

What's the appropriate way to test features on a
server where I don't know what's present?

What I did with DAS/1 was search a range of a
certain size and keep shifting the search range
until I find something.

I would like to improve on that.  For example, I know
all of the types in the system so I can do a type
query and double-check that all the returned features
have that type.

There's a good chance I'll have some enormous
results lists if I do that.  Some queries may end
up sucking up large chunks of the database.

I was thinking that a "limit" option might be useful.
For example, "up to 1000 features in the range 1M to
2M."  'Course then the server may need to report
"returned 1000 features but 234234 matched the query."

Perhaps a server may wish to enforce a max limit
on the number of features even if not specified in
the request?  Eg, for "http://.../features/".

If there is a limit, would the number be accessible
by the client?  Would the spec state a lower bound
for what a server must support?  If the number of
hits is just barely over the limit, what's the right
way for the client to get the remaining list of features?


					Andrew
					dalke at dalkescientific.com