The application provides options to generate and consume Web Map Services.
Using Web Map Services (WMS) in the platform enhances spatial data accessibility, interoperability, and visualisation. WMS provides a standardised protocol for delivering map layers over the internet, enabling seamless integration from multiple (third party) sources without data being saved to our platform. It supports real-time access to up-to-date maps, reducing the need for manual updates. You can now overlay layers from diverse servers to perform comprehensive spatial analyses together with your uploaded data that is shown on the maps.
Publish Files as WMS
WMS is an output format that allows you to publish your files externally. All files (which are supported on the platform according to Supported File Types) with a valid geo-reference could be published externally:
Select a file in the file explorer
Right-click
Choose ‘Publish as WMS’ from the context menu. Alternatively select the file and choose ‘Publish as WMS’ button on the top right.
When desired you can set an expiration date for the generated WMS, else the WMS is published permanently (you can edit this setting later on any time).
The corresponding link is created and available for further distribution.
A file for which a WMS is created is marked as shown below:
You can access the WMS link any time by clicking on the WMS symbol.
To edit (e.g. to change the expiration date or remove it) or delete the WMS click on the settings icon which opens again the WMS share dialogue.
Alternatively you can use the file's context menu (right-click the file name):
The option to publish an entire map as a WMS is currently under development and will be announced when available.
Add a WMS to a map
(External) Web Map Services can be added as layers to your maps as described in Add external layers to the map.
Manage external WMS Sources of a Project
For any of your projects you can define external WMS sources to be added to your maps which are constantly checked for updates and validity.
In the ‘External Sources’ tab of your project you can specify the link to your WMS source, if applicable authenticate the access with user/password, and then select all layers you like to add to your maps.
Detailed steps:
Go into your project
Switch to ‘External Sources’ tab
Add an external WMS source
Click on ‘New source’
Fill the fields in the upcoming dialogue
URL of the WMS
‘Name of the source’ is free text field, enter any meaningful name for your WMS source.
(optional) Username
(optional) Password
When done click on ‘Connect’
Upon successful connection the new source is appearing in the list:
Edit and Delete an external WMS source
Check the checkbox left to the record or hover over it to use the edit and/or delete buttons and icons to edit or delete your external WMS source record
Choosing ‘Edit’ shows the same dialogue as in ‘Create source’ (see above), adjust all values to your needs and ‘Save’ the values, else choose ‘Cancel’ to discard the changes.
Add layers from an external WMS source to a map
After you established the connection to your WMS you have the option to add all included layers in one go to a map or select one or more layers explicitely.
Add all layers:
Check the checkbox next to the WMS source name and click on ‘Add to Map’:
Add selected layers:
Click the record in the External sources list to view the layers of the WMS
Select the desired layers
Click on ‘Add to Map’
Choose the map (or multiple maps) on which the layers should be edited by checking the checkbox next to it
Finish the process by clicking on ‘Add to Map’ button
A message appears informing about the progress
Switch to your map (via left navigation pane ‘Maps’ > your map) to view the layers in your map.