WMS (Web Mapping Services)

European Soil Data Center > Applications - Services > Web Mapping Services WMS

What is WMS?

A Web Map Service (WMS) produces maps of georeferenced data. We define a "map" as a visual representation of geodata; a map is not the data itself. WMS is the production of spatially referenced data dynamically from geographic information. The map itself is an actual portrayal of geographic information presented as a digital image file for display on a computer. WMS maps are in picture formats such as PNG, GIF or JPEG . The OGC WMS specification standardizes the way in which maps are requested by clients and the way that servers describe their data holdings. For more detailed information the follow the links:

A WMS Viewer is either a standalone application or a web interface or can be a part of ESRI ArcGIS and allows the user to combine layers coming from different Map Servers. In Soils portal case, this means that the Soil layers (SOMIS, PESERA or OCTOP) can be viewed through any Web Map Service Client in combination with other layers coming from other Map Servers. In the following sections, there would be described the 3 methods to use the WMS services (In addition example strings will be provided for any of the services provided):

Standalone WMS Viewers
Web Map Viewers
WMS for ESRI for ArcGIS (ArcMap and ArcCatalog)

Standalone WMS Viewers

A well-known standalone WMS viewer named GAIA exist in the Carbon site and is free to download. The configuration of GAIA is quite simple and the following snapshot is showing the GAIA's interface:

In order to add a new service, enter in the Server URL one of the strings of the table below:

Service/Application	Web Map Server (WMS) String
SOMIS 2.0 - European Soil database	http://eusoils.jrc.it:80/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/Eusoils_WMS?
PESERA - Soil Erosion Risk	http://eusoils.jrc.it:80/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/PESERA?
OCTOP - Organic Carbon Content	http://eusoils.jrc.it:80/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/OCTOP?
MEUSIS - Multiscale EUropean Soil Information System	http://eusoils.jrc.it/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/Meusis_alps?
ECALP - Eco-pedological Map of the Alps	http://eusoils.jrc.it/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/Ecalp?
SPADE (Soil Profile Analytical Databases for Europe)	http://eusoils.jrc.it/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/Spade_v2?
SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission) and Void Data	http://eusoils.jrc.it/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/SRTM_V3?

In the Server Layers, you can view the available layers. Add the Layers that you request by selecting them and clicking the button "Add Layers" . After Clicking "View Map" the user can interact with the map by making all operations (All the navigation buttons at the bottom):

Web Map Viewers

The Map Viewer tool allows the user to interact with map services, save maps for later use, set transparency levels, query map information, and provides rich functionality to overlay map services. The WMS combine layers of maps located in different Map servers all around the World.

The INSPIRE Geo-portal provides a WMS viewer and it is fairly easy to use it:

On the Toolbar, Click the "+" icon, the user can add other layers from different WMS Servers
A new "Add Services" Window is opening
In "Map Server URL" enter the string provided in the table below depending on which service you wish to use.
Select the Layers (Press Shift or Ctrl to select multiple data layers). Once layers have been added to the MapViewer, check the checkboxes of the selected service.
"Refresh Map" needs to be performed.
next, by clicking the "+" icon, the user can add other layers from different WMS Servers ( try for example to add the Geoportal of "Joint Research Center" and activate layers such as "Regions of Europe")

Service/Application	Web Map Server (WMS) String
SOMIS 2.0 - European Soil database	http://eusoils.jrc.it:80/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/Eusoils_WMS?
PESERA - Soil Erosion Risk	http://eusoils.jrc.it:80/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/PESERA_WMS?
OCTOP - Organic Carbon Content	http://eusoils.jrc.it:80/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/Octop_WMS?
MEUSIS - Multiscale EUropean Soil Information System	http://eusoils.jrc.it/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/Meusis_alps?
ECALP - Eco-pedological Map of the Alps	http://eusoils.jrc.it/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/Ecalp?
SPADE (Soil Profile Analytical Databases for Europe)	http://eusoils.jrc.it/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/Spade_v2?
SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission) and Void Data	http://eusoils.jrc.it/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/SRTM_V3?

Another well-known WMS viewer is provided by Intergraph:

WMS for ESRI ArcGIS (ArcMap and ArcCatalog)

ArcGIS Data Interoperability eliminates barriers for data sharing by providing state-of-the-art direct data access and transformation capabilities. This extension enables ArcGIS Desktop users to easily use data from any WMS compatible server around the World.

Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc (OGC) Web Mapping Service (WMS) is an OpenGIS® standard specification for interactive mapping based on requesting map images from a server over the Internet. OGC WMS client support in ArcGIS® Desktop allows you to access these services over the Internet and add them to your maps as layers.

Instead, Service Pack 2 for ArcGIS Desktop 9.0 adds OGC WMS client support into the core product. If you install Service Pack 2, you can access OGC WMS services with ArcView®, ArcEditor TM and ArcInfo®. No other software is required. Services complying with versions 1.0.0, 1.1.0. and 1.1.1 of the OGC WMS specification are supported.

OGC WMS services work in a similar way to ArcIMS® image services. However, there are some differences that you will come across when you use WMS services in ArcGIS. This ESRI document shows how to work with WMS services in ArcGIS and also highlights the differences.

Adding a WMS service into a map

1. In the GIS Servers folder in ArcMap , or in the Add Data dialog in ArcMap , double-click Add WMS Server:

2. In the dialog that appears, enter the URL to the WMS service. The URL you specify for a WMS service needs to be the complete URL, not just the server domain as is the case when you make a connection to an ArcIMS server. All WMS URLs must end with a ? character or, if the URL contains a = sign, a & character. The prefix http:// must be included. Here are two common formats for WMS URLs:
http://eusoils.jrc.it:80/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/EusoilsINSPIRE?

Tip: If you can't connect to the server, first check that the URL has either ? or & at the end.

Press OK. This will create a connection to the server on which the service is running

3. Double-click the server connection to see the WMS service it contains:

When you look inside a WMS server in ArcCatalog, you only see one service. You don't see multiple services as you do in the case of ArcIMS or ArcGIS servers. With OGC WMS, the server and the service are really the same thing, but separate objects have been implemented in ArcCatalog for a connection to a WMS server and the WMS service it contains to match how ArcCatalog handles other servers.

4. Add the WMS service to ArcMap in the usual way; either drag and drop from ArcCatalog or use the Add Data dialog in ArcMap.

Service/Application	Web Map Server (WMS) String
SOMIS 2.0 - European Soil database	http://eusoils.jrc.it:80/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/EusoilsINSPIRE?
PESERA - Soil Erosion Risk	http://eusoils.jrc.it:80/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/PESERA?
OCTOP - Organic Carbon Content	http://eusoils.jrc.it:80/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/OCTOP?
MEUSIS - Multiscale EUropean Soil Information System	http://eusoils.jrc.it/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/Meusis_alps?
ECALP - Eco-pedological Map of the Alps	http://eusoils.jrc.it/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/Ecalp?
SPADE (Soil Profile Analytical Databases for Europe)	http://eusoils.jrc.it/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/Spade_v2?
SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission) and Void Data	http://eusoils.jrc.it/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/SRTM_V3?

Information and data on this site have been put together by Jean Dusart, Panos Panagos and Marc Van Liedekerke
Help desk: Panos Panagos

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European Commission - DG Joint Research Centre
Institute for Environment and Sustainability
Contacts:
Marc Van Liedekerke(tel. +39-0332-785179)
Panos Panagos (tel. +39-0332-785574)