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Setting a Catalog's WMS Properties

A spatially indexed catalog can be accessed as a WMS layer in geospatial applications. The WMS layer properties of a catalog fall into several categories:

For more detailed information about each of these WMS properties see version 1.1.1 of the Web Map Service Implementation Specification.

Setting WMS Layer Title

The WMS layer title will be used to identify the catalog as a layer in WMS requests. Spaces and symbols are valid characters in titles.

To set the title for a catalog or catalog group:

  1. Open the Express Server Manager (see Accessing the Express Server Manager).
  2. Click Catalogs or Catalog Groups on the top navigation bar, then select a catalog or catalog group in the list.
  3. Select WMS Layer on the left-hand navigation panel.
  4. Select the Basic tab in the table, then click Edit at the bottom of your screen.
  5. Enter or edit the title, then click Save. If no title is entered the catalog name is used.
  6. If you have no further settings to edit, click Publish.

Remember that clicking Save in the workspace only temporarily saves your changes until you click Publish or Discard. Clicking Publish sends all edits on all the configuration pages to the live Express Server. Clicking Discard overwrites all pages of the workspace with the current live configuration.

Setting WMS Layer Supported Projections

In addition to its native coordinate reference system (CRS) or "projection", a layer may declare other projections that it supports. These additional CRSs are listed as EPSG codes.You can add EPSG codes globally in Settings, or you can add them individually for any catalog or catalog group. Any per-catalog or per-group setting overrides the global setting for that catalog or catalog group (see Configuring the WMS Top Layer).

To set EPSG codes for a catalog or catalog group:

  1. Open the Express Server Manager (see Accessing the Express Server Manager).
  2. Click Catalogs or Catalog Groups on the top navigation bar, then select a catalog or catalog group in the list.
  3. Select WMS Layer on the left-hand navigation panel.
  4. Select the Basic tab in the table, then click Edit at the bottom of your screen.
  5. Edit existing entries or click Add and enter a new one, then click Save.
  6. If you have no further settings to edit, click Publish.

Adding and Editing WMS Layer Keywords

Well-chosen keywords can help in the searching of catalogs. It is a good idea to add keywords to any of your catalogs that you will be making available as WMS layers.

To add or edit keywords for a catalog or catalog group:

  1. Open the Express Server Manager (see Accessing the Express Server Manager).
  2. Click Catalogs or Catalog Groups on the top navigation bar, then select a catalog or catalog group in the list.
  3. Select WMS Layer on the left-hand navigation panel.
  4. Select the Basic tab in the table, then click Edit at the bottom of your screen.
  5. Edit existing entries or click Add and enter a new one, then click Save.
  6. If you have no further settings to edit, click Publish.

Adding and Editing WMS Layer Attribution Information

The attribution properties indicate a WMS layer's source. They can include a descriptive title, the provider's URL and a logo image URL. Client applications may display one or more of these items. If the URL for a logo image is included you can specify the image's MIME type, width and height.

To add or edit attribution information for a catalog or catalog group:

  1. Open the Express Server Manager (see Accessing the Express Server Manager).
  2. Click Catalogs or Catalog Groups on the top navigation bar, then select a catalog or catalog group in the list.
  3. Select WMS Layer on the left-hand navigation panel.
  4. Select the Attribution tab in the table, then click Edit at the bottom of your screen.
  5. Enter or edit title and logo specifications, then click Save.
  6. If you have no further settings to edit, click Publish.

Adding and Editing WMS Layer Identifiers

WMS <Identifier> elements may be used to list ID numbers or labels defined by a particular "authority". The text content of the Identifier element is the ID value. The "authority" attribute of the Identifier element corresponds to the "name" attribute of a separate <AuthorityURL> element. The AuthorityURL encloses an <OnlineResource> element which states the URL of a document defining the meaning of the Identifier values.

To add or edit identifier information for a catalog or catalog group:

  1. Open the Express Server Manager (see Accessing the Express Server Manager).
  2. Click Catalogs or Catalog Groups on the top navigation bar, then select a catalog or catalog group in the list.
  3. Select WMS Layer on the left-hand navigation panel.
  4. Select the Identifiers tab in the table, then click Edit at the bottom of your screen.
  5. Edit existing entries or click Add and enter a new one, then click Save.
  6. If you have no further settings to edit, click Publish.

Adding and Editing WMS Feature List URLs

A feature list URL points to a list of the features represented in a WMS layer.

To add or edit a feature list URL for a catalog or catalog group:

  1. Open the Express Server Manager (see Accessing the Express Server Manager).
  2. Click Catalogs or Catalog Groups on the top navigation bar, then select a catalog or catalog group in the list.
  3. Select WMS Layer on the left-hand navigation panel.
  4. Select the FeatureListURL tab in the table, then click Edit at the bottom of your screen.
  5. Edit existing entries or click Add and enter a new one, then click Save.
  6. If you have no further settings to edit, click Publish.

Adding and Editing WMS Layer Metadata URLs

Metadata URLs offer detailed, standardized metadata about the data underneath a particular layer. The type attribute indicates the standard to which the metadata complies. The format element indicates how the metadata is structured.

To add or edit a metadata URL for a catalog or catalog group:

  1. Open the Express Server Manager (see Accessing the Express Server Manager).
  2. Click Catalogs or Catalog Groups on the top navigation bar, then select a catalog or catalog group in the list.
  3. Select WMS Layer on the left-hand navigation panel.
  4. Select the MetadataURL tab in the table, then click Edit at the bottom of your screen.
  5. Edit existing entries or click Add and enter a new one, then click Save.
  6. If you have no further settings to edit, click Publish.

Adding and Editing a WMS Layer Scale Hint

Because WMS output is destined for output devices of arbitrary size and resolution, the usual definition of scale as the ratio of map size to real-world size is not appropriate. The scale hint suggests minimum and maximum scales for which it is appropriate to display a WMS layer.

To add or edit a scale hint for a catalog or catalog group:

  1. Open the Express Server Manager (see Accessing the Express Server Manager).
  2. Click Catalogs or Catalog Groups on the top navigation bar, then select a catalog or catalog group in the list.
  3. Select WMS Layer on the left-hand navigation panel.
  4. Select the ScaleHint tab in the table, then click Edit at the bottom of your screen.
  5. Enter or edit max and min values, then click Save.
  6. If you have no further settings to edit, click Publish.

Adding and Editing WMS Layer Authority URLs

Identifier elements can be used to list ID numbers or labels defined by a particular authority. For example, the Global Change Master Directory (gcmd.gsfc.nasa.gov) defines a DIF_ID label for every dataset. The authority name and explanatory URL are defined in a separate AuthorityURL element, which may be defined once and inherited by subsidiary layers. Identifiers themselves are not inherited.

To add or edit the authority URL:

  1. Open the Express Server Manager (see Accessing the Express Server Manager).
  2. Click Catalogs or Catalog Groups on the top navigation bar, then select a catalog or catalog group in the list.
  3. Select WMS Layer on the left-hand navigation panel.
  4. Select the Authorities tab in the table, then click Edit at the bottom of your screen.
  5. Edit existing entries or click Add and enter a new one, then click Save.
  6. If you have no further settings to edit, click Publish.