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Create an Imagery Layer for WMS and WMTS Using the API

Yaniv Navon
  • Updated
This article explains how to create imagery layers in TerraExplorer using WMS and WMTS services through the TerraExplorer Desktop API. 

  • WMS services are relatively simple to load and require only a minimal set of parameters, allowing them to be created directly through the API.

  • WMTS services are more complex and require numerous parameters, including tile matrices, resolutions, and bounding box definitions. For this reason, the recommended approach is to create the WMTS layer using the TerraExplorer user interface and then extract the generated initialization parameters.

Example implementations for both methods are provided in the attached FLY file.

In this article:

Load WMS Using the TerraExplorer Desktop API

WMS services can be added by supplying a standard ExtInfo definition containing the WMS URL, bounding box, coordinate system, and optional rendering parameters.

  1. Construct an ExtInfo string that defines the WMS service parameters.

  2. Pass the ExtInfo string to CreateImageryLayer, along with the appropriate plugin name.

Example:
 
var WmsInit = "<EXT><ExtInfo><![CDATA[[INFO]\n" +
    "ProtocolType = 2\n" +
    "Meters = 1\n" +
    "MPP = 0.1\n" +
    "Url = https://SampleSite.com/arcgis/services/Secure/ReferentielVA/MapServer/WmsServer?token=Tyk5_0rd21B9wmub1loFkXuH1LiPFwkOkz9DGkFvI7vV0o6w5-6sjcimj0SmILSsW8-g1tuVKMF3FI8T4bMMWr0MWGfJS3_tMAcFiv01y6E4M1cmxjafuCLbNX26qTMR2HT6oQlDwvep0vHa9oPCtnIoRygklqWGIc3_wmkjwvxEHU&request=GetMap&Version=1.3.0&Service=WMS&CRS=EPSG:2155&BBOX=314625.8026,6151560.4571,1064564.99,6866844.484&HEIGHT=488&WIDTH=512&Layers=3&Styles=default&Format=image/png&TRANSPARENT=TRUE\n" +
    "CapabilitiesUrl = https://SampleSite.com/arcgis/services/Secure/ReferentielVA/MapServer/WMSServer?\n" +
    "xul = 314625.802600\n" +
    "ylr = 6151560.457100\n" +
    "xlr = 1064564.990000\n" +
    "yul = 6866844.484000\n" +
    "ReadSizeX = 512\n" +
    "ReadSizeY = 512\n" +
    "WKT = PROJCS[\"RGF93 / Lambert-93\", GEOGCS[\"RGF93\", DATUM[\"Reseau_Geodesique_Francais_1993\", SPHEROID[\"GRS 1980\", 6378137, 298.257222101]], UNIT[\"degree\",0.0174532925199433]], PROJECTION[\"Lambert_Conformal_Conic_2SP\"], PARAMETER[\"standard_parallel_1\",49], PARAMETER[\"standard_parallel_2\",44], PARAMETER[\"latitude_of_origin\",46.5], PARAMETER[\"central_meridian\",3], PARAMETER[\"false_easting\",700000], PARAMETER[\"false_northing\",6600000], UNIT[\"metre\",1]]\n" +
    "ReplaceXY = 0\n" +
    "]]></ExtInfo><ExtType>wms</ExtType></EXT>";

SGWorld81.Creator.CreateImageryLayer(
    "My Layer",
    0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0,
    WmsInit,
    "GISplg.rct",
    "",
    "New WMS Layer"
);
 

Load WMTS Using TerraExplorer Desktop API

Creating a WMTS layer manually requires specifying many parameters, including tile matrices, resolutions, bounding boxes, and server tile structure. Because of this complexity, TerraExplorer provides a UI object that automatically generates the required initialization parameters.

  1. In TerraExplorer, add the WMTS layer using  Add Layer → WMTS. 
  2. In a script message, access the layer's initialization parameters using This81.InitParam and This81.PlugName
  3. Pass these parameters to CreateImageryLayer to recreate the layer programmatically.
Example:
 
SGWorld81.Creator.CreateImageryLayer(
    "",
    0, 0, 0, 0,
    This81.InitParam,
    This81.PlugName,
    "",
    "Duplicated WMS Layer"
);

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