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Web Map Service

Retrieve map data from Web Map Service (WMS) servers

Web Map Service (WMS) servers provide publicly accessible geospatial data such as temperature, elevation, weather, orthoimagery, and demographics from web-based sources. The servers follow a standard developed by the Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc.^® (OGC). Use WMS functions to search a database of server URLs, server titles, layer names, and layer titles and to read WMS data from servers.

This figure shows a WMS map of tropospheric ozone impacts from the NASA SVS Image Server, ETOPO1 data from NOAA, and Blue Marble: Next Generation imagery from the NASA SVS Image Server.

Functions

`wmsfind`	Search local database for Web map servers and layers
`wmsinfo`	Read capabilities document from WMS server
`wmsread`	Retrieve WMS map from server
`wmsupdate`	Synchronize `WMSLayer` object with server

Classes

`WebMapServer`	Web map server
`WMSCapabilities`	Web Map Service capabilities document
`WMSLayer`	Web Map Service layer
`WMSMapRequest`	Web Map Service map request

Topics

Create WMS Maps

Basic WMS Terminology
Learn about common terms encountered when working with Web Map Service (WMS), such as layers, capabilities documents, and WMS servers.
Basic Workflow for Creating WMS Maps
To create a WMS map, search the WMS Database for servers and layers, request the most recent data associated with a layer, and display the data.
Create WMS Maps When Internet Access Is Intermittent
This example shows how to create and save WMS maps, while accounting for intermittent Internet access, by reading saved WMS maps from a file.

Search for Layers

Explore Layers on Same Server
Once you find a layer you like in the WMS Database, you can search the same WMS server for similar layers.
Search for Layers Outside the WMS Database
This example shows how to search for layers outside the WMS Database by using a search engine in your web browser.

Display Layers

Overlay Multiple Layers
These examples show how to merge multiple layers, including mixed vector and raster formats, into a single raster map.
Add Legend to WMS Map
This example shows how to download a legend from a WMS server and add it to a WMS map.
Animate Data Layers
These examples show how to create maps of the same geographic region at different times and view them as a movie.
Display Animation of Radar Images over GOES Backdrop
This example shows how to display a movie of radar images collected once per hour over a backdrop.

Read WMS Maps

Modify Your Map Request
This example shows how to modify the geographic extent and time of the requested map.
Read WMS Maps Using Different Coordinate Reference Systems
This example shows how to read WMS maps using Web Mercator coordinates.
Read Quantitative Data from WMS Server
These examples show how to retrieve quantitative data, for example terrain elevations, instead of an image from a WMS server.

Export WMS Layers

Write WMS Layers to KML File
This example shows how to render a map in a non-image format such as KML.

Troubleshooting

Troubleshoot WMS Servers

Learn about connection errors and other common WMS server errors, and suggested workarounds.

Related Information

Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc.

Featured Examples

Compositing and Animating Web Map Service (WMS) Meteorological Layers

Composite and animate data from multiple Web Map Service (WMS) layers.

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