Communicating with a WMS service in a web browser

This topic shows how you can use URL parameters to communicate with a WMS service in a web browser.

WMS request and response

The online resource of each operation supported by a compliant WMS server is an HTTP uniform resource locator (URL), so a WMS service can be considered as a Representational State Transfer (REST) service. Unlike a standard web service, a SOAP client is not necessary for consuming a WMS service, and a web browser is the simplest client. You can get a WMS service's service-level metadata, a map image, or attribute values of a feature by sending a URL request to the server and viewing the corresponding responses in the browser either as an XML document or an image.

Below are some sample requests and responses for each operation supported by a WMS service.

GetCapabilities

Request

http://sampleserver1.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/services/Specialty/ESRI_StatesCitiesRivers_USA/MapServer/WMSServer?version=1.3.0&request=GetCapabilities&service=WMS

XML response

<WMS_Capabilities version="1.3.0" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.opengis.net/wms http://schemas.opengis.net/wms/1.3.0/capabilities_1_3_0.xsd http://www.esri.com/wms http://sampleserver1a.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/services/Specialty/ESRI_StatesCitiesRivers_USA/MapServer/WMSServer?version=1.3.0&service=WMS&request=GetSchemaExtension">
 <Service>
  <Name>WMS</Name>
  <Title>Specialty/ESRI_StatesCitiesRivers_USA</Title>
  <Abstract>WMS</Abstract>
  <KeywordList>
   <Keyword></Keyword>
  </KeywordList>
  <OnlineResource xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://sampleserver1a.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/services/Specialty/ESRI_StatesCitiesRivers_USA/MapServer/WMSServer"/>
  <ContactInformation>
   <ContactPersonPrimary>
    <ContactPerson></ContactPerson>
    <ContactOrganization></ContactOrganization>
   </ContactPersonPrimary>
    <ContactPosition></ContactPosition>
    <ContactAddress>
     <AddressType></AddressType>
     <Address></Address>
     <City></City>
     <StateOrProvince></StateOrProvince>
     <PostCode></PostCode>
     <Country></Country>
    </ContactAddress>
    <ContactVoiceTelephone></ContactVoiceTelephone>
    <ContactFacsimileTelephone></ContactFacsimileTelephone>
    <ContactElectronicMailAddress></ContactElectronicMailAddress>
  </ContactInformation>
  <Fees></Fees>
  <AccessConstraints></AccessConstraints>
  <MaxWidth>2048</MaxWidth>
  <MaxHeight>2048</MaxHeight>
 </Service>
 <Capability>
  <Request>
   <GetCapabilities>
    <Format>application/vnd.ogc.wms_xml</Format>
    <Format>text/xml</Format>
    <DCPType>
     <HTTP>
      <Get>
       <OnlineResource xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://sampleserver1a.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/services/Specialty/ESRI_StatesCitiesRivers_USA/MapServer/WMSServer"/>
      </Get>
     </HTTP>
    </DCPType>
   </GetCapabilities>
   <GetMap>
    <Format>image/bmp</Format>
    <Format>image/jpeg</Format>
    <Format>image/tiff</Format>
    <Format>image/png</Format>
    <Format>image/png8</Format>
    <Format>image/png24</Format>
    <Format>image/png32</Format>
    <Format>image/gif</Format>
    <Format>image/svg+xml</Format>
    <DCPType>
     <HTTP>
      <Get>
       <OnlineResource xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://sampleserver1a.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/services/Specialty/ESRI_StatesCitiesRivers_USA/MapServer/WMSServer"/>
      </Get>
     </HTTP>
    </DCPType>
   </GetMap>
   <GetFeatureInfo>
    <Format>application/vnd.esri.wms_raw_xml</Format>
    <Format>application/vnd.esri.wms_featureinfo_xml</Format>
    <Format>application/vnd.ogc.wms_xml</Format>
    <Format>text/xml</Format>
    <Format>text/html</Format>
    <Format>text/plain</Format>
    <DCPType>
     <HTTP>
      <Get>
       <OnlineResource xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://sampleserver1a.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/services/Specialty/ESRI_StatesCitiesRivers_USA/MapServer/WMSServer"/>
      </Get>
     </HTTP>
    </DCPType>
   </GetFeatureInfo>
   <esri_wms:GetStyles>
    <Format>application/vnd.ogc.sld+xml</Format>
    <DCPType>
     <HTTP>
      <Get>
       <OnlineResource xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://sampleserver1a.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/services/Specialty/ESRI_StatesCitiesRivers_USA/MapServer/WMSServer"/>
      </Get>
     </HTTP>
    </DCPType>
   </esri_wms:GetStyles>
  </Request>
  <Exception>
   <Format>application/vnd.ogc.se_xml</Format>
   <Format>application/vnd.ogc.se_inimage</Format>
   <Format>application/vnd.ogc.se_blank</Format>
   <Format>text/xml</Format>
   <Format>XML</Format>
  </Exception>
  <Layer>
   <Title>Layers</Title>
   <CRS>CRS:84</CRS>
   <CRS>EPSG:4326</CRS>
   <EX_GeographicBoundingBox>
    <westBoundLongitude>-125.192865</westBoundLongitude>
    <eastBoundLongitude>-66.105824</eastBoundLongitude>
    <southBoundLatitude>19.416377</southBoundLatitude>
    <northBoundLatitude>54.318281</northBoundLatitude>
   </EX_GeographicBoundingBox>
   <BoundingBox CRS="CRS:84" minx="-125.192865" miny="19.416377" maxx="-66.105824" maxy="54.318281"/>
   <BoundingBox CRS="EPSG:4326" minx="19.416377" miny="-125.192865" maxx="54.318281" maxy="-66.105824"/>
   <Layer queryable="1">
    <Name>0</Name>
    <Title>States</Title>
    <Abstract>States</Abstract>
    <CRS>CRS:84</CRS>
    <CRS>EPSG:4326</CRS>
    <EX_GeographicBoundingBox>
     <westBoundLongitude>-178.217598</westBoundLongitude>
     <eastBoundLongitude>-66.969271</eastBoundLongitude>
     <southBoundLatitude>18.924782</southBoundLatitude>
     <northBoundLatitude>71.406235</northBoundLatitude>
    </EX_GeographicBoundingBox>
    <BoundingBox CRS="CRS:84" minx="-178.217598" miny="18.924782" maxx="-66.969271" maxy="71.406235"/>
    <BoundingBox CRS="EPSG:4326" minx="18.924782" miny="-178.217598" maxx="71.406235" maxy="-66.969271"/>
    <Style>
     <Name>default</Name>
     <Title>0</Title>
     <LegendURL width="76" height="16">
      <Format>image/png</Format>
      <OnlineResource xlink:href="http://sampleserver1a.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/services/Specialty/ESRI_StatesCitiesRivers_USA/MapServer/WMSServer?request=GetLegendGraphic%26version=1.3.0%26format=image/png%26layer=0" xlink:type="simple"/>
     </LegendURL>
    </Style>
   </Layer>
   <Layer queryable="1">
    <Name>1</Name>
    <Title>Rivers</Title>
    <Abstract>Rivers</Abstract>
    <CRS>CRS:84</CRS>
    <CRS>EPSG:4326</CRS>
    <EX_GeographicBoundingBox>
     <westBoundLongitude>-164.765831</westBoundLongitude>
     <eastBoundLongitude>-67.790980</eastBoundLongitude>
     <southBoundLatitude>25.845557</southBoundLatitude>
     <northBoundLatitude>70.409756</northBoundLatitude>
    </EX_GeographicBoundingBox>
    <BoundingBox CRS="CRS:84" minx="-164.765831" miny="25.845557" maxx="-67.790980" maxy="70.409756"/>
    <BoundingBox CRS="EPSG:4326" minx="25.845557" miny="-164.765831" maxx="70.409756" maxy="-67.790980"/>
    <Style>
     <Name>default</Name>
     <Title>1</Title>
     <LegendURL width="76" height="16">
      <Format>image/png</Format>
      <OnlineResource xlink:href="http://sampleserver1a.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/services/Specialty/ESRI_StatesCitiesRivers_USA/MapServer/WMSServer?request=GetLegendGraphic%26version=1.3.0%26format=image/png%26layer=1" xlink:type="simple"/>
     </LegendURL>
    </Style>
   </Layer>
   <Layer queryable="1">
    <Name>2</Name>
    <Title>Cities</Title>
    <Abstract>Cities</Abstract>
    <CRS>CRS:84</CRS>
    <CRS>EPSG:4326</CRS>
    <EX_GeographicBoundingBox>
     <westBoundLongitude>-158.064606</westBoundLongitude>
     <eastBoundLongitude>-67.986769</eastBoundLongitude>
     <southBoundLatitude>19.696150</southBoundLatitude>
     <northBoundLatitude>64.869104</northBoundLatitude>
    </EX_GeographicBoundingBox>
    <BoundingBox CRS="CRS:84" minx="-158.064606" miny="19.696150" maxx="-67.986769" maxy="64.869104"/>
    <BoundingBox CRS="EPSG:4326" minx="19.696150" miny="-158.064606" maxx="64.869104" maxy="-67.986769"/>
    <Style>
     <Name>default</Name>
     <Title>2</Title>
     <LegendURL width="72" height="16">
      <Format>image/png</Format>
      <OnlineResource xlink:href="http://sampleserver1a.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/services/Specialty/ESRI_StatesCitiesRivers_USA/MapServer/WMSServer?request=GetLegendGraphic%26version=1.3.0%26format=image/png%26layer=2" xlink:type="simple"/>
     </LegendURL>
    </Style>
   </Layer>
  </Layer>
 </Capability>
</WMS_Capabilities>

GetMap from mosaic datasets

For WMS services originating from mosaic datasets, TIME and IMAGES parameters can be added.

Time

TIME—Supports time queries by specifying a time instance or time range. The format can be YYYYMMDDHHMMSS, YYYYMMDD, YYYYMM, or YYYY.

TIME=1999 (time at year 1999)

Request

http://server_name/arcgis/services/service_name/ImageServer/WMSServer?REQUEST=GetMap&SERVICE=WMS&VERSION=1.3.0&LAYERS=0&STYLES=&FORMAT=image/png&BGCOLOR=0xFFFFFF&TRANSPARENT=TRUE&CRS=EPSG:4326&BBOX=17.9995833333334,-161.000416666667,23.0004166666666,-153.999583333333&WIDTH=981&HEIGHT=826&TIME=1999

TIME=1980/2010 (time from year 1980 to 2010)

Request

http://server_name/arcgis/services/service_name/ImageServer/WMSServer?REQUEST=GetMap&SERVICE=WMS&VERSION=1.3.0&LAYERS=0&STYLES=&FORMAT=image/png&BGCOLOR=0xFFFFFF&TRANSPARENT=TRUE&CRS=EPSG:4326&BBOX=17.9995833333334,-161.000416666667,23.0004166666666,-153.999583333333&WIDTH=981&HEIGHT=826&TIME=1980/2010

TIME=1999-12-31T14:30:30/2000-01-01T14:30:30

Request

http://server_name/arcgis/services/service_name/ImageServer/WMSServer?REQUEST=GetMap&SERVICE=WMS&VERSION=1.3.0&LAYERS=0&STYLES=&FORMAT=image/png&BGCOLOR=0xFFFFFF&TRANSPARENT=TRUE&CRS=EPSG:4326&BBOX=17.9995833333334,-161.000416666667,23.0004166666666,-153.999583333333&WIDTH=981&HEIGHT=826&TIME=1999-12-31T14:30:30/2000-01-01T14:30:30

Images

IMAGES—Supports query of individual rasters

Request

http://server_name/arcgis/services/service_name/ImageServer/WMSServer?REQUEST=GetMap&SERVICE=WMS&VERSION=1.3.0&LAYERS=0&STYLES=&FORMAT=image/png&BGCOLOR=0xFFFFFF&TRANSPARENT=TRUE&CRS=EPSG:4326&BBOX=17.9995833333334,-161.000416666667,23.0004166666666,-153.999583333333&WIDTH=981&HEIGHT=826&images=1

IMAGES=1,2 (where the numbers are the object IDs of the image service catalog table)

Request

http://server_name/arcgis/services/service_name/ImageServer/WMSServer?REQUEST=GetMap&SERVICE=WMS&VERSION=1.3.0&LAYERS=0&STYLES=&FORMAT=image/png&BGCOLOR=0xFFFFFF&TRANSPARENT=TRUE&CRS=EPSG:4326&BBOX=17.9995833333334,-161.000416666667,23.0004166666666,-153.999583333333&WIDTH=981&HEIGHT=826&images=1,2

GetFeatureInfo

Request

http://sampleserver1.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/services/Specialty/ESRI_StatesCitiesRivers_USA/MapServer/WMSServer?version=1.1.1&request=GetFeatureInfo&layers=0&styles=default&SRS=EPSG:4326&bbox=-125.192865,11.2289864971264,-66.105824,62.5056715028736&width=1044&height=906&format=text/html&X=500&Y=400&query_layers=0

XML response

<FeatureInfoResponse>
 <FIELDS FID="14" Shape="Null" AREA="77330.258" STATE_NAME="Nebraska" STATE_FIPS="31" SUB_REGION="W N Cen" 
  STATE_ABBR="NE" POP1990="1578385" POP1999="1671251" POP90_SQMI="20" HOUSEHOLDS="602363" MALES="769439" 
  FEMALES="808946" WHITE="1480558" BLACK="57404" AMERI_ES="12410" ASIAN_PI="12422" OTHER="15591" 
  HISPANIC="36969" AGE_UNDER5="119606" AGE_5_17="309406" AGE_18_29="281105" AGE_30_49="441470" 
  AGE_50_64="203730" AGE_65_UP="223068" NEVERMARRY="295873" MARRIED="719288" SEPARATED="13552" 
  WIDOWED="96052" DIVORCED="90230" HSEHLD_1_M="63686" HSEHLD_1_F="95985" MARHH_CHD="171428" 
  MARHH_NO_C="179086" MHH_CHILD="7603" FHH_CHILD="34583" HSE_UNITS="660621" VACANT="58258" 
  OWNER_OCC="400394" RENTER_OCC="201969" MEDIAN_VAL="50400" MEDIANRENT="282" UNITS_1DET="479124" 
  UNITS_1ATT="15767" UNITS2="18369" UNITS3_9="46246" UNITS10_49="49402" UNITS50_UP="9656" 
  MOBILEHOME="37046" NO_FARMS87="60502" AVG_SIZE87="749" CROP_ACR87="23320162" AVG_SALE87="110197"/>
</FeatureInfoResponse>

GetStyles

Request

http://sampleserver1.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/services/Specialty/ESRI_StateCityHighway_USA/MapServer/WMSServer?version=1.3.0&request=GetStyles&layers=0,1,2

XML response

<sld:StyledLayerDescriptor version="1.0.0" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.opengis.net/sld http://schemas.opengis.net/sld/1.0.0/StyledLayerDescriptor.xsd">
 <!-- layer "0" -->
 <sld:NamedLayer>
  <sld:Name>0</sld:Name>
  <!-- NamedStyle -->
  <sld:NamedStyle>
   <sld:Name>default</sld:Name>
  </sld:NamedStyle>
  <!-- UserStyle -->
 </sld:NamedLayer>
 <!-- layer "1" -->
 <sld:NamedLayer>
  <sld:Name>1</sld:Name>
  <!-- NamedStyle -->
  <sld:NamedStyle>
   <sld:Name>default</sld:Name>
  </sld:NamedStyle>
  <!-- UserStyle -->
 </sld:NamedLayer>
 <!-- layer "2" -->
 <sld:NamedLayer>
  <sld:Name>2</sld:Name>
  <!-- NamedStyle -->
  <sld:NamedStyle>
   <sld:Name>default</sld:Name>
  </sld:NamedStyle>
  <!-- UserStyle -->
 </sld:NamedLayer>
</sld:StyledLayerDescriptor>

GetLegendGraphic

Request

http://sampleserver1.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/services/Specialty/ESRI_StatesCitiesRivers_USA/MapServer/WMSServer?version=1.1.1&request=GetLegendGraphic&layer=0&style=default&format=image/png&width=95&height=65

Response legend graphic

WMS GetLegendGraphic legend graphic response
NoteNote:

In many cases, a web browser may not be a preferred WMS client, but it is always a good tool to track and debug the communication between a WMS server and client.

WMS request parameters

OGC Web Map Service specifications define a complete list of request parameters that can be used in each WMS operation. See the links below for different versions of the OGC WMS implementation specification:

Version 1.3.0

Version 1.1.1

Version 1.1.0

Version 1.0.0

The tables below list all the request parameters that are applicable to the WMS implementation in ArcGIS Server, which is only a subset of those defined in the specification.

Parameters of a WMS GetCapabilities request URL

Mandatory/Optional

Default value

Description

VERSION/WMTVER

Optional

1.3.0 (9.3 and up)

1.1.1 (9.2)

Request version. Only use WMTVER in WMS 1.0.0; otherwise use VERSION.

SERVICE

Mandatory

N/A

Service type. It must be set to WMS. The parameter is not available in WMS 1.0.0.

REQUEST

Mandatory

N/A

Request name. It must be set to GetCapabilities. For WMS 1.0.0, it must be set to capabilities.

FORMAT

Optional

text/xml (9.3 and up)

Output format for service metadata. This is only available in WMS 1.3.0. (for example, application/vnd.ogc.wms_xml or text/plain or text/html).

Parameters of a WMS GetMap request URL

Mandatory/Optional

Default value

Description

VERSION/WMTVER

Mandatory

N/A

Request version. Only use WMTVER in WMS 1.0.0; otherwise use VERSION.

REQUEST

Mandatory

N/A

Request name. It must be set to GetMap. For WMS 1.0.0, it must be set to map.

LAYERS

Mandatory

N/A

Comma-separated list of one or more map layers (for example, 0,1,2 or layer1,layer2).

STYLES

Mandatory

N/A

Comma-separated list of one or more styles, one style per requested layer (for example, 0,1,2 or style1,style2).

CRS/SRS

Mandatory

N/A

Coordinate reference system. CRS is only used in WMS 1.3.0, otherwise use SRS (for example, EPSG:4326 or EPSG:4269).

BBOX

Mandatory

N/A

Bounding box corners (lower left and upper right) in CRS/SRS units (for example, -180,-90,180,90).

WIDTH

Mandatory

N/A

Width in pixels of map picture (for example, 1024).

HEIGHT

Mandatory

N/A

Height in pixels of map picture (for example, 768).

FORMAT

Mandatory

N/A

Output format of map (for example, image/png or image/jpeg or image/svg+xml.

TRANSPARENT

Optional

False

Determines whether background is transparent or not (for example, True or False).

BGCOLOR

Optional

0xFFFFFF

Hexadecimal RGB color for the map background (for example, 0xFFFFFF or FFFFFF).

SLD

Optional

""

URL of Styled Layer Descriptor XML file.

SLD_BODY

Optional

""

XML body of Styled Layer Descriptor file.

TIME

Optional

""

Time value of requested layer.

EXCEPTIONS

Optional

text/xml (WMS 1.3.0)

application/vnd.ogc.se_xml (WMS 1.1.1 and WMS 1.1.0)

application/vnd.ogc.inimage (WMS 1.0.0)

The format in which exceptions should be reported (for example, text/xml or text/html).

Parameters of a WMS GetFeatureInfo request URL

Mandatory/Optional

Default value

Description

VERSION/WMTVER

Mandatory

N/A

Request version. Only use WMTVER in WMS 1.0.0; otherwise use VERSION.

REQUEST

Mandatory

N/A

Request name. It must be set to GetFeatureInfo. For WMS 1.0.0, it must be set to feature_info.

Map request part

Mandatory

N/A

Partial copy of the GetMap request parameters that generated the map for which information is desired.

QUERY_LAYERS

Mandatory

N/A

Comma-separated list of one or more map layers to be queried (for example, 0,1,2 or layer1,layer2).

INFO_FORMAT

Mandatory (WMS 1.3.0)

Optional (WMS 1.1.1, 1.1.0, 1.0.0)

N/A (WMS 1.3.0)

text/xml (WMS 1.1.1, 1.1.0, 1.0.0)

Return format of feature information (for example, text/xml, text/html).

I/X

Mandatory

N/A

X-coordinate in pixels of feature in map coordinate system (for example, 100). Use I for WMS 1.3.0; otherwise use X.

J/Y

Mandatory

N/A

Y-coordinate in pixels of feature in map coordinate system (for example, 100). Use J for WMS 1.3.0; otherwise use Y.

TIME

Optional

""

Time value of requested layer.

EXCEPTIONS

Optional

text/xml (WMS 1.3.0)

application/vnd.ogc.se_xml (WMS 1.1.1 and WMS 1.1.0)

application/vnd.ogc.inimage (WMS 1.0.0)

The format in which exceptions should be reported (for example, text/xml or text/html).

Parameters of a WMS GetStyles request

Mandatory / Optional

Default value

Description

VERSION

Mandatory

1.3.0 (9.3 and up)

1.1.1 (9.2)

Version as required by OGC interfaces.

REQUEST

Mandatory

N/A

Request name. It must be set to GetStyles.

LAYERS

Mandatory

N/A

Comma-separated list of named layers for which to retrieve style descriptions.

SLDVER

Optional

1.0.0 (10.0)

The SLD version requested for the SLD document. Only version 1.0.0 is supported.

Parameters of a WMS GetLegendGraphic request

Mandatory/Optional

Default value

Description

VERSION

Mandatory

1.3.0 (9.3 and up)

1.1.1 (9.2)

Version as required by OGC interfaces.

REQUEST

Mandatory

N/A

Request name. It must be set to GetLegendGraphic.

LAYER

Mandatory

N/A

Layer for which to produce the legend graphic.

STYLE

Optional

default

Style of layer for which to produce the legend graphic. If not present, the default style is selected. The style may be any valid style available for a layer, including non-SLD internally defined styles.

RULE

Optional

""

Style rule for which to produce the legend graphic, if applicable. When a style has multiple rules but no specific rule is selected, the map service is obligated to produce a graphic that is representative of all the rules of the style.

SLD

Optional

""

Specifies a reference to an SLD document. It works in the same way as the SLD= parameter of the WMS GetMap operation.

SLD_BODY

Optional

""

Allows an SLD document to be included directly in an HTTP GET request. It works in the same way as the SLD_BODY parameter of the WMS GetMap operation.

FORMAT

Optional

image/png (png24)

The MIME type of the file format in which to return the legend graphic. Allowed values are the same as for the FORMAT= parameter of the WMS GetMap request.

WIDTH

Optional

Depends on the specific legend image

Gives a hint for the width of the returned graphic in pixels.

HEIGHT

Optional

Depends on the specific legend image

Gives a hint for the height of the returned graphic in pixels.

EXCEPTIONS

Optional

text/xml (WMS 1.3.0)

application/vnd.ogc.se_xml (WMS 1.1.1 and WMS 1.1.0)

application/vnd.ogc.inimage (WMS 1.0.0)

The MIME type of the format in which to return exceptions. Allowed values are the same as for the EXCEPTIONS= parameter of the WMS GetMap request.


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3/6/2013