Saving a copy of an image service definition

Legacy:

ArcGIS 10 is the last release of the stand-alone ArcGIS Image Server product. The image service definition (.ISDef) has been replaced by an improved geodatabase data model—the mosaic dataset—which can be published as an image service using the ArcGIS Server Image extension.

You can save a copy of an image service definition by clicking Save As on the Image Service Definition Editor toolbar. You can make a copy of an image service definition (.ISDef) as a backup, since any editing operations cannot be undone, or you can make a copy to which you will make modifications. For example, you can create multiple image service definitions using the same raster data but display using different enhancements.

You can save a full copy of the image service definition, or you can save a copy that links to the files within the original, such as the service table and the derived images. When you create a full copy without any links, any changes you make to this copy will not affect the original. If you save a copy with links, any changes you make could also affect the original, depending on the links, and any changes made to the original could affect the copy. For example, if you link to the service table and remove or edit an entry in it, such as the display order, it will affect the original and copied image service definition. You may want to create a copy with links when you are making modifications to the service properties, such as adding or changing a process at the image service level. For example, if you use the Visualize Elevation process to create a shaded relief image service, you can save a copy linking to the original and change the process parameters to create a hillshaded image service. Therefore, you do not have to duplicate the service overviews and other information, thus saving disk space.

Steps:

1. Open an image service definition.
2. Click the Image Service drop-down menu on the Image Service Definition Editor toolbar and click Advanced > Save As.

   The Save As dialog box is displayed.

3. Type the new image service definition path and name in the Service Definition text box.

   By default, the original path and name are entered, with the current date appended to the file name.

4. Type the new image service name in the Service Name text box.

   By default, the original name is entered, with the current date appended.

5. Optionally, check Link to current service table.
   • If checked, a link is made to the existing service table. You might do this when maintaining a lot of similarity between the new and current image service definition and you want to avoid creating any redundant service tables.
   • If unchecked, the existing service table is copied to the location of the new image service definition.
6. Optionally, check Link to current raster datasets.
   • If this option is checked, a link is made from the new image service definition to the current raster process definition (.RPDef) files. This is used when you want to make an image service definition that is similar to the current one without creating new .RPDef files.
   • If this option is unchecked, the .RPDef files will be created and stored in the same directory as the new image service definition.
7. Optionally, check Link to current seamline polygon.
   • If this option is checked, a link is made from the new image service definition to the seamline polygon of the current image service definition. This is used when you want to make an image service definition that is similar to the current one using the same seamline polygons.
   • If this option is unchecked, the current seamline polygon will be copied to the same directory as the new image service definition.
8. Optionally, check Link to current service boundary.
   • If this option is checked, a link is made from the new image service definition to the boundary polygon of the current image service definition. This is used when you want to make an image service definition that is similar to the current one using the same service boundary.
   • If this option is unchecked, the current boundary polygon will be created and stored in the same directory as the new image service definition.
9. Click OK.

   A message box prompts that the image service definition has been saved successfully and asks if you want to load the saved image service definition into ArcMap.

10. Click Yes to load the saved image service definition; otherwise, click No.

    If you click Yes, the saved image service definition is added to the ArcMap table of contents.