Before you can create a Web application, you must create a map suitable for display in the Web application. As an ArcIMS author, you work with map configuration files. A map configuration file is created in Author and used as input to an Image Service or Feature Service.

Creating map configuration files

Use ArcIMS Author to create map configuration files. Author allows you to perform such tasks as adding data layers, setting layer symbology, creating stored queries, and setting layers for geocoding.

If you have never used Author or created a map configuration file, a good place to start is the ArcIMS Quick Start tutorial.

More details about making maps in Author is in the ArcIMS Help section "Authoring maps". The good starting point is the topic Getting started with Author.

Exploring map configuration files

Map configuration files, the output from Author, are written in ArcXML, which is XML specific to ArcIMS. You can open these files in a text or XML editor and can make modifications. Because Author does not comprehensively cover all the ArcXML available for use in a map configuration file, you may want to add additional ArcXML. You can customize a map configuration file to include additional symbology, query statements, and map projections. The topic Map configuration file content gives an overview of the structure of a map configuration file.

One modification you are encouraged to make is to add projection information. As ArcIMS services become more accessible, and many users want to combine data from different services, identifying a projection for your service becomes critical. If a service has an undefined projection, many applications may not be able to integrate the layers correctly. Since you cannot add projection information in Author, you must do it in a text or XML editor. For more information, see Adding projections.

If you are curious about ArcXML, you can learn more about it in the ArcXML Programmer's Reference Guide.

Optimizing your map configuration file

Optimizing your map configuration file is important for several reasons:

• Making changes to your map configuration file can dramatically improve Web site performance by reducing response time and increasing the throughput of the Spatial Server.
• Your users will have a much better experience if the map conveys the information they are looking for. The map must respond well, and it must not be overly complex at any scale. Your users will be viewing the map on an electronic device, most commonly a computer screen. You must take into consideration that the resolution of an electronic map is lower than a paper map.

You can use the Optimizing ArcIMS services checklist for ideas about optimizing your map configuration files.