About the image service definition properties

The properties of an image service definition include all information that is not specific to raster datasets but required to create a publishable image service definition using the ArcGIS Image Server. The following service properties are set on the Image Service Properties dialog box:

• Information—Contains general information and comments about the image service definition, such as version, author name, and organization name. This information is not transmitted to the client.
• Service Definition—Contains parameters for the image service definition, such as name of the image service, and key parameters that determine how the image service works internally and how it is structured. It includes the key image service properties that you are prompted to specify when an image service definition is created. More details on the key image service properties are provided in the next section.
• Service Processes—The chain of processes applied to the image service definition. Service processes are applied to the data after all raster datasets are requested from the client and mosaicked together. These processes are used primarily for rendering the pixels for display, such as the computation of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) or the visualization of elevation. Using the Raster Properties dialog box, processes can be defined for each raster and also applied to raster datasets before they are mosaicked.
• Output Definition—The properties of the image output from the image service. The properties of the output can be different than those of the input due to the applied service processes.
• Metadata—Meta information about the service that the client can view as image service metadata. Some default information is generated for the metadata, but when you create an image service definition, you should consider adding information to all available fields so that a client accessing an image service can obtain sufficient information about what imagery is being served.
• Client Interface Control—Defines service properties a client can modify when accessing an image service; for example, the mosaicking method. The client image service properties include parameters such as the maximum rows and columns served to the client, what client service properties can be modified, and what meta information may be transmitted to the client.
• Client Properties Defaults—The default client service properties applied to the output raster dataset, for example, mosaicking method, compression, and background color. The image service has these properties until the client changes them.
• Service Editor Defaults—The default values used by the Service Editor during the creation of an image service definition. While using the Service Editor, different operations prompt you to specify the parameters, such as the factor used in the creation of overviews. The default factor can be defined in this section.
• Field Properties—Lists the fields and corresponding properties that should exist in the service table. The service table contains a set of standard fields, but other fields can be added to store metadata to control the mosaic order or the parameters that are specific to raster datasets and to be used for processing.

For specific information on each parameter on the Image Service Properties dialog box, see Descriptions of the image service definition properties.

Key image service properties

When a new image service definition is created, five key image service properties need to be defined. These key properties are also outlined in the image service definition. You are prompted to specify these parameters when a service is created, as they affect the processing that is applied to the raster datasets that are added to an image service definition.

The key image service properties are as follows:

• The spatial reference to be used for all internal searches and derived tiles
• The number of bands each raster dataset should have before being mosaicked; for example, 1 or 3
• The pixel type each raster dataset should have before being mosaicked; for example, unsigned 8 bit or signed 16 bit
• The number of bits of data content in the mosaicked image; for example, 8, 11, 16, or 32
• The color space used to define the relationship between the bands of the pixel (This is required primarily to enable compression.)