ArcGIS Image Server > Creating an image service
Creating a new image service |
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Release 9.2
Last modified April 14, 2008 |
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About creating a new image service
To begin creating an image service, you need to be working in ArcMap and have the Image Service Editor toolbar displayed. To learn about adding the toolbar, see Adding the Image Service Editor toolbar.
There are two options for creating an image service, which are dependent on how advanced the image service will be. The New Image Service Wizard allows you to create three of the most common types of image services: panchromatic, color, or elevation. You will use the Advanced options available on the Image Service Editor toolbar if you need to build more advanced image services.
The Image Service Editor Wizard walks you through all the steps required to create an image service, including adding the data, optimizing the image service, enhancing the imagery or visualizing the elevation data, and compiling the service.
If you create a new image service using the Advanced options you will choose New Service Definition from the Advanced menu on the Image Service drop-down menu on the Image Service Editor toolbar. This displays the Image Service Definition dialog box where you enter the required information to start creating an image service. This information is used to generate the image service definition, which is displayed in ArcMap as a group layer in the table of contents (as shown below). You can then add raster datasets, define the processes, and set other properties of the image service.
The footprint is the first layer that is contained in the image service group layer using the Advanced methods. When using the New Image Service Wizard, the footprint is also built; however, the wizard walks you through all the following steps that you would otherwise have to do independently, thus resulting in a complete group layer. The footprint contains the outline of the valid pixel data in each raster dataset, in the spatial reference system of the raster dataset, after the data is added. The example below displays a raw Landsat scene and the footprint that is derived. In this case, the extent of the valid pixel data is not rectangular as suggested by the file extents. The valid pixel data is actually contained within a skewed rectangle in the dataset, and the other pixel values surrounding this skewed rectangle are null data.
There are many cases where the footprint will be the extent of the file, thus resulting in rectangular footprints. You can edit the shape of the footprint. For example, you may want to exclude areas you do not want to display, such as areas of cloud cover in an image or a legend in a scanned map.
The contents of the image service you create are contained in a folder with the name you gave the image service and a .ISDef extension, such as Landsat321.ISDef. This folder contains the image service definition XML, footprint, seamline, boundary information, and raster process definition files. To move the image service contents to another location or copy to another location, simply move or copy the image service definition folder (with its contents). The paths stored within the image service definition are relative to the folder contents.
An overview of the Image Service Definition dialog box parameters
Parameters on the Image Service Definition dialog box define the key aspects of the service and should not be changed once defined. These parameters define the location of the service definition and control how the internal mosaicking of the raster data is performed.
| Parameter | Description |
| Service definition | Enter the name and location where the image service definition folder is created. The system provides a default name and location that you can change. This is also the default name of the image service a client will use to access the service. The actual name of the service can be specified on the Image Service Definition Properties dialog box. |
| Spatial reference | Select the spatial reference to be used for all internal searches and derived tiles. This is the spatial reference system used for the image service, for all internal searches and derived tiles. The spatial reference should be selected such that no coordinate system boundaries exist within the extents of the required image service.
For example, it would be advantageous to specify the Mercator projection while using data that covers multiple UTM zones rather than specifying a single UTM zone. Once the spatial reference is defined, it cannot be changed. |
| Service type | Specify the type of service to be created. All input rasters will be converted to this type of raster for mosaicking internally prior to applying a service process. After defining the Service Type, it should not be changed. The type of output imagery can be changed later using the service process.
There are four service types, Color (RGB), Panchromatic, 4 Band (RGBI), and Elevation, that have the default number of bands and pixel type defined. The Custom service type allows you to define the key parameters based on your requirements. |
| Number of bands | Specify the number of bands that will be mosaicked together to form the output of the image service.
All rasters that are mosaicked together in a service must have the specified number of bands. Rasters with a different number of bands will have to be converted to a raster with the specified number of bands using one of the processes. The output of the service may have a different number of bands; for example, an image service with grayscale imagery can be created from color imagery. |
| Pixel type | Specify the pixel type of images that will be mosaicked to form the output of the image service. Rasters that are mosaicked must have this pixel type, but the output service can be different. For standard color imagery, you can choose Unsigned 8-bit Integer. |
| Bit depth | Specify the number of bits of the mosaicked image. For example, a 16-bit depth raster can use only 12-bits compared to the available 16-bits. This value affects the histogram and radiometric transformations used. |
| Color space | Defines the relationship between the bands for each pixel. This is required primarily to enable compression.
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How to create new image services
Creating a color image service using the wizard
- Click the Image Service drop-down menu on the Image Service Editor toolbar and click New Image Service.
The New Image Service Wizard welcome panel is displayed. - Click Next.
- Click the New Image service location Browse button
, navigate to the location where you want to create the image service, type the name in the File name text box, then click Save.
- Click the Select spatial reference system Browse button and select a spatial reference system provided in the ArcGIS Coordinate Systems folder.
This is the spatial reference system used for the image service and is not necessarily the same as that of each raster dataset that will be added. The spatial reference should be selected such that no coordinate system boundaries exist within the extents of the required image service. - Click the Service type drop-down arrow and click Color.
- Click Next.
- Click the Raster type Browse button to open the Select Raster Type dialog box. Select a raster type and click OK.
- Click the File or Folder radio button, depending on if you are adding a single file or a folder containing many files.
- Click Input Browse button and select the file or folders containing the raster data.
- Optionally, check Use this spatial reference for all input data and click the Browse button to select the spatial reference.
If unchecked, the spatial reference system defined with the raster will be used. - Optionally, click the Band combinations drop-down arrow and select the required band combination.
- Optionally check Apply pansharpening to panchromatically sharpen your image service.
This option will only be available if you are using a raster type that allows for this option, such as QuickBird or Landsat. - Click Next.
- Optionally, check Apply stretch and select the type of enhancement that will be applied to the raster datasets when they are displayed.
- Optionally, check Apply gamma and select how the gamma correction value is computed.
- Click Next.
- Optionally, click Yes if you want to add additional data to your image service, and click Next. This will take you back to through the steps you have already completed to define additional data and any enhancements.
- Optionally, uncheck Generate overviews if you do not want to optimize the image service.
- Optionally, uncheck Compile the service for publishing if you do not want to compile the image service.
- Click Next.
- Type a valid Service name.
It is recommended that you enter all the information on this section of the wizard. - Click Next.
- Review the summary.
- Click Back if you need to make changes; otherwise, click Finish.
You will often specify the spatial reference for data that doesn't contain the information within, such as TIFF files with TFW files.
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Creating a panchromatic image service using the wizard
- Click Image Service on the Image Service Editor toolbar and click New Image Service.
The New Image Service Wizard welcome panel is displayed. - Click Next.
- Click the New Image service location Browse button , navigate to the location where you want to create the image service, type the name in the File name text box, then click Save.
- Click the Select spatial reference system Browse button and select a spatial reference system provided in the ArcGIS Coordinate Systems folder.
This is the spatial reference system used for the image service and is not necessarily the same as that of each raster dataset that will be added. The spatial reference should be selected such that no coordinate system boundaries exist within the extents of the required image service. - Click the Service type drop-down arrow and click Panchromatic.
- Click Next.
- Click the Raster type Browse button to open the Select Raster Type dialog box. Select a raster type and click OK.
- Click the File or Folder radio button, depending on if you are adding a single file or a folder containing many files.
- Click Input Browse button and select the file or folders containing the raster data.
- Optionally, check Use this spatial reference for all input data and click the Browse button to select the spatial reference.
If unchecked, the spatial reference system defined with the raster will be used. - Optionally, click the Band combinations drop-down arrow and select the band to display in the image service.
- Click Next.
- Optionally, check Apply stretch and select the type of enhancement that will be applied to the raster datasets when they are displayed.
- Optionally, check Apply gamma and select how the gamma correction value is computed.
- Click Next.
- Optionally, click Yes if you want to add additional data to your image service, and click Next. This will take you back through the steps you have already completed to define additional data and any enhancements.
- Optionally, uncheck Generate overviews if you do not want to optimize the image service.
- Optionally, uncheck Compile the service for publishing if you do not want to compile the image service.
- Click Next.
- Type a valid Service name.
It is recommended that you enter all the information on this section of the wizard. - Click Next.
- Review the summary.
- Click Back if you need to make changes; otherwise, click Finish.
You will often specify the spatial reference for data that doesn't contain the information within, such as TIFF files with TFW files.
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Creating an elevation image service using the wizard
- Click Image Service on the Image Service Editor toolbar and click New Image Service.
The New Image Service Wizard welcome panel is displayed. - Click Next.
- Click the New Image service location Browse button , navigate to the location where you want to create the image service, type the name in the File name text box, then click Save.
- Click the Select spatial reference system Browse button and select a spatial reference system provided in the ArcGIS Coordinate Systems folder.
This is the spatial reference system used for the image service and is not necessarily the same as that of each raster dataset that will be added. The spatial reference should be selected such that no coordinate system boundaries exist within the extents of the required image service. - Click the Service type drop-down arrow and click Elevation.
- Click the Visualization method drop-down arrow and select a method, then fill in the remaining parameters; otherwise, click the As an elevation image service radio button.
- Click the Generated on-the-fly drop-down arrow and select a method, or click the Load from symbology file and click the Browse button to select the file.
- Depending on the parameters you chose in the last two panels, you can edit some or all of the parameters listed in the Properties group.
- Optionally, click the Low color box and select a new color.
- Optionally, click the High color box and select a new color.
- Optionally, type a number in the Number of entries text box.
- Optionally, click the arrows to select the Break classes at value.
- Optionally, uncheck Smooth gradient.
- Click Next.
- Click the Select a raster type Browse button to open the Select Raster Type dialog box. Select a raster type and click OK.
- Click the File or Folder button depending on if you are adding a single file or a folder containing many files.
- Click the Select the input Browse button and select the file or folders containing the raster data.
- Optionally, check Use this spatial reference for all input data to use the spatial reference you define and click the button to select the desired spatial reference system.
If unchecked, the spatial reference system defined with the raster will be used. - Optionally, click Yes if you want to add additional data to your image service, and click Next. This will take you back through the steps you have already completed to define additional data and any enhancements.
- Optionally, uncheck Generate overviews if you do not want to optimize the image service.
- Optionally, uncheck Compile the service for publishing if you do not want to compile the image service.
- Click Next.
- Type a valid Service name.
It is recommended that you enter all the information on this section of the wizard. - Click Next.
- Review the summary.
- Click Back if you need to make changes; otherwise, click Finish.
Selecting Elevation coded or Shaded relief as the visualization method and clicking Next opens the symbolization panel.
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Creating an image service using the Image Service Definition dialog box
- Click the Image Service drop-down menu on the Image Service Editor toolbar, point to Advanced, then click New Service Definition.
The Image Service Definition dialog box is displayed. - Type the Service Definition path and name in the text box or click the Browse button to navigate to the location and provide a name.
- Click the Spatial Reference Browse button and choose a .prj file for either a geographic or projected coordinate system.
Previously selected spatial reference systems can also be selected using the drop-down arrow. - Click the Service Type drop-down box and click a service type.
The default values corresponding to selected service type are displayed in the Number of Bands, Pixel Type, Bit Depth, and Color Space fields. - Click OK to create the new service.
The new service is added to the ArcMap table of contents as a group layer.
You can click the Information button
to review the parameters of the spatial reference file.If you select Custom, edit the values in the Number of Bands, Pixel Type, Bit Depth, and Color Space fields.