Determining what users can do with ArcGIS Explorer

As an administrator, you can configure settings affecting the behavior of ArcGIS Explorer clients that have your server set as the home server. For example, you can determine whether users will be able to add content, modify tasks, save maps, and do a variety of other things. These settings are maintained in a configuration file found at C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\ArcGIS\Explorer\Config\E2config.xml on your Web server. When clients have your server set as the home server, they must comply with the settings in this configuration file.

The following is a list of available tags for the E2config.xml file, followed by an example.

Permissions tags

The following tags must be enclosed within the parent <Permissions> tag. Tags marked with a * are not included in E2config.xml by default, but you can add them manually:

Enabling this property allows users to add content to maps. Content includes tasks, results, and layers exported from other maps. In addition, users may add services available from ArcGIS Servers, IMS, and WMS, as well as content stored in file geodatabases, shapefiles, raster files, and KML and KMZ files. The functionality is available in the Add Content dialog, accessible from the File menu. Default value = true.

Enabling this property allows users to open other maps besides the default map. The functionality is available in the Open Map dialog, accessible from the File menu. Default value = true.

Enabling this property allows users to save maps to disk. The functionality is available in the Save and Save As dialogs, accessible from the File menu. Default value = true.

Enabling this property allows users to manage the layers of an individual map. Layer management includes the ability to change the drawing order of layers, create group layers, and clear the cache for individual layers. The functionality is available in the Manage Layers dialog, accessible from the Tools menu. Default value = true.

Enabling this property allows users to manage the tasks of an individual map. Task management includes the ability add other tasks from servers or a local machine or network, change the display order of tasks, and create task groups. The functionality is available in the Manage Tasks dialog, accessible from the Tools menu. Default value = true.

Enabling this property allows users to make changes to the way their application is configured by providing access to the Options dialog of the Tools menu. Default value = true.

Enabling this property checks the application running on the client machine to see if the most current version of the software is installed. If it isn't, the user is offered the oppoprtunity of downloading the most recent version. As the home server administrator, you can use the version.htm file to define which version ArcGIS Explorer checks for. This file is located at C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\ArcGIS\Explorer\software\version.htm. If the version number in version.htm is higher than the version on the client, the client will be alerted that an update is available. Default value = true.

Enabling this property allows users to download tasks from any internet site. The functionality is available in the Manage Tasks dialog, accessible from the Tools menu. Default value = true.

Enabling this property allows users to download tasks from their local intranet. The functionality is available in the Manage Tasks dialog, accessible from the Tools menu. Default value = true.

Enabling this property allows users to only download tasks from trusted sites. The functionality is available in the Manage Tasks dialog, accessible from the Tools menu. Default value = true.

Skins tags

The following tags must be enclosed within the parent <Skins> tag. These tags are not included in E2Config.xml by default, but you can add them manually.

Use this setting to specify a custom skin file to be used with the application. If this is not set, the application will use the default skin.

Use this setting to specify the URL location of the custom skin file to be used.

HomeServer tags (Build 410 and later)

The following tags must be enclosed within the parent <HomeServer> tag. You can use these tags to point users to an online resource center that you've created for exposing maps, layers, tasks, and so on. An example resource center is included in the ArcGIS Explorer home server files for ArcGIS Server. You can use it as a starting point to create your own resource center.

The URL to the resource center. When the user clicks File > <ResourceCenterName> this link will open. 

The name or alias for the resource center URL.

This name gets inserted in the menu item "Open <Name>'s default map" and in the message "Connected to <Name>". Can be any name, but likely the name of the home server.

Determines whether a menu entry will be available for opening the default map

Example

This example shows the syntax for a possible E2config.xml file:

<E2Config xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
  <Permissions>
    <AddData>true</AddData>
    <OpenDocument>true</OpenDocument>
    <SaveDocument>true</SaveDocument>
    <ManageLayers>true</ManageLayers>
    <ManageTasks>false</ManageTasks>
    <DisplayOptions>true</DisplayOptions>
    <PerformVersionCheck>false</PerformVersionCheck>
    <TaskDownloadInternet>false</TaskDownloadInternet>
    <TaskDownloadLocalIntranet>false</TaskDownloadLocalIntranet>
    <TaskDownloadTrustedSites>true</TaskDownloadTrustedSites>
  </Permissions>
  <Skins>
    <SkinFile>MyCustomSkin.xml</SkinFile>
    <SkinURL>http://myServer/ArcGIS/Explorer/Skins/</SkinURL>
  </Skins>
  <HomeServer>
    <OpenURL>http://resources.esri.com/arcgisexplorer/index.cfm?</OpenURL>
    <ResourceCenterName>Resource Center</ResourceCenterName>
    <Name>ESRI</Name>
    <HideDefaultMap>false</HideDefaultMap>
  </HomeServer>
</E2Config>