Adding data from the Internet |
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Release 9.1
Last modified December 7, 2006 |
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About adding data from the Internet
The Internet is a vast resource for geographic data. The Add Data from Internet option in ArcMap allows you to go directly to any Web site you choose, using a browser to explore Metadata Explorer sites. Generally, the data you add to your map is accessed directly from the organization providing the data.
An example of a widely used source is the Geography Network (www.geographynetwork.com). The Geography Network is a global community of data providers committed to making geographic content available to the public. Published from sites around the world, it gives you immediate access to the latest maps, data, and related services over the Internet. Use the Geography Network to search for and explore maps and other geographic content. When you find what you want, you can add it directly to your map in ArcMap.
In some cases, there will be a lock symbol on the Add to ArcMap button. This indicates it is a service with which you need to be registered in order to use their data. It may be that you need to pay to receive this data, or possibly that this is a secure service and they monitor who is utilizing their data. To obtain access to these sites, or to learn more about the service provider, click Order from ESRI. If you have permission to access secure server data, you will be asked to provide a username and password.
The best place to look for GIS-served data you can add to your map is the Geography Network. The Geography Network is a collection of data services provided by organizations all over the world, gathered together in one clearinghouse to make them easy for you to access. See 'Adding Internet data from the Geography Network' for more information. Most Geography Network content is free, but some may only be available for use in ArcMap on a subscription basis.
Another place you can find data is in a metadata service provided by an organization or agency. These services are online catalogs of metadata that work in the same way as the Geography Network. Each metadata service has a Metadata Explorer Web page that allows you to search and browse the data that the organization or agency has made available. The Metadata Explorer page for a metadata service usually has the same look and feel as the Geography Network Explorer, although some organizations customize their Metadata Explorer page to provide new search functions and other features. These Web sites can be added to the Add Data from Internet pull-right menu in ArcMap (see 'Adding Internet data from a metadata service') for easy access any time you want to add data from that service in the future. For example, if you work for a state agency that has published a metadata service, you can add the Metadata Explorer page for that metadata service to the Add Data from Internet pull-right menu so you can access it whenever you want to add data hosted by your agency to your map.
Typically, you can get the URL of the Metadata Explorer Web page from the publisher of the service. For example, when a state agency sets up a metadata service, they typically publicize the URL of the Metadata Explorer page that they've set up, and add a link to their Metadata Explorer page from their home page.
You can also access Internet data that is not featured in the Geography Network or a metadata service. For example, if your organization or an organization you work with is using ArcIMS to serve its data to the Internet, you can access those data services and add them to your map even though they are not in the Geography Network or a metadata service. This is because you can connect directly to any server from which data services are being published.
Learn about adding data from a GIS server
How to add data from the Internet
Adding Internet data from the Geography Network
- Click the File menu, point to Add Data from Internet, and click Geography Network. The Geography Network Explorer is automatically launched in your Web browser. The Geography Network Explorer lets you search for data by geographic location, data theme, and keyword. You can also click the Browse tab to look through the available data according to who publishes it, and so on.
- Click the Add To ArcMap button next to the data you want to add to your map. If the button is not available, the data can't be added to ArcMap.
- Click the Add To ArcMap button next to the service's listing in the dialog box.
Adding Internet data from a metadata service
- Click the File menu, point to Add Data from Internet, and click Add Website.
- Specify the URL of the Metadata Explorer Web page for the metadata service from which you want to access data. You can type it manually or copy and paste it from your Web browser. Be sure to include http:// at the beginning of the URL you specify. The Metadata Explorer page for the metadata service is automatically launched in your Web browser. This lets you search for data by geographic location, data theme, and keyword.
- Click the Add To ArcMap button next to the data you want to add to your map. If the button is not available, the data can't be added to ArcMap. The data is added to the map and the metadata service is now listed in your Add Data from Internet menu. The next time you want to add data from this metadata service, you can simply choose this entry from the menu to launch its Metadata Explorer page.
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This URL will expand automatically in the Web browser to the full URL: http://<servername>/metadataexplorer/explorer.jsp ArcMap will also append the following suffix to the end of the URL: ?mode=arcmap This suffix notifies Metadata Explorer (or whatever customized version of the Metadata Explorer application is running at that URL) that it is being called by ArcMap. In this way, the Metadata Explorer will display an Add To ArcMap button next to each data service it presents. This suffix will be appended to any URL you specify, including URLs to customized Metadata Explorer applications. The URL you specify may include the /explorer.jsp and the ?mode=arcmap suffixes, so you don't need to remove them if they are in a URL that you have pasted into this field from a Web browser. |