Selecting layers to display


To select the layers that will be displayed in your application, you will use Manager to connect to GIS servers and select services to add to your map. The services appear as group layers in the map, meaning users of your application will still be able to work with the individual layers within those services.

You can add ArcGIS Server, ArcIMS, ArcWeb Services, and WMS services to your map. Previously, the Web ADF allowed you to build a Web application that displayed a single map service. Now, there is support for building applications that combine any of the service types listed above on a single map allowing you to seamlessly integrate map services running on the same GIS server or different GIS servers. For example, you can combine a map service running on an ArcIMS Server with one running on an ArcGIS Server.

This new multi-service support allows you to transparently overlay map services. Once you've selected all of the services you want to add to your map, you can use Manager to set the transparency of the entire service or make the service's background transparent. Making the background transparent is especially useful for a service that contains vector data if it will overlay a service that contains raster data.

How to add layers to the map

You can add layers to the map using the Select tab in Manager. Before adding a layer to the map, you must first add a GIS server.

How to add a GIS server

  1. Click Add GIS Server
  2. Select the type of server you want to add:

    • ArcGIS Server Internet

      Connects to a GIS server through HTTP. This is the recommended way to connect to ArcGIS Server, although an ArcGIS Server Internet connection cannot be used for Web editing layers or any layers that will be worked with through fine-grained ArcObjects.

      To make an ArcGIS Server Internet connection, you will be prompted to enter the URL of the server. This will take the form of  http://<server>:8399/<instance>/services. In most cases, the instance will have the default name, which is ArcGIS.

    • ArcGIS Server Local

      An ArcGIS Server Local connection is used for connecting to a GIS server on a local area network. ArcGIS Server Local connections are most suitable for Web editing layers and layers that will be worked with through fine-grained ArcObjects.

      To make an ArcGIS Server Local connection, you must enter the name of the GIS server you wish to connect to (specifically, the name of the server object manager, or SOM, machine). You must also enter a user name and password that corresponds to an account in the agsusers or agsadmin group on that GIS server.

    • ArcIMS

      Use the ArcIMS option for adding Image and ArcMap Image Services. Feature and Metadata Services are not supported in a Web Mapping Application.

      To add an ArcIMS service, you must select either ArcIMS Server local or ArcIMS Server Internet from the dropdown menu. For an ArcIMS Server local connection, you must specify a host and port. The host is the server where the ArcIMS Application Server resides. The port is the port used for the Application Server, and the default is 5300. For an ArcIMS Server Internet connection, you must specify the URL of the server you wish to access. For example, if the server is mymachine, the URL is "http://mymachine". If you need to connect to secure services, check the box for secure services, and type in a username and password.

    • ArcWeb Services

      ArcWeb Services is a set of GIS and mapping Web services hosted and maintained by ESRI. Some of these services are available to the public; others are only available on a subscription basis.

      You can add ArcWeb Services to your map by providing the name and password of your ArcWeb Services account.

    • OGC (WMS)

      You can add services to your map that support the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGS) Web Map Service (WMS) specification. You must provide the URL of the service you want to add. If you are using WMS services hosted by ArcIMS or ArcGIS Server, typical URL's are as follows:

      ArcIMS Example:http://<server>/wmsconnector/com.esri.wms.Esrimap/<service>
      ArcGIS Server Example: http://<server>/arcgis/services/<service>/MapServer/WMSServer

  3. Once you have entered the connection information for the server, as described above, click Add Server.

How to add a layer to the map

After adding at least one GIS server, you can start adding layers to the map.

  1. In the Available Services box, click the GIS server that contains the service you want to add.
  2. Click the service to highlight it. 
  3. Click the 'Add' arrow button, or just double-click the selected service.
  4. Optionally, use the up and down arrow buttons to move the layer to its desired place in the map contents.

How to preview layers and set transparency

You can use the Preview tab to change the name, transparency, or position of a layer.

Changing the name, transparency, or position of a layer

  1. Click the Preview tab, if it is not already active.
  2. Click the layer you want to change. You can:
    • Type a new name for the layer
    • Use the slider bar to set a transparency percentage for the layer (NOTE: if there is only one layer, you cannot change its transparency using the slider bar.)
    • Use the arrow buttons to change the layer order in the table of contents
    • Select the Data Frame to display
  3. After making the changes, click Apply. A preview image shows how the map will look within your application.

When you've finished adding layers

When you're done selecting layers and are ready to configure tasks for your application, click Next to move on to the next portion of the wizard. Or, if you're satisfied with how your map looks and you want to accept the defaults for the rest of the application settings, you can click Finish.

Next topic: Configuring tasks