Frequently Asked Questions

How do I add an aerial photography layer to a plan?

SISfm Map Enquiry site and floor plans can include layers of imagery obtained from Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Web Map Service (WMS) providers. To add such a layer:

1. Select your WMS provider

   Imagery may be available from several service providers in your area, such as State and Federal government departments, and commercial organisations such as Nearmap.

   Depending on the provider, you may need to execute a data licencing agreement or purchase a plan to access their data. Some plans may restrict use to clients within an IP address range, if so this needs to cover those of your SISfm client machines. Some providers or plans may require entry of username/password credentials to access their data. SISfm does not support this, however such providers (e.g. Nearmap) may be able to supply an equivalent "API Key" to include in the WMS access URL.

   From your selected provider, obtain the the maximum image size they support, and a sample URL to access their data using any web browser, and check that this works. For example, below is a sample URL from the NSW Government Spatial Information Exchange (SIX) (try selecting it):

   http://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/arcgis/services/public/NSW_Cadastre/MapServer/WMSServer?SERVICE=WMS&VERSION=1.3.0&REQUEST=GetMap&TRANSPARENT=TRUE&WIDTH=700&HEIGHT=700&LAYERS=1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9&CRS=EPSG:28356&STYLES=&FORMAT=image/png&BBOX=324090,6256462,324333,6256705

2. Use Cadcorp SIS Desktop to add any WMS overlay to the plan

   You can add any WMS overlay to the plan in SIS Desktop, since Map Compiler cannot obtain its details and SISfm is given the WMS URL separately. Here we add a Cadcorp demonstration WMS (which may display nothing in the map window), but you may prefer to add that of your selected provider instead, to see their data in SIS Desktop.

   1. Open the SWD file of the plan.
   2. Select Home / Map / Add Overlay / OGC / OGC Web Map Services (WMS)
   3. In the OGC Web Map Services (WMS) dialog:
      1. Under the Well-known servers folder, select Cadcorp GeognoSIS Demonstration Server, to display URL: http://ws.cadcorp.com/wms.exe?
      2. Ensure that the Connect using SAML 2.0 ECP Profile checkbox is not checked.
      3. Select Next.
   4. In the OGC WMS Layers dialog:
      1. Select EPSG:3857.
      2. Check the Transparent checkbox.
      3. Select Next.
   5. In the OGC WMS dialog:
      1. Under Available Layers, expand the Cadcorp GeognoSIS OGC Web Map Service folder if necessary.
      2. Select the WebMappingService folder, then select the right-arrow button to add it to Selected Layers
      3. Select Finish.
   6. Rename the resulting overlay as desired (e.g. Aerial Photography, and move it to the top of the overlay list, either by dragging it in the Maps control bar, or using Home / Map / Overlays / General / (select overlay) / (Arrow button to move overlay up the list).
   7. In the Position section of the Status Bar, select the Coordinate reference system (planet) icon, and select WGS 1984.Pseudo Mercator (EPSG Code: 3857).
   8. Set the overlay status (e.g. to Hidden).
   9. Save the SWD file.

   Note that to save time, Cadcorp SIS Desktop can be used to copy and paste this WMS overlay to other SWD files.

3. Use SISfm Map Compiler to recompile the plan
   

   (as usual)

4. Add a SISfm setting for the WMS layer

   Use the config.aspx page (or the Configuration section of the Administrator module) to add a MapLayerOgcWms setting for this layer, specifying the layer name, the maximum image size supported by your provider, and the sample URL, for example with the value:

   Aerial Photography,2048,http://maps.six.nsw.gov.au/arcgis/services/public/NSW_Cadastre/MapServer/WMSServer?SERVICE=WMS&VERSION=1.3.0&REQUEST=GetMap&TRANSPARENT=TRUE&WIDTH=700&HEIGHT=700&LAYERS=1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9&CRS=EPSG:28356&STYLES=&FORMAT=image/png&BBOX=324090,6256462,324333,6256705

   NOTES:

   • The BBOX, WIDTH and HEIGHT querystring parameters must be present, and may have any values suitable for testing.
   • If you prefer to use a plain text editor to edit the config file, you must replace each & character in this value by the XML character &.
   • The MapLayerOgcWms setting supports multiple WMS layers.
   • The obsolete MapOgcWmsUrl setting can instead be used for a single WMS layer.
5. Check that the layer is displayed in SISfm
   1. Launch a new SISfm session, and display the plan in Map Enquiry.
   2. Select Features and turn on the layer if necessary. Your WMS provider's data may take a few seconds to display.

If you need further assistance, please contact IFM Support <support@integratedfm.com.au>.