Create the INSPIRE View Service Map Document

Overview

To create, serve, access, and use an INSPIRE View Service, you will use a variety of tools in the ArcGIS for INSPIRE suite. The high-level steps for creating the INSPIRE View Service is to first create an INSPIRE View Service Map Document in ArcMap, and then publish, setup and configure an ArcGIS for Server map service for it. After setting up the INSPIRE View Service, see the topic on using the INSPIRE View Service.

Note:

Setting up the INSPIRE View Service map document and service does not require a geodatabase based on the ArcGIS for INSPIRE geodatabase schema, as the software supports running INSPIRE View Services on different data types. However the usage of the ArcMap AddIn "INSPIRE Tools" requires an Enterprise GDB or File Geodatabase with the INSPIRE Schema to be present. For information on this schema, see GeoDB_ArcSDE Geodatabase.

Create the INSPIRE View Service Map Document

The first step in creating an INSPIRE View service is to create an INSPIRE View Service Map Document. To do this, you must first add your INSPIRE tools to the toolbar. Then you must add layers to your map based on the INSPIRE Geodatabase. After that, you will add in any non-INSPIRE data. Details about each of these steps are discussed in this topic.

If you are going to create a Map Document based on data not related to the ArcGIS for INSPIRE Geodatabase template structure, then use the standard ArcMap tools for configuring your map document. It is recommended that the data frame of the map use GCS_ETRS_89 as projection system. See also the section Add non-INSPIRE data to the map.

Add INSPIRE Tools to ArcMap

The INSPIRE Tools add-in help you easily create map documents that meets INSPIRE specifications. Once you have installed the ArcGIS for INSPIRE Desktop extension, you will need to add the INSPIRE Tools to ArcMap. Do this by launching ArcMap and opening the Customize menu. Hover over the Toolbars option, and select INSPIRE Tools from the submenu that appears. Now you should see dockable toolbar that reads "INSPIRE Tools" and has an "Add INSPIRE Layer" button in your ArcMap environment. This button launches a wizard that helps you add an INSPIRE layer to your map document.

Use the INSPIRE Layer Wizard

The INSPIRE Layer Wizard guides you through selecting a geodatabase and selecting an INSPIRE Layer to add to your map document. When you click on the "Add INSPIRE Layer" button, the wizard will appear.

The first screen prompts you to select a spatial database connection to an INSPIRE geodatabase. If there is no database connection established yet, you can create a connection through the file browser window that appears. Remember that only valid ArcGIS for INSPIRE geodatabases can be used.

After a spatial database connection is selected or defined, an analysis of the tables and feature classes available from the selected database occurs. You are now able to select a layer from the INSPIRE layers field. The loaded INSPIRE Layers are sorted alphabetically based on the INSPIRE Themes and shown as groups according to the INSPIRE Annex Themes. The INSPIRE Layers are selectable one by one, or with the button Select all layers. After you have selected one or more INSPIRE Layers and clicked Create, you will see the layers shown in the ArcMap Table of Contents.

When you have added all the data you want to add, save the map document.

Note:

If you have selected complex INSPIRE Layers, you will see that the group layers are stored in the Table of Contents, or that more layer objects represent one single INSPIRE Layer. Within the INSPIRE Layer, there is no difference between which types of geometry are part of the INSPIRE Data Model. A more common scenario is that Point, Line, and Polygon objects are displayed in an INSPIRE Layer. On the other hand, ArcGIS feature classes only support one type of geometry per feature class, so a selection of an INSPIRE Layer could result in different layers, representing different geometry types, within the Table of Contents of ArcMap. This characteristic of ArcGIS is handled in the representation of the INSPIRE Layer through the INSPIRE View Service Capabilities. In terms of a correct and conformant INSPIRE contribution of spatial data through the INSPIRE Network Services, the structure within an ArcGIS-created Table of Contents should not be altered (e.g. deleting group layers, adjusting layers, etc.).

Add non-INSPIRE Data to the Map

It is possible to add further data (e.g., shapefiles or file geodatabase feature classes) into the map document. Remember that for those additional datasets, the INSPIRE-based properties of the INSPIRE View Service (inspire_common:DEFAULT-Style, INSPIRE-metadata-Extension) are not available. This will mean that if you publish the map document with non-INSPIRE data as an INSPIRE View Service, it is possible that your INSPIRE View Service may not completely conform to INSPIRE specifications.