Setting map service properties

This topic examines the properties that you can set for map services through the Service Editor in ArcMap. For a description of the properties available in each category, see the sections below.

The Service Editor
Use the Service Editor to help you set the properties of your map service.

General

Use the General tab to gather information and set general properties for your map service.

Parameters

Use the Parameters tab to set the basic parameters of your map service. These include the following:

Capabilities

Use the Capabilities tab to select the capabilities that you want to enable for your map service. Capabilities create additional services that work from or with your map service. They allow users to access your map in an expanded variety of applications and devices. Capabilities also allow users to do a greater variety of things with your map service, such as network analysis and feature access.

This table lists the capabilities that are available with map services and any special requirements for enabling the capability. To learn more about setting properties specific to each capability, see the links below.

Capability

What it does

Special requirements

Mapping

Provides access to the contents of a map document through SOAP and REST URLs

Always enabled for any map document

WCS

Uses the raster layers in the map document to create a service compliant with the Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc.'s (OGC) Web Coverage Service (WCS) specification

Requires raster layers

WMS

Uses a map document to create a service compliant with the Open Geospatial Consortium's Web Map Service (WMS) specification

None

Feature Access

Provides access to vector features in the map; often used for editing through the ArcGIS web APIs (JavaScript, Flex, Silverlight)

Requires vector layers

Schematics

Allows viewing, generating, updating, and editing schematic diagrams

Requires schematic layers

Mobile Data Access

Allows extraction of data from a map document to a mobile device

None

Network Analysis

Solves transportation network analysis problems using the ArcGIS Network Analyst extension

Requires a network analysis layer referencing a network dataset

KML

Uses a map document to create KML features

None

WFS

Uses the layers in a map document to create a service compliant with the Open Geospatial Consortium's Web Feature Service (WFS) specification

Requires vector layers (Raster layers are not included in the service, since the purpose of WFS is to serve vector feature geometry)

Pooling

Use the Pooling tab to specify how the map service will accommodate users. The topic Anticipating and accommodating users discusses how you can better accommodate users by adjusting the minimum and maximum number of instances properties. For tips on setting timeout properties, see Tuning and configuring services.

Processes

Use the Processes tab to specify how the map service will run as a process on the server. The topic Tuning and configuring services gives a high-level overview of the considerations you should take into account when setting isolation, determining recycling intervals, and deciding whether to check for invalid data connections.

Caching

Use the Caching tab to define whether your service will use a cache and how the cache should be structured and built. See Creating a map cache for instructions on using this tab.

Item Description

Use the Item Description tab to create informative metadata about your map service. This information includes the following:

NoteNote:

Information you enter in the properties of your map document automatically appear on the Item Description tab. Map document properties can be accessed by selecting File > Map Document Properties from the main menu in ArcMap. It is a recommended practice to add informative metadata in this manner each time you create a new map document.

Sharing

Use the Sharing tab to set properties that allow you to register and share your service on ArcGIS.com. You can choose to share your map service in a variety of ways:

5/23/2013