Creating basemaps
The resources on Data and Maps for Server (2012) are primarily intended to be used as basemaps for ArcGIS users. You can use these basemaps as a framework over which you add your own data and analysis tasks.
When you deploy Data and Maps for Server (2012), you start a series of individual map cache services in ArcGIS 10.1 for Server. These cache services consist of basemap and reference layers. Although the cache services can be used individually, employing a combination of basemap and reference layers can result in a powerful map.
This site contains guides for creating your own maps for different purposes. To create the maps, follow these steps:
- Start an ArcGIS application and create a new empty map or globe.
- Choose a map from Example maps that you want to create:
- Examine the list of services table and add the services to your map, or add an individual service you want to use to a map that you've created. Follow the instructions in the user guide links below to learn how to add the service to the application of your choice:
- Follow the guidelines in the table for the example you selected
to set scale and distance ranges
for each service. These ranges determine the scales or altitudes at
which you will be able to see the layer. In some cases, the scale
and distance ranges are built into the service. In other cases, you
can use your ArcGIS client to set scale and distance ranges for the
services. For example, ArcMap allows you to set a scale range in
the layer's Properties dialog box.
A recommended workflow is to set the scale and distance ranges to switch to your own detailed data when working at large scales. If that is not an option, you can leave the bottommost layers visible at all scales and avoid working with the map at scales that are too large for the resolution of the data.