[Qgis-user] Howto: load ArcGIS "mapserver" raster layers

[Alister Hood]

Yes,
If the server provides WMS you wouldn't need to know about it.
In this case, go to
http://boi.arc.niwa.co.nz/arcgis/rest/services/OS2020-BoI/OS2020_BoI_AerialPhoto_Color/MapServer
And you'll see at the bottom of the page that the supported interfaces are REST, SOAP and WMS.  (WMS might be restfull, but it is obviously different from what ESRI call a "REST" interface)
Look on the ESRI server I linked to and you'll see that only REST and SOAP are supported.
A local example that only supports REST and SOAP is the Auckland Council GIS.

Note that you could also connect to a WMS by using a GDAL service definition xml in the same way as I described, if you wanted to for some reason.  Perhaps the reason would be simplicity - you could keep the xml files in a folder with all your other layers, and load them in all the same ways, rather than using the "Add WMS layer" dialog.
I don't know how the QGIS WMS provider works - it might be interesting to compare the performance of one of those NIWA layers connecting to it in the three different ways:
- QGIS WMS provider
- WMS via a service definition xml
- ArcGIS REST via a service definition xml
 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pcreso at pcreso.com [mailto:pcreso at pcreso.com]
> Sent: Friday, 24 August 2012 2:05 p.m.
> To: Alister Hood
> Cc: qgis-user at lists.osgeo.org
> Subject: Re: [Qgis-user] Howto: load ArcGIS "mapserver" raster layers
> 
> Hi Alistair,
> 
> Listed at http://www.niwa.co.nz/ei/feeds/report there are a few Arc Server
> raster layers, they are ESRI Mapserver restful layers, but deliver OGC
> WMS.
> 
> Such layers are as available as any other WMS data source, eg:
> http://boi.arc.niwa.co.nz/arcgis/services/climate/MedianAnnualTotalRainfal
> l/MapServer/WMSServer
> 
> I figure what you are describing is a way to access the ESRI native (as
> opposed to OGC compliant) services in QGIS using GDAL?
> 
> 
> Cheers,
> 
>    Brent Wood
> 
> --- On Fri, 8/24/12, Alister Hood <Alister.Hood at synergine.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> 	From: Alister Hood <Alister.Hood at synergine.com>
> 	Subject: [Qgis-user] Howto: load ArcGIS "mapserver" raster layers
> 	To: "qgis-user at lists.osgeo.org" <qgis-user at lists.osgeo.org>
> 	Date: Friday, August 24, 2012, 12:43 PM
> 
> 
> 	Hi everyone,
> 	I don't think anyone around here has ever explained how to add
> raster ArcGIS "mapserver" layers from servers which provide a REST
> interface.  As far as I know, there is no way to just load them with a url
> directly from the QGIS gui, but they can be handled by the GDAL WMS
> driver, and thus can be loaded in QGIS.
> 
> 	Firstly (and the most difficult part) you need to find the URL for
> the REST service for your layer.  E.g. you might want to use a layer that
> is available in the ESRI "Maps for Personal Use" web map at:
> 	http://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?useExisting=1
> 	Hopefully with a little googling you will be able to find the
> address where you can browse the "ArcGIS services directory" of your
> favourite ArcGIS server.  In this case it is:
> http://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/
> 
> 	Find the layer that you are after, and now you have two options:
> 
> 	1. You can create a GDAL "service description" XML file, and open it
> with QGIS.
> 	E.g. try this file:
> 	http://www.gdal.org/frmt_wms_arcgis_mapserver_tms.xml
> 	Or e.g. save the XML code pasted at
> http://trac.osgeo.org/mapserver/ticket/3804 and try it.
> 
> 	2. You can create a .vrt file (which requires less thinking), and
> open that with QGIS.
> 	E.g. find the raster layer you want in the ArcGIS services
> directory, and get the URL for its REST interface, which should be at the
> bottom of the page, under "Supported Interfaces".  The gdal utilities can
> just use this URL (since GDAL 1.9), so you can simply create a .vrt like
> this:
> 	gdalbuildvrt test.vrt
> "http://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/World_Imagery/MapServ
> er?f=json&pretty=true"
> 
> 	Of course, you will need to check the restrictions on what you are
> legally allowed to do with any particular layer.
> 
> 	And if you are wondering: as far as I know there is currently no way
> to load _vector_ ArcGIS "mapserver" layers, or ArcGIS "globeserver" or
> "featureserver" layers (except for manually writing a query URL.  i.e. you
> can't use their REST services).
> 
> 	Regards,
> 	Alister
> 
> 
> 	_______________________________________________
> 	Qgis-user mailing list
> 	Qgis-user at lists.osgeo.org
> 	http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/qgis-user
>