[OpenLayers-Users] reason why there needs to be ArcIMS support in OpenLayers

[Duarte Carreira]

I'm using ArcIMS and agree that ArcIMS support would be great. ArcXML
does much more than WMS, AFAIK. For instance, I can create buffers and
graphics layers on-the-fly, and query across layers (select features
that intersect features on another layer). I can also load a new layer
from data on disk.

But maybe you could get a workaround for the lack of filter support in
WMSConnector by using the examples on ArcIMS 9.2 help docs:
file:///C:/Program
files/ArcGIS/ArcIMS/Help/mergedProjects/wms_connect/sld/createandusestyl
edlyrdesc.htm

If you just symbolize the values you want to filter than it will be like
querying.

On the other hand, wfsconnector does support filter, but obviously is
not wms...

Another option, would be using OL WMS layers and append custom tags
using mergenewparams. On the server you'd need a redirector script that
would translate OL's custom requests to ArcIMS and vice-versa.

But nothing would beat OL native support of ArcIMS layers.

Duarte


-----Mensagem original-----
Message: 4
Date: Thu, 3 May 2007 10:38:31 -0700 (PDT)
From: Mike Quentel <mikequentel at yahoo.com>
Subject: [OpenLayers-Users] reason why there needs to be ArcIMS
	support in	OpenLayers
To: OpenLayers Users <users at openlayers.org>
Message-ID: <681171.18283.qm at web32515.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ascii

True, ArcIMS has a WMS Connector that creates WMS capabilities XML files
based on ArcIMS map services.  The connector (servlet) then translates
WMS requests into ArcXML requests to the ArcIMS server (ArcXML is an XML
used by ESRI software).  It also returns results that WMS clients can
consume.  Works for the most part as expected; however, it has
limitations....

So, you might think that if you already have the ArcIMS WMS Connector,
then what's the point of having ArcIMS support in OpenLayers?

Answer: ArcIMS WMS Connector does not support SLD filters.  So, if you
want to filter a set of features (i.e., just draw a map of features
selected from an attribute in a table), not from a GetFeatureInfo
request (which is like a mouse click on the map--based on x y coord
query), ArcIMS WMS Connector will not help.  See
http://forums.esri.com/Thread.asp?c=64&f=784&t=215215&mc=6

An ESRI representative confirmed that the WMS Connector does not support
SLD filters (though, it supports some other use of SLD).

ESRI have not provided readable source code for the WMS Connector--it is
obfuscated.  So, trying to extend the connector is a bit of work; one
would probably be better off rolling their own WMS connector.

So, that's why I'd love to see ArcIMS support in OpenLayers.  For now, I
am looking into ways to query ArcIMS (using 9.1 sp2), and return the
filtered features URL in a way that OpenLayers can consume the resulting
image.  Another possibility would be to see how ArcIMS might support
WFS.

ESRI are not very supportive of open source software--it interferes with
their sales of ArcGIS Server.  From what I can see, MapServer and
GeoServer offer better support for WMS than ArcIMS does.

Anyone with advice on extending OL for attribute queries in ArcIMS,
please do share.

Thanks.

Mike Quentel