1. University of Minnesota Mapserver WMS/WFS Documentation with Examples
WMS / WFS How To
University of Minnesota Mapserver
WMS/WFS Documentation with Examples
Gayathri Swaminathan
University of Oklahoma

2. Table of Contents. Introduction Web Map Server (WMS)
Setting up a WMS Server
WMS Client Implementations
Web Feature Server (WFS)
WFS Client Implementations
Appendix

3. 1.Introduction WMS* Mapserver web The Internet Application
Client 1
WMS*
Mapserver web
Application
Implementation
(Server)
The Internet
Client 2
WFS**
Client n
Mapserver Web Application with WMS and WFS service
* Web map service
** Web feature service

4. 1.1 Terminologies WMS – Web map service / server
WFS – Web Feature service / server
OGC – Open GIS Consortium
Mapserver – University of Minnesota’s Internet Mapping Software
GML – Geographic markup language

5. 1.2 Standards 1) Who sets the WMS/ WFS standards?
OpenGIS Consortium (OGC) – This organization is analogous to the IEEE or ANSI in organizing and coordinating the various GIS specific application development.
2) Where can I find WMS/WFS related information?
WMS specification:
WMS specification:
WMS specification:
WMS-Dev mailing list and archive:
WMS FAQ:
WMS XML Capabilities validator:
WMS Cookbook:
WFS specification:
GML specification:

6. 2. Web map server
According to the Mapserver WMS How to document, “A WMS (or Web Map Server) allows for use of data from several different servers, and enables for the creation of a network of Map Servers from which clients can build customized maps.”
GetCapabilities
WMS CGI
Implementation
Request
Types
GetMap
GetFeatureInfo
DescribeLayer
Mandatory requests supported per OGC recommendations
Optional requests of some implementations
Client’s Computer
Per Mapserver’s website, Mapserver supports the following WMS versions: 1.0.0, 1.0.7, (a.k.a ), and 1.1.1

7. 2.1 Request Types GetCapabilities Client GetMap Client GetFeatureInfo
XML document with
metadata of the WMS
Client
GetMap
Client
GetFeatureInfo
Client
Text/ Plain
attribute
information
Clicks on map
Send request
Text/ Plain using Mapserver
query templates set in
wms_feature_info_mime_type
GML features
XML description of
One or more layers
(currently supported
Only in SLD servers)
DescribeLayer*
Client
* NOT SUPPORTED IN MAPSERVER

8. 3. Setting up a WMS Server
All WMS requests are handled by the mapserver CGI.
1. Compilation settings:
In unix, mapserver should have been compiled with the “with_wms” option.
In windows, the nmake.opt file should have the WMS settings uncommented and then compiled.
As a result, when you do a mapserv –v the SUPPORTS should include WMS_SERVER
Example 1. On Unix:
$ ./mapserv -v MapServer version 4.2-beta1 OUTPUT=GIF OUTPUT=PNG OUTPUT=JPEG OUTPUT=WBMP OUTPUT=PDF OUTPUT=SWF SUPPORTS=PROJ SUPPORTS=FREETYPE SUPPORTS=WMS_SERVER SUPPORTS=WMS_CLIENT SUPPORTS=WFS_SERVER SUPPORTS=WFS_CLIENT INPUT=POSTGIS INPUT=OGR INPUT=GDAL INPUT=SHAPEFILE
Example 2. On Windows:
C:\apache\cgi-bin> mapserv -v MapServer version 4.2-beta1 OUTPUT=GIF OUTPUT=PNG OUTPUT=JPEG OUTPUT=WBMP OUTPUT=PDF
OUTPUT=SWF SUPPORTS=PROJ SUPPORTS=FREETYPE SUPPORTS=WMS_SERVER
SUPPORTS=WMS_CLIENT SUPPORTS-WFS_SERVER SUPPORTS=WFS_CLIENT INPUT=POSTGIS INPUT=OGR INPUT=GDAL INPUT=SHAPEFILE

9. 3. Setting up WMS Continued.,
2. Set up map file - Mapserver
For a WMS server implementation it is required to add metadata information for each layer that is to be
advertised by the server.
As recommended by WMS Mapserver How to documentation (
At the map level:
Map NAME
Map PROJECTION
Map Metadata (in the WEB Object):
wms_title
wms_onlineresource
wms_srs (unless PROJECTION object is defined using "init=epsg:...")
And for each layer:
Layer NAME
Layer PROJECTION
Layer Metadata
wms_srs (optional since the layers inherit the map's SRS value)
For a detailed description of each of the parameters mentioned above, visit the “Mapserver WMS How to” web page.

10. 3.1 Test WMS Server Test recommendations from the Mapserver How to:
1. GetCapabilities:
In a web browser, type in the URL,
Substitute my.host.com with your website and mywms.map with the absolute path to the map file in your web server
Result:
This request should return an XML document and prompt to save file. Save the file and open it in a XML Editor or text
editors like notepad, EMacs etc.,
2. GetMap
&REQUEST=GetMap&layers=state,province
If map layers state and province STATUS ON or DEFAULT then an image of the map with the layers is displayed in the
Browser
A complete GetMap request example:
, , , &WIDTH=400&HEIGHT=300&FORMAT=image/png

11. 3.2 GetMap Parameters FORMAT WMS Server (mapserver cgi location)
VERSION
REQUEST
LAYERS
STYLE
SRS
BBOX
WIDTH
HEIGHT
FORMAT
WMS Server (mapserver cgi location)
WMS request version
Spatial reference system from EPSG file
Width of returned map image
Format of returned map image
Map layers
Map file
Bounding box corners (lower left, upper right) in SRS units
Request-GetMap
Rendering Style for SLD support. Mapserver currently does not support this, leave empty
Height of returned map image

12. 3.3 WMS Samples 1. MAP PARAMETERS – 2. LAYER PARAMETERS –
Sample Map file:
1. MAP PARAMETERS –
NAME TAMILNADU
…..
WEB
EMPTY “norecords.htm"
TEMPLATE “tamilnadumap.htm"
IMAGEPATH “/tmp/"
IMAGEURL "/tmp/"
METADATA
"wms_title“ “TamilNadu WMS Server"
"wms_abstract" “Tamilnadu"
"wms_extent" " "
"wms_accesscontraints" "none"
"wms_contactperson" “Mahalakshmi"
"wms_contactorganization" “Tamil Nadu"
"wms_contactposition" "Software Engineer"
"wms_fees" "none"
"wms_onlineresource" "
"wms_srs" "EPSG:99999"
END
2. LAYER PARAMETERS –
LAYER
NAME state
TYPE POLYGON
STATUS DEFAULT
DATA county
PROJECTION #GEOGRAPHIC NAD83
proj=longlat
ellps=GRS80
no_defs
CLASS
COLOR
"wms_title" "State"
"wms_srs" "EPSG:4019"

13. 4. WMS Client Implementations
Browser
WMS Server
Mapserver
WMS Client
Arc Explorer

14. 4.1 Connect from a browser Form URL(s) and make request to WMS Server
1. GetCapabilities Example:
– Will get a XML document with Metadata
information of the WMS Server.
2. GetMap Example:
Get me a map of Tamilnadu state with rivers layer of size 500x700
– Will get a
map of tamil nadu state with the rivers layer per definition in tnmap.map
Things to consider:
Do a GetCapabilities and see the advertised SRS codes. For example, Lat/Lon projection, State Plane etc.,
When forming requests build from bare bones! Start with the mandatory required parameters and then add on
Image formats available for example, jpeg, png etc., can also be found in the GetCapabilities
NO STYLES SUPPORTED! MapServer currently does not support SLD based rendering stlyes
Some WMS servers charge a fee, which is again mentioned in the GetCapabilities returned XML document

15. 4.2 Connect from Mapserver WMS Client
When there is a mapserver web application that requires connect to another server for obtaining certain layers and
features, Mapserver WMS Client can be used.
What is needed?
Mapserver CGI compiled with WMS_CLIENT SUPPORT. When run in prompt,
mapserver cgi should respond with a “Supports=WMS_CLIENT”.
Mapfile,Templates definition similar to any other mapserver implementation.
WMS Client Layer Definition
### RIVERS FROM TAMILNADU WMS SERVER### LAYER NAME riverscl TYPE POLYGON      STATUS ON      CONNECTIONTYPE WMS      CONNECTION "
bin/mapserv?map=tnmap.map&VERSION=1.1.1&layers=rivers&TRANSPARENT=TRUE" METADATA      "wms_title" “Rivers"      "wms_name" “riverscl"      "wms_server_version" "1.1.1"      "wms_format" "image/jpeg"      "wms_srs" "EPSG: 4326" END END
The layer definition above makes a WMS request to the TNMAPSERVER with a TNMAP.MAP for a rivers layer in Lat/Lon
projection (EPSG code: 4326)

16. 4.3 Connect from Arc Explorer
Here is a good documentation on the ArcExplorer connection,
What steps are needed?
The following steps are a synopsis of the documentation URL above:
Get Capabilities -
Use PHP to fake WMS compatibility (visit and follow instructions under Using PHP to fake WMS compliance)
Download ArcExplorer - Java Edition from ESRI’s website
Download the ArcExplorer Interoperability Extension for ArcExplorer
Install ArcExplorer and then the extension in your computer
Open ArcExplorer, and click on Interoperability->Connect to WMS
Enter the URL to PHP file created in step 2, click ‘OK’
This should connect to the WMS Server and bring in all layers advertised by the WMS Server
Just click on the checkbox next to a layer, to view layer

17. 5. Web Feature Server (WFS)
According to Mapserver’s web site Web Feature Service or WFS is, “A WFS ( Web Feature Service )
publishes feature-level geospatial data to the web. This means that instead of returning an image, as
MapServer has traditionally done, the client now obtains fine-grained information about specific geospatial
features of the underlying data, at both the geometry AND attribute levels.”
What is required?
Mapserver compiled with PROJ or greater and GDAL or greater
WFS parameters are also configured in the metadata information, follow instructions here, on how to set up MAP metadata and LAYER metadata.
The WFS does not allow a layer to be advertised in more than one SRS.
Mapserver implictly uses the top-level SRS for all the layers defined, or if the top-level is not present (like a map projection), then the individual layer SRSs’ are used.
As indicated in the WFS Server How to, “As a rule of thumb, simply set the wfs_srs at the map level (in web metadata) and never set the wfs_srs metadata at the layer level and things will work fine for most cases”

18. 6.WFS Client Implementation
A WFS client call can be made from a mapserver web application through a layer definition in the map
file.
What is needed?
Mapserver compiled with WFS_CLIENT support , PROJ or higher, GDAL or higher libCurl 7.10
or higher
Sample Layer Definition:
LAYER
NAME "mylayer"
TYPE POINT
CONNECTIONTYPE WFS
CONNECTION " PROJECTION "init=epsg:4326"
METADATA
"wfs_connectiontimeout" "60" # Default is 30 seconds
"wfs_latlonboundingbox" " " # Area covered by this layer
END
CLASS
SYMBOL 'triangle'
COLOR

19. 7. Appendix Some useful URL(s)
WMS Cookbook -
WMS How To -
WMS Wiki -
WFS -
WFS Client How to -
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
University of Minnesota – Mapserver Team, Developers and Users community that ever remain proactive
in getting OpenGIS solutions work for community benefits.