Background Map; Usage of WMS Services
- Stefan Bregy
- Daniel Steiner
WMS Service
A Web Map Service (WMS) is used to retrieve map services over the Internet. Therefore, an Internet connection is mandatory for using these maps. For a definition, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_Map_Service .
For Map, we have a a default background Map from Microsoft Bing. But for many countries, there are better alternatives available which are listed in this documentation.
List of WMS services
Region | WMS Link | Screenshot | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
Switzerland |
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Switzerland | https://geodienste.ch/db/avc_0/deu?SERVICE=WMS&REQUEST=GetCapabilities |
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Switzerland |
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Germany | https://sgx.geodatenzentrum.de/wms_basemapde?SERVICE=WMS&VERSION=1.3.0&REQUEST=GetCapabilities |
| Geodatenzentrum des Bundesamtes für Kartographie und Geodäsie |
Belgium | https://cartoweb.wms.ngi.be/service?request=GetCapabilities&service=WMS&version=1.3.0 |
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Netherlands |
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How to add a WMS service in WinCan Map
In the menu, click on "File" (see 1), then click on the small arrow below the "Layer" button (see 2), and finally click on "Add Layer from the Internet" (see 3):
>Enter the desired WMS-URL and apply with OK:
Links that end with "GetCapabilities" display a list of all available maps/services in WinCan Map. Here, you can select the desired maps. In this example, we also activate the entry at the very top of the list:
Maps that are integrated via WMS are usually displayed as top layer and thus cover the sewer network. To move the map to the bottom, right click on it in the legend panel on the left side (1) and select the command Move to Bottom (2):
For experts: Retrieve only a specific Map region
With WMS services, you can load either complete maps or just specific map sections. If the link ends with "GetCapabilities," the entire map set will be retrieved, which can be slow depending on the Internet connection:
To use only a specific map region, first zoom in on the desired map area in WinCan Map:
Next, double-click on the WMS service in the layer overview on the left side (see 1) and select and copy the file information (see 2):
Then paste the copied text into any program (e.g., Notepad, Word, etc.). Next, the link displayed under "LastURL" must be fully copied:
This link now no longer contains the complete maps retrieved as previously using "GetCapabilities," but only the visible map area previously displayed. This link can now be added again in WinCan Map in the same way. When zooming out, it becomes clear that only the desired map area is being retrieved:
Search for WMS services
Many WMS services are freely available. The easiest way to find them is by searching in Google, for example, "WMS Geoservices" followed by the desired region, such as "WMS Geoservices Solothurn," or for nationwide services, "WMS Geoservices Switzerland”, “WMS Geodienste Deutschland” …