Add layers from a URL

You can add the following types of layers to Map Viewer using a URL:

• CSV
• KML
• ArcGIS Server web service
• GeoRSS
• GeoJSON
• Tile layer
• OGC web services—OGC API - Features, OGC WFS web service, OGC WMS web service, and OGC WMTS web service

Add a CSV layer

A comma-separated value file (CSV) is a web-based text file that typically includes location information.

Note:

When adding a .csv file to the map from a URL, the location information in the file must be latitude and longitude coordinates. To add a .csv file containing location information of a different type, such as addresses, add it as a hosted feature layer.

Do the following to add a CSV layer:

1. Do one of the following:
   • On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add and choose Add layer from URL.
   • Open the Layers pane and from the drop-down arrow, choose Add layer from URL.
2. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.
3. Select the appropriate data type from the Type drop-down list if necessary.
4. Click Next.
5. Choose one of the following:
   • Create a hosted feature layer and add it to the map.
   • Reference the file from the URL and add it to the map.
6. Click Next.
7. Complete the steps to reference a CSV file from a URL or create a hosted feature layer from the URL.

Reference a file from a URL

To reference the .csv file from its URL and add it directly to the map, do the following:

1. Follow the first six steps for adding a CSV from a URL.
2. Define the properties of the fields for the layer:
   1. Optionally, provide display names and field data types.
   2. Click Next.
   3. Optionally, specify which location fields to use.

      The location information must be latitude and longitude coordinates. If the location information is of a different type, such as addresses, add the CSV as a hosted feature layer instead.

3. Click Add to map.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane .

Create a hosted feature layer from a URL

If the .csv file you are referencing contains location information of a type other than latitude and longitude—for example, addresses or place-names—create a hosted feature layer before adding it to the map. Create a hosted feature layer if you need full editing capability or if there is a large amount of data in the referenced file.

Note:

If the file is larger than 50 MB, creating a hosted feature layer from the file URL may not be supported.

To create a hosted feature layer with a large file, download the file and add the file to the map.

1. Follow the first six steps for adding a CSV from a URL.
2. Follow the steps in Publish a CSV file beginning at step 7.
3. Click Create and add to map.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane .

Add a KML layer

KML is an XML-based file format used to represent geographic features.

Do the following to add a KML layer:

1. Do one of the following:
   • On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add and choose Add layer from URL.
   • Open the Layers pane and from the drop-down arrow, choose Add layer from URL.
2. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.
3. Select the appropriate data type from the Type drop-down list if necessary.
4. Click Add to map.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane .

Add an ArcGIS Server web service

An ArcGIS Server web service is a map, image, or feature resource that is located on an ArcGIS Server site.

Do the following to add an ArcGIS Server web service to a map:

1. Do one of the following:
   • On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add and choose Add layer from URL.
   • Open the Layers pane and from the drop-down arrow, choose Add layer from URL.
2. Provide the layer's URL in the URL text box.

   To find the REST URL of an ArcGIS Server service, open the Services Directory page, https://myserver.com/arcgis/rest/services, and browse to the service you want to share. You can then copy the URL from the browser's address bar. Do not append any parameters, such as a token, to the URL.

   For more information and examples of ArcGIS Server service URLs, see Components of ArcGIS URLs.

   For example, a map service URL is in the format https://myserver.com/arcgis/rest/services/folder/service/MapServer.

3. Select the appropriate data type from the Type drop-down list if necessary.
4. Optionally, do the following to append custom parameters to requests made to the service:
   1. Under Custom parameters, click Add custom parameter.
   2. Type the name of the parameter you want to append in the Parameter text box.
   3. Type the parameter value in the Value text box.
   4. Repeat these steps for each parameter you want to append.

   The specified custom parameters are automatically applied to all requests made to the service.

5. For secured services, optionally turn on the Store credentials with the layer toggle button to automatically authenticate access to the service.
6. Optionally, if the layer can be used as a basemap, turn on the Use as basemap toggle button to use the data as a basemap layer. If the toggle button is not turned on, the data is added to the map as an operational layer.
7. Click Add to map or Use as basemap.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane or the Basemap pane.

Add a GeoRSS layer

GeoRSS is a live web feed that includes geographic features and locations.

Do the following to add a GeoRSS layer to a map:

1. Do one of the following:
   • On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add and choose Add layer from URL.
   • Open the Layers pane and from the drop-down arrow, choose Add layer from URL.
2. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.
3. Select the appropriate data type from the Type drop-down list if necessary.
4. Click Add to map.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane .

Add a GeoJSON layer

GeoJSON is an open standard geospatial data interchange format that represents simple geographic features and their attributes.

Do the following to add a GeoJSON layer to a map:

1. Do one of the following:
   • On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add and choose Add layer from URL.
   • Open the Layers pane and from the drop-down arrow, choose Add layer from URL.
2. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.
3. Select the appropriate data type from the Type drop-down list if necessary.
4. Click Next.
5. Choose one of the following:
   • Create a hosted feature layer and add it to the map.
   • Reference the file from the URL and add it to the map.
6. If you are referencing the file from the URL, click Add to map.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane .

7. If you are creating a hosted feature layer, click Next and complete the following steps:

   Note:

   If the file is larger than 50 MB, creating a hosted feature layer from the file URL may not be supported.

   To create a hosted feature layer with a large file, download the file and add the file to the map.

   1. Type a title.
   2. Choose a folder in My Content where you want to save the item.
   3. If your organization has set up content categories, click Assign categories and select up to 20 categories to help people find your item.

      You can also start typing a category name to narrow the list of categories.

   4. Optionally, type tags that describe the item.

      Separate the terms with commas (for example, Federal land is considered one tag; Federal, land is considered two tags).

      As you type, you can select any of the suggested tags that appear; suggestions are generated from tags you have added previously.

   5. Optionally, provide a summary that describes the item.
   6. Click Create and add to map.

      The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane .

Add a tile layer

A tile layer is a set of web-accessible tiles that reside on a server. When you add a tile layer from the web, the tiles are accessed by a direct URL request from the web browser.

Access to the appropriate tiles in the tile layer depends on the URL you provide for the tile layer. The URL contains parameterized values that Map Viewer uses to request the tiles that correspond with the extent and scale of the map as you pan and zoom.

Do the following to add a tile layer to a map:

1. Do one of the following:
   • On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add and choose Add layer from URL.
   • Open the Layers pane and from the drop-down arrow, choose Add layer from URL.
2. Type or paste the layer's URL in the URL text box.

   Provide a URL that contains the level, column, and row placeholders in the following format: https:// ... /{level}/{col}/{row}.png or https:// ... / {z}/{x}/{y}.png. The URL can also contain a placeholder for the subdomains where the map tiles are stored. You can get this URL from the data provider.

   For example, the URL for the OpenCycleMap tile layer contains parameterized values in braces {}: https://www.opencyclemap.org/:https://{subdomain}.tile.opencyclemap.org/cycle/{level}/{col}/{row}.png.

   Note:

   Tile layers added from the web must use the Web Mercator (Auxiliary Sphere) coordinate system to ensure proper display in Map Viewer.

3. Select the appropriate data type from the Type drop-down list if necessary.
4. Optionally, if the layer can be used as a basemap, turn on the Use as basemap toggle button to use the data as a basemap layer. If the toggle button is not turned on, the data is added to the map as an operational layer.
5. Click Next.
6. In the Title text box, type a title for the layer.

   The specified title will be displayed in the Layers pane (or the Basemap pane if you add it as a basemap).

7. In the Attribution text box, type any copyright information or required attribution information for the tile layer provider.

   The attribution information will be displayed at the bottom of the map.

8. If the tile layer contains one or more subdomains, use a comma-separated list to specify the tile layer's subdomain labels in the Subdomains text box.

   Subdomains are used by the tile layer provider to distribute tile requests across multiple servers. Not all tile layers have subdomains. If the tile layer does not have subdomains, the Add tile layer window does not display the subdomain field. If you are unsure of the subdomain labels, contact the tile layer provider.

   If the tiles are distributed across multiple servers, you must provide subdomain information.

9. Optionally, turn on the Set tile extent to the current extent of the map toggle button.

   When you turn on this option, Map Viewer sets the tile extent to include only those tiles visible in the map at the time that you enable the option. Map Viewer will only display tiles in that extent. However, because the tiles are not clipped to fit the extent, tiles may extend beyond the extent.

10. Click Add to map or Use as basemap.

    The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane or the Basemap pane.

Add an OGC API - Features layer

OGC API - Features is a feature service that follows the OGC API - Features specification.

Do the following to add an OGC API - Features layer to a map:

1. Do one of the following:
   • On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add and choose Add layer from URL.
   • Open the Layers pane and from the drop-down arrow, choose Add layer from URL.
2. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.

Note:

The layer must contain a spatial field.
3. Select the appropriate data type from the Type drop-down list if necessary.
4. Optionally, do the following to append custom parameters to requests made to the service:
   1. Under Custom parameters, click Add custom parameter.
   2. Type the name of the parameter you want to append in the Parameter text box.
   3. Type the parameter value in the Value text box.
   4. Repeat these steps for each parameter you want to append.

   The specified custom parameters are automatically applied to all requests made to the service.

5. Click Next.
6. Select a layer to add.

   You can only add one layer.

7. Click Add to map.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane .

Add an OGC WFS web service layer

OGC WFS is a feature service that follows the OGC Web Feature Service specification.

Do the following to add an OGC WFS web service layer:

Note:

You can only add WFS 2.0 layers that support GeoJSON output.

1. Do one of the following:
   • On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add and choose Add layer from URL.
   • Open the Layers pane and from the drop-down arrow, choose Add layer from URL.
2. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.

Note:

The layer must contain a spatial field.
3. Select the appropriate data type from the Type drop-down list if necessary.
4. Optionally, do the following to append custom parameters to requests made to the service:
   1. Under Custom parameters, click Add custom parameter.
   2. Type the name of the parameter you want to append in the Parameter text box.
   3. Type the parameter value in the Value text box.
   4. Repeat these steps for each parameter you want to append.

   The specified custom parameters are automatically applied to all requests made to the service.

5. Click Next.
6. Select a layer to add.

   You can only add one layer.

7. Type a value for Max feature limit in the text box or use the arrow buttons to set the limit.

Note:

When the layer is loaded in the map, each request to the WFS service will return a maximum number of features, as defined by the max feature limit.
8. Click Add to map.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane .

Add an OGC WMS web service layer

OGC WMS is a map that follows the OGC Web Map Service specification.

Do the following to add an OGC WMS web service layer:

1. Do one of the following:
   • On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add and choose Add layer from URL.
   • Open the Layers pane and from the drop-down arrow, choose Add layer from URL.
2. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.
3. Select the appropriate data type from the Type drop-down list if necessary.
4. Optionally, do the following to append custom parameters to requests made to the service:
   1. Under Custom parameters, click Add custom parameter.
   2. Type the name of the parameter you want to append in the Parameter text box.
   3. Type the parameter value in the Value text box.
   4. Repeat these steps for each parameter you want to append.

   The specified custom parameters are automatically applied to all requests made to the service.

5. Optionally, if the layer can be used as a basemap, turn on the Use as basemap toggle button to use the data as a basemap layer. If the toggle button is not turned on, the data is added to the map as an operational layer.
6. Click Next.
7. Choose specific layers in the OGC WMS service to add to the map, or click Select all to add the entire service.

   If you specified custom parameters, they are applied to all the layers you choose. To append different custom parameters to specific layers only, you must add those layers separately.

8. Click Add to map or Use as basemap.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane or the Basemap pane.

Add an OGC WMTS web service layer

OGC WMTS is a set of cached image tiles that follows the OGC Web Map Tile Service specification.

Do the following to add an OGC WMTS web service layer:

1. Do one of the following:
   • On the Contents (dark) toolbar, click Add and choose Add layer from URL.
   • Open the Layers pane and from the drop-down arrow, choose Add layer from URL.
2. Copy the layer's URL into the URL text box.
3. Select the appropriate data type from the Type drop-down list if necessary.
4. Optionally, do the following to append custom parameters to requests made to the service:
   1. Under Custom parameters, click Add custom parameter.
   2. Type the name of the parameter you want to append in the Parameter text box.
   3. Type the parameter value in the Value text box.
   4. Optionally, check the Append only to requests that draw or query layers check box.

      If you leave the check box unchecked, the parameter is appended to all requests made to the service.

   5. Repeat these steps for each parameter you want to append.
5. Optionally, if the layer can be used as a basemap, turn on the Use as basemap toggle button to use the data as a basemap layer. If the toggle button is not turned on, the data is added to the map as an operational layer.
6. Click Next.
7. Select a layer to add and select a Matrix tile option from the drop-down menu.
8. Click Add to map or Use as basemap.

   The data is added to the map and now appears in the Layers pane or the Basemap pane.