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WFS services

Add a live OGC Web Feature Service (WFS) as a layer. The layer shows the features for the area you are looking at and is not copied into your project. This suits public data such as Geonorge's kindergartens or flood zones, where you want the server's current data without downloading it first.

AugmentCity works with any WFS 2.0.0 or 1.1.0 server, including Geonorge, ArcGIS Server, MapServer and GeoServer.

Adding a WFS layer​

  1. Open the Data panel and click Add URL (in the panel header).
  2. Choose WFS as the layer type. If you paste a WFS URL first, AugmentCity usually detects the type for you.
  3. Paste the service URL.
  4. Wait while AugmentCity reads the service. It lists the feature types the service offers.
  5. Pick a feature type from the list. If the service has more than 10 feature types, a search box appears above the list. Search by title or name.
  6. Check the preview. AugmentCity shows the feature type's coordinate system and output format, and a line such as "12 features in sample · 8 attributes".
  7. Click Add.

The layer appears in the Data panel. You can style it, filter it and open feature popups just as you do for other vector layers.

Geonorge examples​

Paste either URL to try the feature:

ServiceURL
Kindergartenshttps://wfs.geonorge.no/skwms1/wfs.barnehager
Flood zoneshttps://wfs.geonorge.no/skwms1/wfs.flomsoner
tip

You can paste the URL with or without the usual ?service=WFS&request=GetCapabilities ending. AugmentCity removes those parameters for you.

How features load​

A WFS layer is live. It requests only the features inside the area you are viewing. When you pan outside the area already loaded, the layer reloads for the new view.

Each load shows up to 5000 features. If the area holds more, the layer row in the Data panel shows:

Showing first 5000 — zoom in to see all

Zoom in and the layer loads the remaining features for that smaller area.

If the server returns too much data for a view, the layer row asks you to zoom in before it loads.

Errors and Retry​

If a load fails, the layer row shows the problem, for example the error text from the server or a message that the response was too large. Click Retry on the layer row to try again. If it keeps failing, zoom in to a smaller area or check that the service is online.

Coordinate systems and formats​

You do not need to choose a coordinate system or format.

  • Servers that only return GML work. This covers most Geonorge services.
  • Servers that use UTM or ETRS89 coordinate systems work. AugmentCity converts the features to the map's coordinate system automatically.

Using a WFS layer​

Once added, a WFS layer behaves like other vector layers:

  • Style it and filter it from the layer's settings.
  • Click a feature to see its attributes in a popup.
  • It is saved in scenarios and works in split view.
  • It appears in public share links.

Limitations​

  • Services that need a login or API key are not supported.
  • Servers that only support WFS 1.0.0 are not supported.
  • You cannot edit features and send changes back to the server (WFS-T).
  • A WFS layer cannot be used as a zone mask or zone target. This is the same as ArcGIS feature layers today. To use the data for zones, import a GeoJSON copy of it instead. See GeoJSON.
  • Because the layer is live, it shows what the server returns at the time of loading. It is not a snapshot of your project data.

For ArcGIS services, see ArcGIS Feature Server.