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Available WFS service properties

These are the properties available when using a system-generated capabilities file for WFS services. See Using external capabilities files with WFS services to learn more about defining WFS metadata by using an external capabilities file.

Accessing WFS service properties

The following topics include full instructions on how to access the properties for WFS services:

WFS service properties

The following table lists the properties available for WFS services and a description of each:

PropertyDescription

Name

The name of the map or geodata service that was used to create the WFS service. This property is automatically populated by ArcGIS Server and can be modified.

Title

A readable title to briefly identify the WFS service, for example:

Eagle nesting locations in Marion County

Abstract

A narrative description that provides additional information about the WFS service, for example:

WFS service maintained by Acme Corporation. Contact: webmaster@wmt.acme.com. High-quality map showing eagle nests and possible nesting locations.

Keywords

A list of keywords or keyword phrases describing the WFS service that aid in catalog searching, for example:

map, bird, eagle, nest, site

ServiceType

The OGC service type, for example:

WFS

ServiceTypeVersion

The version of the OGC service type, for example:

1.1.0

Fees

Text describing the fees imposed when accessing the WFS service, for example:

none

Access constraints

Text describing the restrictions and legal prerequisites for accessing and using the WFS service, for example:

For internal use only. Do not distribute.

ProviderName

The name of the WFS service provider, for example:

NASA

ProviderSite

A link to a site with information about the WFS service provider, for example:

https://www.noaa.gov

IndividualName

The primary contact person for the WFS service, for example:

John Smith

PositionName

The position of the contact person for the WFS service, for example:

IT Analyst

Phone

The telephone number where the primary contact person for the WFS service can be reached, for example:

+1 909 793-2853

Facsimile

The fax number where the primary contact person for the WFS service can be reached, for example:

+1 123 456-7890

DeliveryPoint

The address of the WFS service provider, for example:

380 New York Street

City

The city in which the WFS service provider resides, for example:

Redlands

AdministrativeArea

The administrative area in which the WFS service provider resides, for example:

California

PostalCode

The postal code in which the WFS service provider resides, for example:

92373

Country

The country in which the WFS service provider resides, for example:

USA

ElectronicMailAddress

The email address where the primary contact person for the WFS service can be reached, for example:

user@host.com

Online resource

The OnlineResource property lists the URL of the WFS service. It is necessary for a WFS client to communicate correctly with your WFS service. This property is automatically populated by ArcGIS Server and should not be modified.

HoursOfService

The hours in which the primary contact is available to service requests, for example:

24/7

ContactInstructions

Special instructions that should be considered before contacting the WFS service primary contact, for example:

Send email to John for normal requests, call John for emergency requests.

Role

Function performed by the party responsible for the WFS service, for example:

PointOfContact

Namespace

The WFS namespace property is used to discriminate XML vocabularies from one another. This property is automatically populated by ArcGIS Server but can be modified.

Prefix

The WFS namespace prefix is a unique property that is used in the response of a WFS GetFeatureRequest. This property is automatically populated by ArcGIS Server and can be modified.

There are some reserved keywords that cannot be used as a prefix as they conflict with other namespaces that are defined in the WFS service. The reserved keywords that should not be used as a prefix include: wfs, ogc, fes, gml, ows, xs, xsi, gml32, xlink, xsi, or schemaLocation.

Path or URL to stored query file

A stored query file is an XML file that maintains a list of publisher-authored stored queries relevant to a particular service. Place the stored query file in a folder accessible to the web. Then, specify the location of the file in ArcGIS Server Manager or ArcGIS Desktop. For full instructions, see Configuring a WFS service to use stored queries.

Enable Transactions

The Enable Transactions check box is used to allow edits to be applied through WFS-T. See Web editing with WFS services for more information.

Enable feature locking

When a WFS client connects to a WFS service that has been published with transactions enabled, the edited features and rows can be locked on the server by selecting the Enable feature locking property. See Web editing with WFS services for more information.

Note:

This property is only applicable for WFS Geodata services.

Enable maximum number of features

This property allows you limit how many features can be returned by the server to a WFS client for any given query operation. When this option is unchecked, all features are returned.

Maximum number of features

When the Enable maximum number of features property is checked, you can use this property to specify the maximum number of features to be returned. By default, the value is set to 1000.

Keep in mind that specifying a large number of features to be returned by the server can slow the performance of client applications and your GIS server.

Force axis order for WFS 1.0.0, 1.1.0, 2.0.0

Features returned in some geographic coordinate systems (for example, WGS 84) have an axis order of latitude, longitude (y,x) by default. This is in compliance with the WFS 1.0.0, 1.1.0, and 2.0.0 specifications.

Some WFS clients expect the coordinates to be returned with an axis order of longitude, latitude (x,y). To work with these clients, you can use this property to change the axis order for the WFS service to be longitude, latitude.

Note:

In ArcGIS Server 10.5 and newer, this parameter works like a swap operation. If you choose the Latitude, Longitude option, the axis order of the returned features will be swapped. (e.g. y,x will be returned as x,y or x,y will be returned as y,x). If you choose the Longitude, Latitude option, the axis order of the returned features will not be swapped. This behavior applies for both geographic and projected coordinate systems.

Legacy:

In ArcGIS Server 10.4.1 and older, this parameter worked like a force operation where regardless of the input coordinate system axis order, the axis order returned would honor the axis order specified (i.e. latitude, longitude or longitude, latitude). This property only applied to features with geographic coordinates. Projected coordinates were always returned with an x,y axis order.

Swap axis order

Features returned in some geographic coordinate systems (for example, WGS 84) have an axis order of latitude, longitude (y,x) by default. This is in compliance with the WFS 1.0.0, 1.1.0, and 2.0.0 specifications.

Some WFS clients expect the coordinates to be returned with an axis order of x,y. To work with these clients, you can swap the axis order for the WFS service by selecting the Swap option in the drop-down. By default, the axis order will not be swapped.

Note:

This property was introduced in ArcGIS Server 10.7

Legacy:

In 10.0 and earlier versions, you could set a property to include the fully qualified name type for WFS services defined from enterprise geodatabases. For example, the type name for a feature class named bob.buildings would be buildings by default. At 10.1 and later versions, WFS services always include the fully qualified name type.

Special characters in service properties

The following characters cannot be included in any of the service properties: &, <, >, ", '. If you need to use one of these characters, you must substitute the appropriate escape sequence from the table below:

CharacterCharacter substitute

&

&amp;

<

&lt;

>

&gt;

"

&quot;

'

&apos;