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OS OnDemand WMS technical FAQs
- Which authentication method should I choose for the Web Map Service (WMS) service?
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HTTP(S) Basic – this can be used via a GIS Software package and/or web application from any location. Together with the username, password and URL provided by us, multiple users within a business/organisation are able to access the service. The HTTP(S) request parameters are:
- User ID: (Configuration.Security.
- UserID)Password: (Configuration.Security.Password)
If your software is not/cannot be configured to pass through these parameters, then the Real World IP Address method should be chosen.
Real World IP Address – if there is no support available within your software for HTTP(S) basic, then you can choose the Real World IP Address authentication method. You will need to provide us with an Internet-facing Real World IP Address from which the data requests will be made from. This method will prevent you from being able to log in to the service from any other location holding a different IP address.
- How can I get a new password?
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Please contact us to generate the new password.
- I have just received my user name and password, but can't access the service?
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Ensure the user name is being entered with two leading zeros, for example 0040012345
The password is case sensitive and must be entered in CAPITALS.
If you still can't access the service please contact us.
- How can I change or confirm my IP address for OS OnDemand WMS?
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Contact us for the information.
- I do not have a GIS system at the moment, what companies offer such a service?
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We do not recommend either suppliers or software products, as the most appropriate system will depend on many factors. We are working with our partners, to ensure their systems are OS OnDemand compliant.
- I am having problems accessing the WMS service, what can I do?
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There may be several reasons for this.
Please contact us to check your access and resolve this issue.
If you are accessing the Internet via a proxy server, it is possible you may experience problems accessing OS OnDemand. If this happens you should consult your IT department in order to achieve a connection to the service.
- Which packages support HTTP basic?
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We can provide a list of OS OnDemand compliant GIS packages that have been tested to show whether or not they support HTTP basic.
- My GIS provider is not OS OnDemand WMS compliant, what do I do?
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If your GIS provider is not OGC compliant for web services and OS OnDemand, then you may want to recommend that they apply for a OS OnDemand Developer Partner licence. Alternatively you can access the service via your Internet web browser or any of the following GIS compliant services.
- I am using Windows® 7 and my username and password is no longer accepted.
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This version of Windows requires the username and password to be typed in rather than cut and pasted.
- I have expanded my product contract area, but can't view the new entitlement in OS OnDemand WMS . Why?
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When you expand your contract area, this has to be updated in our systems before you can view your entitlement in OS OnDemand. This should take approximately 24 hours. For example, if you expand your contract on Monday the new entitlement should be available to view from Tuesday morning. If you expand your area on a Friday the change should be available on Monday morning. OS MasterMap layers may take slightly longer to update.
Please contact us if you are still experiencing problems after this.
- The scale at which the layers activate in ArcMap, changes based on the size of the map window being used. Is this correct behaviour?
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Yes this is correct behaviour. It is a function of the way the mapping is delivered.
- I am unable to connect to the service using my GIS system, why?
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We are aware there are issues with certain GIS systems and we have been working with system suppliers to remedy this. In the meantime if you are experiencing problems please contact your system supplier.
- I have made a request to view maps in WGS84 and the mapping is slow to draw up. Why is this?
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Generally, making requests in any coordinate system other than GB National Grid, can result in slower response times.
- What should I expect in terms of response times?
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Most map requests of 500 x 500 pixels will be delivered in under two seconds. However, larger images of say a layer of OS Mastermap Topography are likely to take longer than two seconds. Where there are delays, it is advisable to check your Internet security settings.
- I am unable to connect to the service using ArcGIS 9.2, as it does not support HTTP basic authentication using a standard HTTP connection – what can I do?
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We are aware of the issue with connecting to the service using ArcGIS 9.2. Unfortunately, this cannot be corrected for use in ArcGIS 9.2, but has been fixed in ArcGIS 9.3.
To connect to the service using ArcGIS 9.2, we suggest you embed your username and password into the URL. For example,
http://004001234:ABCDEFGH@osondemand.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/ondemand/wms/MAP.do?
Alternatively, you could use an authenticating proxy.
- Can the OS OnDemand WMS service be accessed via a web browser using Java Script like OS OpenSpace?
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Yes. Web toolkits such as OpenLayers or MapFish can be used and will pull in the WMS. See below for examples of this:
http://openlayers.org/dev/examples/
- I am accessing the service using ESRI software. Why am I getting a 'layer drawing error' message?
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The message appears when a layer group is requested which is outside of the scale range being viewed.
- I have installed Internet Explorer 8 and the OS OnDemand WMS is no longer displaying the map.
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If you utilise the Developer Tools (using the Tools | Developer Tools menu option [or by pressing the F12 key]) you should have a choice of three Browser Modes in the menu bar [Internet Explorer 7; Internet Explorer 8; and Internet Explorer 8 Compatibility View]. The pages will generate an error message when using Internet Explorer 8 setting – whilst the page works as expected with the other two options.
- I a using OpenLayers to create a webpage in IE8, sourcing the mapping from OS OnDemand WMS (preventing the user from having to enter the username and password each time) and overlaying with our own data. Why does my request not return any mapping?
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This may be down to the additional improved security introduced with IE8 which prevents username and password details from being hard coded into the request. To get around this you could use Getmap.aspx file which is used to construct the request strong which is then called from the html.
If you experience this, please contact us for further information.
- I am using a flash application across an authenticating proxy but an authentication box is still popping up. How can I prevent this?
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If you are using a Flash application to access OS OnDemand WMS through IE7 or above, across an authenticaing proxy, the authentication details for OS OnDemand WMS will be removed. This will result in the need to re-enter the username and password. This is caused by a bug in Microsoft IE. If you have this set-up or use this combination, we would suggest you use an alternative web browser.
