There are considerable free mapping resources available online. This explores using different tile server URLs, which has the effect of considerably different maps.
ArcGIS servers are somewhat “self-documenting” in that you can browse to the REST URL (ESRI example) and see what is offered (append /tile/{z}/{y}/{x} as below). This should work exactly the same with an “offline” (non-Internet connected site or Intranet local) GIS server. I’m curious about other map tile servers. The USGS offers valuable services on their public ArcGIS servers.
I’ll post something to the Exchange after more tinkering. My first pass has 2 dropdowns. The map’s: layers->raster->tile->0 (and 1)->url properties are each bound to a dropdown list value.
Second set of Overlays (Complements the first)
2nd Tile URL examples | label |
---|---|
None | |
https://server.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/services/Reference/World_Transportation/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} | Street Overlays |
https://server.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/services/Reference/World_Reference_Overlay/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} | Reference Overlay (Parks, Waterways) |
https://server.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/services/Reference/World_Boundaries_and_Places/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} | Boundaries and Places |
https://basemap.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/USGSHydroCached/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} | USGS HydroCache |