Perspective Map "Theming" - Internet Tile Server Options

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.

1st Tile URL examples label
None
https://{s}.tile.openstreetmap.org/{z}/{x}/{y}.png Open Street Map (Default Ign)
https://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/World_Imagery/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} ESRI/ArcGIS (World Imagery)
https://services.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/USA_Topo_Maps/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} ARCGIS (Topo - alt server)
http://server.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/services/NatGeo_World_Map/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} ESRI/ArcGIS (NatGeo)
http://server.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/services/World_Physical_Map/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} ESRI/ArcGIS (Physical Map - Zoom out)
http://server.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/services/World_Shaded_Relief/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} ESRI/ArcGIS (Shaded Relief - zoom out)
http://server.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/services/World_Street_Map/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} ESRI/ArcGIS (Street Map)
http://server.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/services/World_Terrain_Base/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} ESRI/ArcGIS (Terrain Base - zoom out)
http://server.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/services/World_Topo_Map/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} ESRI/ArcGIS (Topo Map - zoom in)
https://tile.memomaps.de/tilegen/{z}/{x}/{y}.png MemoMaps (German Street/bike - zoom in DE)
https://cdn.lima-labs.com/{z}/{x}/{y}.png?free Lima Labs Free
https://server.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/services/Ocean/World_Ocean_Base/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} ESRI/ArcGIS (Oceans)
https://server.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/services/Canvas/World_Dark_Gray_Base/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} ESRI/ArcGIS (Dark Gray Base)
https://server.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/services/Canvas/World_Light_Gray_Base/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} ESRI/ArcGIS (Light Gray Base)
https://server.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/services/Elevation/World_Hillshade/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} ESRI/ArcGIS (Elevation)
https://server.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/services/Specialty/World_Navigation_Charts/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} ESRI/ArcGIS (Navigation Charts)
https://server.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/services/Specialty/DeLorme_World_Base_Map/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} ESRI/ArcGIS (Specialty DeLorme)
https://basemap.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/USGSImageryOnly/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} USGS (Imagery)
https://basemap.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/USGSImageryTopo/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} USGS (Imagery Topo)
https://basemap.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/USGSTopo/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x} USGS (Topo)

Second set of Overlays (Complements the first)

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Screenshots tinkering - they look better if you click them. It’s neat to see how things change as you zoom in and out. Smaller roads disappear, labels change, even the map style changes.


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Can I rotate a map tile?