Introduction

The Planviewer Maps API enables developers to embed viewers (an application to display cartographic material divided into layers) into third party applications. Optionally access to these viewers may be restricted using OAuth 2.0.

This documentation consists of four main sections. First, the Maps API Dashboard section gives an introduction into the dashboard profile pages for the Maps API. This is where you need to start by configuring an application (onto which viewers will be created and configuration changes can be made, see the glossary).

The second section is on embedding a map into your application. This will allow you to create an embed for your viewer to make it available on another website. If OAuth is enabled you may also optionally choose to embed an editor in your application, allowing users to directly edit the content of the viewer on your site.

The third section is on using the server-side API. These server calls allow your application to retrieve data, update and modify existing viewers and create new viewers. Finally if access restrictions are required or the editor is to be enabled in your application read about enabling OAuth in the final chapter.

Warning

The v1 version of Maps API has been deprecated and will not be re-implemented.

Workflow

  1. In the Planviewer Maps API dashboard an Application should be created by the Reseller or Customer of the Maps API.

  2. For the Application the following can be configured:

    1. An Access Key can be generated for Server-to-Server communication. See Server Calls for information on what this API enables.
    2. An OAuth Configuration can be set.
  3. Using either the dashboard or Server Calls a Viewer can be created.

  4. For the Viewer a Dossiergrens may be defined.

  5. The user may define layers for the Viewer.

  6. For Vector layers the developer may choose to disclose the Editor by embedding it in a third party application. Otherwise the Editor is accessible via the Maps API dashboard.

  7. Optionally shapefiles can be uploaded and/or drawn (using the editor) for any Vector.

  8. Finally the read-only Viewer Embed can be embedded in a third party application. Unless OAuth is enabled, this Viewer Embed is publicly available.

Glossary

Application
An application is used to allow access from your platform to the planviewer data. You can maintain a different set of security credentials, a different set of layers and a different set of viewers per application.
Viewer
The viewer is the primary structure under which your mapping data will go. A viewer may contain several layers of data, these layers may either be data provided by planviewer, data provided using external WMS/WFS providers or your data uploaded to planviewer. A viewer may be embedded as read-only in your own website, either using OAuth to verify that a user has access, or with no access checks. The Maps API dashboard also contains an example embedded viewer.
API Access Key
An API Acccess Key allows a server to use the server API methods provided by the Maps API. The API Access Key is acting as a username for your server, whereas the Access Key Secret is used as a password and should never be known publicly.
Access Key Secret
See API Access Key.
Base layer
A base layer is a layer that lays at the below all other layers. There may only be a single base layer active at the same time. A layer switcher allows users to switch between base layers you provided.
Outline (Dossiergrens)
A layer that defines the border of a project or dossier. When opening a viewer, the focus will be put on the outline contents.
Other layers
There may be other layers active overlayed over the currently active base layer. Of these layers there may be more than one per time active.
Consultable layers
If a layer is consultable, the data of that layer may be consulted for individual feature data. For example, when clicking on the map in a viewer, a popup may appear with information about all features at that location.
Features
A feature is a property on a layer. Specifically a feature will generally consist of a geometry and a set of extra key-value properties. A vector layer may contain zero or more features (unbounded).

Release Notes

With every release we update our Release Notes with an overview of newly released features, improvements and fixes. If you are a Maps API customer you will be notified when a new release takes place. You can also review our Release Notes here.