Adding a WMS/WFS feed to QGIS

Adding a WMS/WFS feed to QGIS

Overview

A Web Map Service (WMS) is an online data feed that can be connected to desktop or web-based GIS software to view digital maps without having to download the full dataset.

A Web Feature Service (WFS) is the same as WMS, except it will download parts of the datasets in vector format for each call that's made.

WMS is used if you want to only view and interrogate the data. WFS is used if you want the actual data for perform analysis or editing on.

Your WMS feed details will consist of three components:
  1. A URL; e.g. https://customerdata.xmap.cloud/wms
  2. A Username
  3. A Password
A WMS feed can consist of multiple map datasets, so if you've requested more than one dataset you may still only receive one URL.

Adding WMS/WFS credentials to QGIS

To add your WMS credentials to QGIS:
  1. Open QGIS Desktop
  2. Go to VIEW, PANELS then tick on BROWSER if it's not already selected.
  3. In the Browser panel, scroll down to "WMS/WMTS"
  4. Right-click "WMS/WMTS" and select NEW CONNECTION
  5. In the pop-up panel, give your credentials a name. This should be a descriptive name for the feed, e.g. "XMAP Data Feeds - Customer Data"
  6. Add the URL provided to you in the URL box
  7. Under AUTHENTICATION, switch to the BASIC tab and paste in your username and password.
  8. Click OK to close the panel.
Repeat the same process for WFS, instead for steps 3-4 where you need to find the "WFS/OGC API - Features" section.

Loading a dataset from WMS/WFS into QGIS

To load a map from a data feed:
  1. Expand the new WMS/WFS credentials that you've added to the Browser panel and find the dataset you want to add.
  2. Double-click or drag the layer name into the Layers panel

FAQs

The URL won't show a map in your web browser. Follow the steps above to add the credentials to your desktop GIS.

The WMS shows the correct styling but the WFS is grey.

WMS carries the styling set by the data provider, whereas WFS just delivers the data without styling. This means you can style the WFS as you like, but the WMS styling is fixed.

The credentials I've been sent don't work.

It's possible that when you pasted the password it also pasted a trailing space. Go back and check the username and password in the Browser panel.

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