Integrate new default base map

[stempler]

The MapQuest map used as a base map in hale until now is no longer available. Thus we need to look for an alternative. Preferred would be a map that also uses a simple URL pattern for accessing tiles based on zoom level and x/y ordinates.

Any suggestions are welcome.

[thorsten-reitz]

Well, there is...

1. Google Maps
2. Bing Maps
3. ArcGIS Online Maps , which has lots of different basemaps
4. OSM Tiles

All of these use the same tiling scheme. All of them are free to access, though with caveats in each case. Some, like OSM, impose technical limits and require us to get approval first.

I think we should use this opportunity to make the basemap a preference setting, so that it would also be possible to use e.g. any custom WMTS in addition to preconfigured services like those above.

[thorsten-reitz]

We've used OSM in the past, and have regularly hit their usage limits. After soliciting feedback from Esri, I learned that...:

(a) Allowing hale users to use any of their own content on ArcGIS Online:

Creating a 3rd party application that requires an ArcGIS Online login is permitted. As the developer, you will want to register for an ArcGIS Online Developer account.

(b) using ArcGIS online basemaps for all users:

Creating an app for anonymous users is permitted through ArcGIS Online for Developers where you register the app and include your AppID which designates you as the developer (and holds you responsible for any credits consumed, if the app permits). In this case, you could leave a placeholder in the open source for the AppID for the developer to insert their own.

Here are a couple of FAQ’s relative to your questions. You can find them all here: https://developers.arcgis.com/terms/faq/

What can I do with the free development and testing plan?

…You can also use this plan to build apps for public, non-revenue generating, non-government, non-commercial use…

…If you are using 3rd Party development tools, you must include attribution acknowledging that your app is using online services provided by Esri.

[thorsten-reitz]

Definition of Done (DoD):

• Add a configuration page to the Settings to configure which background map to use
• Provide the following configuration options:
  • Chose Background Map Provider from the following:
    • OSM Tiles
    • ArcGIS Online
    • Google Maps
    • Custom Tile Service
  • Username/Password/Token, depending on requirements of the Background Map Provider
  • URL patter in the case of the Custom Tile Service

Improvements for later versions:

• Support for a regular WMS 1.1.1/1.3.0

[stempler]

New default base map is Stamen Terrain.
Users can configure custom maps based on a Web Map Service or a tile URL pattern (zoom/x/y tile coordinates, Pseudo Mercator projection).

[stempler]

Added wiki page on map configuration.

[stempler]

As a new default base map is present, anything else should go into a dedicated issue.