The registered user on WINS has the possibility to share layers and documents on the platform and to make them available to everyone. In this section, we will see how to:
II.1. Uploading a layer
Before uploading a layer on WINS, you have to configure it on a GIS software. We recommend the use of the free and open-source software QGIS (Downloadable here). Other GIS softwares can also be used.
II.1.a. Creating a SLD file for the layer using QGIS
In order to upload a layer, you first need to create and save the file that will code the style of the layer in a SLD file. To do so, open your layer in a QGIS. For a vector layer, go to Layer properties and click on the Style tab. On the bottom left, click on Style then Save the style and SLD Format (Figure 24). For a raster layer, use the plug-in SLD4Raster to create a SLD file.
Your layer is now ready to be uploaded on WINS.
II.1.b. Uploading a layer on WINS
Once on the Layers page, click on the blue button Upload layers on the top right corner of the page. On the Upload layers page, you can either drag and drop the files that compose your layer from a folder to the Drop files here box, or search for them in your folders by clicking on Choose Files and then selecting them (Figure 25). For a vector layer, the following files should be uploaded: .dbf, .prj, .shp, .shx. For a raster layer, only the .tif file needs to be uploaded.
Once your files are selected, they appear on the page and can be deleted individually (by clicking on the Remove link on the right of each file) or all at once (by clicking on the Clear button on the bottom left of the page).
Unless the layer contains Latin lettering with accents, it is preferable to let the default charset (UTF 8/Unicode).
To upload the chosen files, click on Upload files. Once the upload is done, a new page appears (Figure 26).
Once the files are uploaded, you have to upload the layer's style file (.sld file), which has been previously set with the GIS software. To do so, click on Upload SLD (Figure 27).
As previously, you can drag and drop the SLD file on the Drop files here box or retrieve it from a folder on your computer by clicking on Choose Files. Once the file is selected, click on the red button Upload files. Once the SDL file is uploaded, click on the green button Layer Info. Your layer appears in a new page: it is now on the platform.
/!\ The map legend may not be displayed at first. In this case, simultaneously press Ctrl and F5 keys to refresh the page and make it appear. /!\
II.1.c. Editing the uploaded layer
The information of the layer are not yet completed. In order to finalize the layer, go to Edit Layer (Figure 28).
The pop-up window gives you several options (Figure 29).
Through the Edit Layer window, you can:
In order to complete the metadata, open the Wizard by clicking on Edit Layer then on Wizard. A new page opens (Figure 30):
Two progression bars on this page let the user know about the advancement level of the metadata completion. Editing a layer's metadata is done in four steps (Basic Metadata, Location and Licenses, Optionnal Metadata and Dataset Attributes). The first two steps are mandatory (no layer will be published if information required on those two pages are not provided) whereas the next two are optional:
Once all the fields are filled, click on the blue button Next >> in the bottom right corner of the page (Figure 31).
Once all the fields are completed, click on the blue button Next >> on the bottom right corner of the page (Figure 32).
Once the fields are completed, click on the blue button Next >> on the bottom right corner of the page (Figure 33).
Once all those information are completed, click on the blue button Update in the bottom right corner, then click on the green button Done! in the top right corner to save the changes made. You are redirected to the layer page. Complete metadata are now available below the Viewer.
II.1.c.ii. Editing the layer style
WINS offers several tools to edit the style of a layer and its legend entries, i.e. change colors, display, add labels, filters, etc.
Via Edit Layer, you can access the Edit tool under the Styles tab (Figure 34). You can also access the Style Edition menu by directly clicking on the paint brush icon above the viewer.
Through this pop-up window, under the Rules section, it is possible to add legend entries (by clicking on Add)and to delete a legend entry (by selecting an existing entry, and then clicking on Remove). You can also duplicate a legend entry by selecting it and clicking on Duplicate.
To edit a selected legend entry, click on Edit: a new pop-up window appears. The first tab of this window, Basic, allows to edit the color, the opacity and the stroke (Figure 35).
With the second tab, Labels, it is possible to add, set and edit labels for each legend entries. To do so, check the Label Features box (Figure 36) and configure it as you wish.
Finally, the Advanced tab allows to edit the display of a legend entry through a filter by scale and filters by conditions.
You can save or cancel your changes by clicking on the Save and Cancel buttons in the bottom right corner of the pop-up window.
The Change Layer Permissions button at the bottom right of the page (Figure 37) allows to set up who can:
WINS encourages to publicly share and make available for download information uploaded on the platform. By default, anyone can see and download a layer. However, the layer responsible can choose to limit access to the layer to some contributors and/or groups.
It is recommended that editing of metadata, editing of data, editing of style, and management of a layer, remain with the responsible of the layer, i.e. the contributor who uploaded it and who has those permissions by default.
Once the permissions are set, click Apply changes to save them.
II.2. Uploading a document
WINS allow to share reports, conceptual notes, posters, spreadsheets, etc. A wide range of documents file can be hosted on the platform, including text files (.doc, .docx, .txt, .odt), spreadsheets (.xls, .xlsx, .ods), presentations, (.ppt, .pptx, .odp), images (.gif, .jpg, .png, .tif, .tiff), PDF, zip files (.rar, .zip, .gz), SLD, XML or QML files.
II.2.a. Uploading a document
In order to upload a document on WINS, click on Documents Documents in the menu bar in the header. Then, click on the blue button Upload documents on the top corner right of the page. On the new page that opens, you can upload a document by selecting it from your files or by entering a URL address if the document is stored on the internet.
You can also indicated if the document is linked to one or several layers already published on WINS.
Once the document is selected or the URL is filled, click on the red button Upload on the bottom of the page (Figure 38).
II.2.b. Filling the document's metadata
On the new page, you can fill the metadata of the document. Metadata contains all the information related to the document: they are its ID card. They provide essential information for its identification and its comprehension. Metadata also make the document more easily retrievable through search by other users.
Editing a document's metadata is done in three steps (Basic Metadata, Location and Licenses, Optionnal Metadata). The first two steps are mandatory (no document will be published if information required on those two pages are not provided) whereas the last one is optional:
Once all the fields are filled, click on the blue button Next >> in the bottom right corner of the page (Figure 39).
Once all the fields are complete, click on the blue button Next >> on the bottom right corner of the page.
Once the fields are completed, click on the blue button Update on the bottom right corner of the page, then on the green button Done!on the top right corner to save the changes made. You are redirected to the document page, where the complete metadata are now available.
II.2.c. Saving the document's thumbnail
In order to save the thumbnail that will be displayed in the document list, click on the blue button Edit document, then on Set (under the Thumbnail). On the new page, chose the image that will illustrate your document. You can either drag it and drop it in the Drop files here box or selecting from your folders by clicking on Choose files (Figure 40). Once this done, click on the red button Upload files. The thumbnail has been successfully uploaded: you can see it by coming back on the document list.
II.2.d. Changing the document's permissions
WINS encourages to publicly share and make available for download information uploaded on the platform. By default, anyone can see and download a document. However, the document responsible can choose to limit access to the document to some contributors and/or groups.
The Change Document Permissions button at the bottom right of the page (Figure 37) allows to set up who can:
It is recommended that editing of metadata and management of a document, remain with the responsible of the document, i.e. the contributor who uploaded it and who has those permissions by default.
Once the permissions are set, click Apply changes to save them.