Products & Services / Drill Down Server /

Web Services API

deCarta's Web Services API (WSAPI) is a new interface to deCarta's geospatial software platform, the Drill Down Server® (DDS), that gives developers the ability to develop location-based applications faster and with more flexibility. The deCarta WSAPI is designed for developers of location-based services (LBS) seeking to leverage the many advantages of a web services architecture such as faster development times, better interoperability between disparate platforms, easier component reuse and friendlier protocols and data formats. It is specifically tailored for web-based applications with, among other key features, easy-to-use administration tools and simple URL generation,. For applications such as maps, routes, turn-by-turn directions and "local search", the deCarta WSAPI provides industry-standard XML web services and a Java interface.

WSAPI is an implementation of an XML-over-HTTP Web Service. It complies with the OpenGIS Consortium's (OGC) Open Location Services Initiative (OpenLS) 1.0 XML interface specification. WSAPI also includes advanced features not found in OpenLS 1.0, as well as "preview" features that may be found in future versions of the specification. deCarta is an active member of the OpenLS Working Group, assisting in the definition of the next version of the standard as well as OpenLS interoperability and compliance testing.

WSAPI implements some of its functionality by making calls to the high-performance deCarta DDS geospatial software platform. WSAPI also uses a standard relational database for caching and usage reports.

Some of the product features include:

• A Standard add-on to the deCarta DDS
• Bundled with DDS 3.1.1 SP04+
• "Click to start" GUI and server
• Run on all standard DDS platforms
  

Mobile Client Support

• Base64 encoded maps
• GIF, JPG, PNG image formats
  

Web-Based Administrative Console

• Access to the server from web browser
• Remote administration of the map cache
• Real-time usage charts
  

Industry Standard

• OpenLS 1.0 XML Interface
• XML-over-HTTP Web Service
• Java (J2SE) Client API
  

Sample Code

• XML examples
• Java examples
• License-free sample dataset
  

Functionality

• Maps
• Driving directions
• Geocoding and reverse geocoding
• Points of interest lookup