1. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s use of Server Object Extensions (SOEs)
Scott Dickison, GISP

2. This morning’s topics:
What is a Server Object Extension (SOE)?
How do you…
Write a SOE?
Use a REST SOE in a .NET application?
How is the Transportation Cabinet using SOE’s with ArcGIS Server 10.0?

3. What on Earth are you talking about?

4. Spatially Enabled Web Services!
SOE’s extend the capabilities of your ArcGIS Server map services beyond just data display and query.

5. ♫♫♪ The Circle of Life Data ♫♫♪
MAP Service/SOE
Service Request
Application
Web Client
Serialized Data
Custom Class
SDE & Other Databases
DESERIALIZER

6. REST Service Request URL
Programmatically constructed and submitted by the application

7. Serialized JSON or XML Output

8. SOE Basics Can be developed for REST or SOAP Access
KYTC has chosen to write them as REST services
Can be written in .NET or Java
Provide access to the full suite of ArcObjects

9. SOE Basics
Need to be deployed to all of a site’s ArcGIS Servers in multi-server configurations
This TOTALLY changes at 10.1!
Return information is in JSON but can be written to return other data formats.
KYTC offers both JSON and XML

10. Advantages of a SOE Fast! Low server overhead Easily accessible
SOE’s live and die with the map service they’re attached to
No performance hit for having to spin up an instance of the SOE when a request is made
Easily accessible
Can be accessed by any client that is able to make the request

11. When do you need a SOE? ArcGIS Server applications
When desired functionality is not available to the Silverlight, JavaScript, or Flex APIs.
Traditional .NET applications…
When an application needs some spatial functionality but the application itself cannot be written with ArcObjects

12. When do you need a SOE? Other considerations…
Geoprocessing services have a large memory footprint when compared to a SOE – especially for complex tasks
If the task is complex and is going to be heavily utilized you’ll want to use a SOE.
applications…You have an ArcGIS Server application that needs some ArcObjects functionality not provided by one of the ArcGIS Server API’s

13. How are SOE’s written?

14. Development Prerequisites: Use the templates!
Knowledge of .NET or Java development
Knowledge of ArcObjects
Use the templates!
ESRI has provided a SOAP and a REST Visual Studio project template to get you started.

15. Development Building blocks of an SOE
Resources
Information returned back from the server for use by an operation
ESRI says to think of this as a read-only property
Operations
Something you ask the server to do with a resource
Every SOE has at least one resource and one operation even if the resource doesn’t return anything

16. Development The RestResource class
SOE Operations are associated with a RestResource
Arguments
The SOE’s name
Collection?
The Resource Handler
Capabilities (optional)
A way to group subsets of operations
Note: Capabilities are called “Allowed Operations” when looking at the Capabilities tab under Service Properties in ArcCatalog.

17. Development The CreateRestSchema function Returns a RestResource Class
This is where you define the SOE’s operations (RestOperation class)

18. Development The REST Resource Handler Byte Array
An array of raw data
Returns information from the server back to the SOE for use by an operation
For KYTC’s Server Object Extensions we’ve set it up to not return anything
DEFINE BYTE ARRAY!

19. Development The RestOperation Class An individual operation in a SOE
Identifies which Operation Handler will be invoked
Specifies inputs
Specify output types
Optionally specify a capability

20. Development The Rest Operation Handler Byte Array
Handles and validates inputs
Where you should execute any ArcObjects code (here or in helper methods)
Formats output in the specified format

21. Development Signing the assembly
Signing the assembly with a strongly named key will let you place the assembly in the server’s GAC
GAC – Global Assembly Cache
The server-wide .NET assemblies Cache. Lets you run multiple versions of the same DLL side-by-side.

22. Development
Testing
Once deployed an HTML Page is generated for the SOE in the REST services directory of the map service it is attached to
GAC – Global Assembly Cache

23. Using SOE’s in a .NET Application

24. Using SOE’s in a .NET Application
Making the request
The WebClient Class…
Constructing the URL...
The OpenReadCompleted event handler

25. Using SOE’s in a .NET Application
The WebClient Class
Provides common methods for sending data to and receiving data from a resource identified by a URI. (MSDN web site)
Constructing the URL
Programmatically construct the entire call and provide it to the WebClient

26. Using SOE’s in a .NET Application
The OpenReadCompleted event handler
Synchronous or Asynchronous

27. Using SOE’s in a .NET Application
Deserializing SOE output
Creating a Class to hold the output
The DataContractJsonSerializer
DEFINE SERIALIZE vs. DESERIALIZE

28. How is KYTC utilizing SOE’s?

29. KYTC
Silverlight Control
Searching for a route

30. KYTC Permitting (KEPT)
When a permit location is added, moved, or deleted the corresponding point is acted upon in SDE
Generate a list of all roads within a mile of a permit

31. KYTC Rail Crossing Inventory (RCI) Project Manager’s Toolbox
Return detailed route information based on a spatial query
Return location information in terms of County, Route, and Mile point.
Data synchronization
When a rail crossing is updated in the RCI database the corresponding location is moved in SDE
Project Manager’s Toolbox
A SOE is used to return the boundaries of a project which is, in turn, used to zoom to the project extent.

32. KYTC GIS Branch Goals Integration with application developers
Deploy a spatially enabled application that is a joint effort between the GIS Branch and Application Development by the end of (DONE!)
Deploy a spatially enabled application that is solely developed by Application Development with the GIS Branch only in an advisory role by the end of 2013.
Replace existing web services with SOEs
ArcGIS server 10.1 no longer supports local connections

33. Questions?

34. Contact us:
Server Object Extension link: