Controlling with URL Parameters

Many aspects of TerriaJS (and hence TerriaMap, NationalMap, and others) can be configured by the end user by passing URL parameters. Combine them like this:

• The base URL, then a #
• Then the first parameter
• Then repeatedly: a &, and the next parameter

For example: http://nationalmap.gov.au#test&map=2d

Display parameters

Parameter	Meaning
clean	Don't load the default catalog files for this site.
map=2d	Use the 2D (Leaflet) map, instead of the default.
map=3d	Use the 3D (Cesium) map, instead of the default.
map=3dSmooth	Use the 3D (Cesium) map without terrain, instead of the default.
playStory=1	Automatically start playing the map's Story, if there is one.
hideWorkbench=1	Collapse the workbench (left side) panel, useful for embedding. Also automatically plays a story, if there is one.
mode=preview	Operate in "preview mode", which mostly means not showing a warning if the screen is small
share=...	Load a map view previously saved using the "Share" function with URL shortening.
start=...	Load a map view previously saved without URL shortening. The argument is a URL-encoded JSON structure defined using an internal format described below.
<initfile>	Load catalog file as described below.

Catalog files (init files)

Any unrecognised parameter (eg foo) is treated as the name of a catalog file, loaded from the directory wwwroot/init/foo.json). Multiple catalog files can be loaded this way, and will be combined. Later files can override earlier ones.

Example: http://nationalmap.gov.au#test

Start data

The start= parameter essentially embeds an entire catalog file in the URL. The format is:

{
    "version": "0.0.05",
    "initSources": [
        "init/nm.json",
        "init/test.json",
        ...
        {
            "catalog": [
            ...
            ]
        },
        {
            "initialCamera": {
                "west": <lon>,
                "south": <lat>,
                "east": <lon>,
                "north": <lat>,
                "position": {
                    "x": ...,
                    "y": ...,
                    "z": ...
                },
                "direction": {
                    "x": ...,
                    "y": ...,
                    "z": ...
                },
                "up": {
                    "x": ...,
                    "y": ...,
                    "z": ...
                }
            },
            "homeCamera": {
                "west": ...,
                "south": ...,
                "east": ...,
                "north": -...
            },
            "baseMapName": "Positron (Light)",
            "viewerMode": "3d"
        }
    ]
    }
}

The exact structure changes as features are added. The best way to understand it is:

1. Adjust the view as desired
2. Generate a share link
3. URL-decode the share link (using a tool such as this).