Time for action – using the GetFeatureInfo freemarker template

1. Go to the OpenLayers demo for topp:states.

2. After the map loads, click on a state. The layer information about that state loads under the map. Consider the following example for clicking on Alabama:

   

3. Now examine the URL that was called. The INFO_FORMAT=text/html outputs features as a HTML string by default:

   http://localhost:8080/geoserver/topp/wms?REQUEST=GetFeatureInfo&EXCEPTIONS=application/vnd.ogc.se_xml&BBOX=-139.848709,18.549282,-51.852562,55.77842&SERVICE=WMS&INFO_FORMAT=text/html&QUERY_LAYERS=topp:states&FEATURE_COUNT=50&Layers=topp:states&WIDTH=780&HEIGHT=330&format=image/png&styles=&srs=EPSG:4326&version=1.1.1&x=471&y=201

4. Create new files in $GEOSERVER_DATA/workspaces/topp/states_shapefile/states called content.ftl, footer.ftl, and header.ftl.

5. Place the following text in the header.ftl file:

   <?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
   <states>

6. In the content.ftl...