Working with FME and Web Data, Services, and Protocols

Introduction

Many formats and protocols exist for exchanging information over the web, each one specialized for different use cases, such as storing big data, sending notifications in real time, or acting as a layer of communication between applications.

FME can connect to a wide variety of web data, services, and protocols, including:

• Web resources. FME can create and consume static data on the web, such as images, XML, Shapefiles, AutoCAD DWG, GeoJSON, Web Map Tiles, PDFs, and more.
• Web services. FME can connect to and create web services, such as a REST API.
• Webhooks. FME can create and consume webhook URLs, allowing applications to send real-time information from one to another.
• WebSockets. A WebSocket is a browser-based client-server communication method ideal for real-time updates. FME supports WebSockets through Automations and Notification Service publishers and subscribers.

How FME Supports Web Data, Services, and Protocols

FME has native support for many formats and services through Readers, Writers, and Transformers (usually Connector transformers, e.g. DropboxConnector and S3Connector). Search the Transformer list, Formats list, and FME Hub to find all natively supported web and cloud types.

For those not natively supported, the HTTPCaller transformer is helpful. Users can create custom transformers to add support for any web service. Examples of custom transformers published to FME Hub include the ArcGISOnlineGeoenricher and PusherRunner.

In FME Flow Automations, WebSockets, Webhooks, and other connections can be added as Triggers and/or Actions.

Tutorials

Web Resources Articles

• Reading data from a URL
• File Copy Writer
• FME Flow Resources - Uploading, Referencing and Configuration
• Getting Started with JSON
• Getting Started with XML

Web Services Articles

• Working with Web Services and FME
• Getting Started with APIs
• Getting Started with FME Form: Working with Web Data
• Getting Started with the FME Flow REST API
• Working with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and FME
• Creating Web Service Connections in FME Using the OAuth 2.0 Protocol
• Leveraging the Box.com Web Service with HTTPCaller

Webhooks Articles

• Working with FME and Webhooks

WebSockets Articles

• Getting Started with Automations – Learn how to use WebSocket Triggers and Actions.
• WebSocketReceiver – Receive WebSocket messages from various servers.
• WebSocket Publisher – Receive messages over TCP from a WebSocket-supported client and publish them to FME Flow topics.
  WebSocketSender – Send messages to WebSocket servers.
• WebSocket Subscriber – Receive notifications from the Notification Service and publish them over TCP to connected clients or a target URL.
• Demo: Data Upload, Validation, and Real-time Display

Additional Resources

• [Webinar] Web Connections & Services in FME: Learn how to set up and understand web connections using FME.
• [Webinar] Webhooks: Reeling in Success with ArcGIS Enterprise Integration: Learn about ArcGIS Enterprise Webhooks and FME.
• [Webinar] Reeling in ArcGIS Webhooks: Learn about how to use FME with ArcGIS Webhooks.
• [Webinar] Leveraging Web APIs for Infrastructure Management using FME: Learn how to use FME and REST APIs for infrastructure data.