Automate generation/export of map images

[gordjw]

New feature request received via data.gov.au support:

We are currently using the NationalMap to visualise project data. However, doing so repeatedly becomes quite cumbersome.

Is there a way to use the National Map via an API, e.g.

• specifying the layers we need provided by NationalMap
• upload our own project data
• zooming to the extent of our data
• exporting in provided size and format (eg. PNG)
• downloading the file

This would allow for faster and increased usage of maps in our projects.

[AnaBelgun]

This case: the user wants to send periodical reports with screen shots of NationalMap data + own data to clients and they want to find a more efficient way to do that. I'll invite Data61 A. Krumpholz into discussion; @philipgrimmett @steve9164 you might be interested in the work flow because it looks like another example of 'report generation'

[AnaBelgun]

From @kring You can do lots of API-like stuff (enable particular catalog items, zoom to a particular location, etc.) by posting cross-window messages into an iframe. For more control, embed TerriaJS using a div rather than an iframe, and then you have full access to TerriaJS's javascript API. The ability to screenshot is still limited by browser capabilities, though. it's generally possible to get a snap of the map in 3D, and a mostly correct snap in 2D. Taking snaps of legends and such tends to be harder