The Open GIS Consortium, Inc. (OGC) announces a Request for Comment (RFC) on the proposed Web Map Context Documents Implementation Specification. This proposed specification describes a standardized approach to enable the capture and maintenance of the context - or state information - of a Web Map Server (WMS) request so that this information can be reused easily in the future user session. Those interested in this RFC are invited to comment on the document, which is located at http://www.opengis.org/info/techno/rfc16info.htm. Comments must be submitted to OGC no later than 21 March 2003.

The "context" aspect of this RFC refers to a process to capture and manage information transacted in WMS based requests and responses. Information typically includes: window size and placement, bounding box (in a common Earth coordinate reference system), URLs and other details that could be used by another client to access the same servers and recreate the same representation of overlaid map layers, or to support generation of a similar map representation based on modified parameters from the original request.

This RFC is the result of Web Services work accomplished over the past few years as part of OGC's Interoperability Program of fast paced testbeds and pilot projects. This program has led to a foundation of web-based interoperability involving not only map display but also more sophisticated geoprocessing functions, as well as location based services, sensor and camera geolocation, web catalogs of spatial data and spatial web services, and other capabilities.

GeoConnections / Natural Resources Canada, Ionic Software (Belgium), DM Solutions (Canada), Social Change Online (Australia), Syncline (United States) and US National Aeronautics and Space Administration submitted this specification to OGC as a Request For Comment (RFC).