Map Tokens

Map tokens are a quick and powerful way to share individual maps with non-FireMapper users, 3rd party agencies and external applications.

Each map token is a QR code (or map token URL) that provides controlled access to an individual map. It allows anyone with the map token to access your map, just by scanning the QR code or opening the URL. They are designed for quickly sharing a map during an incident in a user friendly format.

Typical use cases for this functionality include:

  • Providing temporary map viewing or editing access to a 3rd party during an incident

  • Providing access to external GIS tools such as ArcGIS Online, QGIS Desktop, Avenza

  • Providing additional capabilities to specialised personnel during large scale incidents.

This is an example workflow where a map token can quickly be opened by users on their mobile device using a Map Token QR code (without having to install any additional software).

../_images/workflow.jpg

Token Name

The Token Name should reflect the purpose and intended recipient of the token, to ensure traceability of the token and control of access.

It is possible to have multiple tokens for the same shared map to control access. For example one for IMT and one for firefighters. We recommend including the map name and user in the token name (e.g. Manly Dam HR IMT)

../_images/token_name.png

Token Expiry

Map Tokens are set to automatically expire to prevent long term unauthorized access to your maps after an incident.

Map Tokens will expire at midnight on the timezone that they were created.

By default, a Map Token will expire 8 days after it is created, however you can select a range between 1 - 14 days. Contact FireMapper Support to request greater expiry durations if this is required.

Once a Map Token is created, it is possible to change the expiry date (to extend an existing token). This is useful if you have a Map Token that is about to expire but is still required to access an incident.

../_images/token_expiry.png

Token Permissions

Custom permissions may be set for each Map Token to restrict access to the map. The permissions include:

  • Allow Map Editing - this allows the user to add, modify and delete features on the map. Users can edit the map using the web browser, ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro or any third party application that can connect via a ArcGIS FeatureServer endpoint.

  • Allow Location Sharing - this allows the user to view the location of your organisation’s resources tracks. This may include integrated tracks via TracPlus, ADS-B, FireMapper users and more depending on your account setup.

  • Allow User Metadata - this allows the user to view additional metadata on the shared features on the map, including author information.

  • Allow Photos - this allows the user to view photos that have been shared on the map by other users.

When generating a new Map Token, FireMapper defaults to least privileged access for security reasons, so you will need to enable any permissions you require.

../_images/permissions1.png

Creating Map Tokens

  1. Go to the Shared Maps page using the navigation sidebar

    ../_images/shared_maps_nav.png

  2. Select the Shared Maps tab at the top of the screen

    ../_images/shared_maps_tab.png

  3. Click on the Shares column on the map that you want to share.

    ../_images/shares.png

  4. Click on the Create Map Token at the bottom of the Map Sharing Dialog dialog.

    ../_images/create_map_token.png

  5. Enter a Token Name, Token Expiry and select the token permissions that you would like to use

    ../_images/token_fields.png

  6. Click Create Token to create the token.

    ../_images/create_button.png

  7. The generated map token will be displayed. A map token can be shared using either a QR-code or a URL with embedded authorisation. Anyone with access to the QR-code or URL will be able to use it and access underlying map data, until it expires or is revoked.

    ../_images/view_token.png

  8. The Map Token can be opened in the web browser. The map token webpage contains a list of applications that can be used by users to edit, view and print the shared map. There is also a collection of file formats including GPX, KML, KMZ, GeoPDF and Shapefiles.

    ../_images/token_page.png

    On mobile devices, the list of available applications for the map token is slightly different. Avenza maps integration is available on iOS and Android devices.

    ../_images/mobile_page.png

Renewing Map Tokens

Once a Map Token has expired it can no longer be used to access the map.

However, if a user still needs to use an expired token, you can renew the expired token to quickly restore access to the shared map.

  1. Go to the Map Tokens page using the navigation sidebar in the FireMapper Portal

    ../_images/map_tokens_nav.png

  2. Select the Expired Tokens tab at the top of the screen.

    ../_images/expired_tab.png

  3. Click the renew button on the right side of the map token that you want to renew. The orange background is used to highlight the map tokens that are have expired.

  4. Click Renew to confirm that you want to Renew the map token.

    This will update the expiry date for the map token so it is one week into the future, so the map token is no longer expired. Users will now be able to access the map token for the next week.

    It is possible to change the expiry date, to a different date after renewing a token, by going to the active tokens tab and editing the map token.

Revoking Map Tokens

Once a Map Token is no longer required, you can manually revoke access to prevent unauthorized use.

  1. Go to the Map Tokens page using the navigation sidebar in the FireMapper Portal

    ../_images/map_tokens_nav.png

  2. Select the Active Tokens tab at the top of the screen.

    ../_images/active_tab1.png

  3. Find the Map Token that you want to revoke in the table. Click the Revoke button on the right side of the table.

Note

If you Archive a map from the Shared Maps page, access via all Map Tokens will be automatically revoked to prevent unauthorised access to the Archived map.

Reactivating Map Tokens

A Map Token can be reactivated if it has been revoked and needs to be used again. This is useful if you revoke an Map Token by accident. Reactivating a token allows you to use the same QR code.

  1. Go to the Map Tokens page using the navigation sidebar in the FireMapper Portal

    ../_images/map_tokens_nav.png

  2. Select the Revoked Tokens tab at the top of the screen.

    ../_images/revoked_tab.png

  3. Click the Reactivate button on the right side of the table for the map token that you want to restore. The red background is used to highlight the map tokens that are currently revoked.

    ../_images/reactivate_button.png

  4. Click Reactivate to confirm that you want to Reactivate the map token, so anyone who has the map token URL/QR code will be able to access the shared map again.

    ../_images/reactivate_dialog.png

  5. Users will now be able to use the map token that you have reactivated. The Map Token URL/QR Code will still be the same as it was before. If users had tried to access the map token while it was revoked in the web browser, they may need to refresh the webpage.

Third Party Support

Map Tokens have been designed to work with third party applications commonly used in emergency service organisations, including:

  • ArcGIS Online

  • ArcGIS Pro

  • Avenza Maps

  • QGIS Desktop

  • Google Earth

Just scan the QR code for the Map Token or open the URL for the Map Token in the web browser and select the application that you would like to use.