idea Support Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG) across the ArcGIS platform in ArcGIS Pro Ideas

Support Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG) across the ArcGIS platform

berniejconnors — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 16:36:44 GMT

A Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG) is a regular GeoTIFF file, aimed at being hosted on a HTTP file server, with an internal organization that enables more efficient workflows on the cloud. It does this by leveraging the ability of clients issuing HTTP GET range requests to ask for just the parts of a file they need - read more here - Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF

As I understand it, I could simply point an online map viewer at a web folder of COG files and the imagery would be displayed. Esri should support COG files across their platform.

Here is an online demonstration - COG-Explorer

Best regards,

Bernie.

Re: Support Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG) across the ArcGIS platform

KoryKramer — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 13:56:46 GMT

Raster file formats—ArcGIS Pro | ArcGIS Desktop

Re: Support Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG) across the ArcGIS platform

StephenKnox — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 17:34:34 GMT

Hi Kory Kramer‌ that's great for Pro, although I haven't been able to achieve it in practice or locate any instructions how to do it.

However, I'm mostly interested in this for Portal - are there any plans to add this to Portal?

Re: Support Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG) across the ArcGIS platform

MattWilkie1 — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 18:30:43 GMT

To clarify things a bit: strictly speaking Cloud Optimized Geotiff is a file format, and ArcMap and Pro can both read and use COG files without any special instructions or configuration when they're stored in a local or server share file system. That's what the Supported Raster Formats chart @KoryKramer posted refers to.

However this idea is about being able to read those files from outside the local network, so across HTTP, /vsizip/vsicurl, or whatever. ArcGIS doesn't do that yet, or at least not in the place I've tried.

Re: Support Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG) across the ArcGIS platform

thare_USGS — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 18:15:45 GMT

There is an interesting trick to get COGs as hosted from https to work in both ArcGIS Pro (2.7.1) and Arcmap (10.8.1). So using a locally installed gdal environment, you can create a GDAL "VRT" (virtual) file pointing at a COG (Tiff) as hosted using a https address. The locally created vrt file can be simply added or even dropped into ArcGIS/ArcMap.

How does this work? Since Arc* uses GDAL under-the-hood for some image I/O, support for GDAL VRTs is fairly robust and apparently allows for the ability to load a https hosted COG.

Steps:

Get yourself a GDAL environment installed (e.g., Anaconda, then "conda install -c conda-forge gdal")
Test the https hosted COG in gdal:
- gdalinfo /vsicurl/https://address.to.files/theHostedCOG.tif
Now create a GDAL VRT:
- gdal_translate -of vrt /vsicurl/https://address.to.files/theHostedCOG.tif theHostedCOG.vrt
Done - drag that new file "theHostedCOG.vrt" in ArcGIS Pro or ArcMap

Not well tested and stumbled across this testing out new STAC services (uses online COGs).

Re: Support Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG) across the ArcGIS platform

NickMiddleton — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 00:36:48 GMT

Following this with interest. Anyt further developments?

Cheers,

Nick

Re: Support Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG) across the ArcGIS platform

ErikMartin — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 14:23:25 GMT

I am likewise following this with interest.

Specifically, I would like to be able to bring in and work with COGs in an ArcGIS JS API map. So far as I have been able to tell, this is not currently possible. Are there plans to implement this functionality?

Thanks,

Erik

Re: Support Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG) across the ArcGIS platform

MatejVrtich — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 10:13:43 GMT

Hi,

with the recent release of JS API 4.25, there is a beta support for COGs.

https://developers.arcgis.com/javascript/latest/sample-code/layers-imagerytilelayer-cog/

PS: it would be great if Pro supports searching raster data using STAC and Image Server supports STAC spec on its image services build on top of mosaic datasets.

Matej

Re: Support Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG) across the ArcGIS platform

nadja — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 15:20:08 GMT

I agree, the COG need to be supporte accross the ArcGIS platform. As far as I see, it is not yet supported in ArcGIS Online: https://doc.arcgis.com/en/arcgis-online/reference/supported-items.htm

(same goes for vrt)

Re: Support Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF (COG) across the ArcGIS platform

JordanCarmona — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 20:26:26 GMT

How close are we to native COG support (without workarounds) in ArcGIS Server? We're interested in self-hosting COGs outside of a cloud environment.