# Ideas for improvement

Picture from Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke on Pixabay

Here I will note my **ideas** around **WFS Reader, XML Filter Expressions** et cetera. When finished, I'll place an idea on [FME ideas](https://community.safe.com/s/bridea/acideasULT__brIdea__c/00B4Q00000AWlEVUA1). If you have any comments or something to add, [please let me know](mailto:pyfme@gmx.net)! ## WFS connection - URL: add recent/most used/favorites When you come to office and start your work opening a **fresh FME Workbench**, the **URL** parameter is allways empty. FME forgets, what you did in the past (without a Workbench file opened). There's no history, recent function or something that remembers, what you did last time. Therefore you have to copy your WFS URL from another source. **Idea** Please implement some kind of **history** similar to the history we find in **bash** or **zsh**. Those who use the **Terminal** in macOS or on Linux know how it works. Open the commandline and use arrow up/down to scroll through the history of commands. In FME this could work as follows: * **click** (maybe in combination with a magic key like Strg, Cmd) **in URL text box** * use **arrow up/down to scroll** through URL history * maybe the mouse wheel could also be used to scroll * if the right URL is found **double click or** press **return to choose it** In ideal circumstances the history comes with different modes like 1. **recently** used, ordered descending (latest first) 2. **most** used, ordered descending (often first) 3. **favorites**, ordered alphabetically (A to Z) Add a SQLite database (or anything that's actually hot) in users FME path (C:\Users\xxx\Documents\FME\\) and persist the WFS URLs used, e.g.

URL	Wfs_version	Name	Date_last_used	Count_used
https://www.wfs.nrw.de/geobasis/wfs_nw_inspire-flurstuecke_alkis?	2.0	ALKIS Flurstücke NRW	2023-09-07T13:10:30.362Z	10
https://www.wfs.nrw.de/wfs/strassen_nrw?	1.1.0	NRW Strassen	2023-09-08T13:14:02.953Z	3

I'm not a GUI specialist, therefore the folks at Safe will know better, but as a hint:

The **preference** (either **recent** or **most**) should be configured in **FME Options**. At this point: I'm really a feared "alignment nerd" but why is the URL text box so small? Just for the alignment?

## ## WFS connection - Version: use latest supported version Opening a WFS reader, the preset for **\[WFS Version]** is **1.1.0**.

That's ok so far. But from the time when you define the WFS URL and FME connects to the WFS it should be possible to fetch the **latest/highest version from** **WFS Capabilities**: ``` 2.0.0 ```

**Idea** If so, please switch **\[WFS Version]** **to highest** supported **version** automatically. This also applies to the **Coordinate System:**

Please set **\[Coordinate System]** from **\** to WFS **DefaultCRS** of selected Feature Type(s) automatically (if unique). ## Filter Expression Editor/Assistant t.b.c. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://olivers-expression-lab.gitbook.io/filter-expressions-in-fme/ideas-for-improvement.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.