MapViewer or Quick Report?

Question

I am working on an app where we would like users to be able to both view features on a landscape while at the same time being able to capture the locations of new features. I have been working intermittently on this project for the past four months and have gotten no place and seem to always end up where I left off. Though touted as a plug-and-play solution to app development, the learning curve to deviate beyond the templates is far steeper than was initially advertised.

I have a deadline to complete the first draft of the project by mid-January and instead of spinning my wheels day-after-day getting nothing accomplished I am hoping for some actual guidance on how to make this app happen.

Here are my roadblocks:

I like the MapViewer's Map Page and all the functionality that it entails, particularly the attribute pop ups, the ability to change basemaps, and the side panel with the legend. On the other hand, the QuickReport template contains all that I would need for the users to be able to capture a picture and the location of the features that we are trying to capture in the field. However, there is no dedicated map page, no attribute pop up, and no ability to change basemap.

My initial thought, when starting this project, was to take the MapViewer Map Page and integrate it into the QuickReport template. However, I have no idea where to start with this since there are also a host of control pages, images, etc... that will have to be transferred between the two.

Now I am thinking that it might be better to copy the Refine Location page and create a dedicated map page within the QuickReport template. The issue there is that I do not understand how to make an attribute popup and/or give the page the ability to change basemaps.

Of course, with both solutions, I will have to create a button from the QuickReport landing page to go to the new map page.

Alternatively, maybe I do not need a dedicated map page if the RefineLocation page can have the ability to add pop ups and change basemaps.

I am sorry if this message is a negative one, but my level of frustration with this program grows greater with each day. We decided to adopt this platform because of the so-called "ease of use" that was promised, however we are way over budget with the amount of hours that we have sunk in without even getting past creating new templates over and over again because I cannot figure out how to move beyond the initial steps.

GarrettRSmith · Answer

Hello Erwin

Thanks for the response. I sent you a private message. I put this project down over the holidays and am picking it back up this week. I am still not sure what the best course of action is, though I hope that we can come up with something.

Thanks

Garrett

ErwinSoekianto · Answer

@GarrettRSmith

Extending the template does require some developer skill, depending on how much customization you want to do. Also, I think I like the alternative you mentioned,  if you don't have developer resources, maybe it is good to stay as out of the box as possible.

I also would like to point out that AppStudio 4.4 was just released last week, with an update to MapViewer where you can do attachment and feature attribute editing, I know it's not adding a new feature like you are asking, but I thought I mentioned it here, https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/appstudio/developers/whats-new-in-arcgis-appstudio-4-4-december-2020/

With that being said, if we were to go forward, the question is how much "mapping capability" do you need? If they are limited or it's not as critical, I think you choose the right path to use Quick Report as base app, and "try" to add the mapping capability into it.

I think I already answered your question previously on adding a button to change basemap, and I think that should be doable. I do agree that adding attribute pop-up is very cumbersome as it does not have a lot of real state to show that in the map page, maybe this needs to be its own page, or occupy half of the map page, like how it is in the MapViewer. I think if you are having trouble adding change basemap functionality, adding an attributes pop-up page is much harder, it is not impossible though, someone in this forum might have done it in the past.

If you like to talk more, please shoot me a private message containing your email, maybe we can schedule a call in the beginning of January to see what we can accomplish for your project.

Thank you,

Erwin.