Tabbed story map synchronization with web pages?

Question

I read a post from 2016 asking whether the synchronize map locations option within tabbed story maps works with links to web pages (web apps, as opposed to web maps).  In 2016, the answer was that function only works with web maps.  Are there plans to have the functionality work with web apps?

Leigh Lager

NJDEP

WalkerWieland1 · Answer

Hello,

I am using a tabbed story map and was also considering this option. The main functionality I would like to include that story maps/web maps do not have, is when I am searching for features in my web map, to be able to specify the polygon fill color that appears with my search results. Several of my maps have legend ranges which include the color orange, which is the same as the search result. Our team is worried that when a user searches for features, and a polygon turns orange, this may lead to misinterpretation of the results. My public web app is here: http://oehha.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=a09e31351744457d9b13072af8b68fa5

I found some similar posts on this issue but it looks like a custom hosted web application would be needed

Any insight you, or anyone else would have on how to navigate this issue would be really appreciated. Even if there's not a way to "hack" it at the moment, any ideas on making it clear to the user that they need to clear the search results in order to view the "true" symbology of the feature?

Thanks,
Walker

RupertEssinger · Answer

Adrian Welsh‌ is correct. There's not a way to do this and we don't have plans to add that just because it would be quite hard to do across a range of apps. We'd recommend sticking to web maps if possible to get the extent-sync functionality.

Leigh, is there a particular area of functionality that you can't achieve with web maps that makes you want to embed apps instead? Using apps, like ones built with the ArcGIS Web App Builder definitely gives you a broader array of functionality than using web maps. But they may not be as easy for your readers than simply using a web map. Plus there are a few functions you can add in for web map use. For example, if you want readers to be able to turn particular layers on and off, you could add story actions into your Story Map Series description panels to enable readers to do that.

Rupert

AdrianWelsh · Answer

Leigh,

This is a good question but I would think that this could not really happen. Since the Web Apps are being treating like separate web pages as opposed to linked web maps. Something deeper would have to happen in order to make this possible.

I am curious to hear what the story map experts have to say though!