Why Operations Dashboard only supports Feature Service layer

Question

Hi, this might be a basic question but why Operations Dashboard only Feature Service layer? Can't it send queries to map service layers and get the results to build the charts? To use feature service layer means everything must in SDE and can't use table views or query layers which in many case are much useful.

FinbarGillen · Answer

Finally have got a solution to this problem!

MichaelGayheart1 · Answer

Hi, this might be a basic question but why Operations Dashboard only Feature Service layer? Can't it send queries to map service layers and get the results to build the charts? To use feature service layer means everything must in SDE and can't use table views or query layers which in many case are much useful.

I found that I could avoid needing to use SDE by just using the "Add Layer from Web" in ArcGIS Online to add the individual layers I needed to use as data sources. So if I have "http://foo/arcgis/rest/services/bar/MapServer" as my map service (from a file geodatabase), then if I manually add "http://foo/arcgis/rest/services/bar/MapServer/1" (or whatever layers I need) to my map, then I see that layer as a data source when I use that map in Operations Dashboard. Usually I just configure the popup for the layer and leave it unchecked (non-visible). The dashboard will still zoom/pan to the area of a selected feature and the map service will actually be drawing. Does that make sense? I do agree that being able to use other layers such as standalone tables would be a huge plus!

AdamRepsher · Answer

Hi, this might be a basic question but why Operations Dashboard only Feature Service layer? Can't it send queries to map service layers and get the results to build the charts? To use feature service layer means everything must in SDE and can't use table views or query layers which in many case are much useful.

Agreed - It is much more complicated to set this up  For example, I found that the only way to serve a layer with unique attribute driven symbology is to create a domain for it.  No labeling...

...but does add the ability to edit.

So, in order to do anything that the Operations Dashboard does so well, you must use the very restrictive Feature Service.  If you want labels on the map, you have to use the map service, but you can't query or use any other widgets....

Positives and negatives.  You find the balance, I guess.