The new Preplanned Workflow - mobile offline scenarios in ArcGIS

AlexanderErbe

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With ArcGIS Runtime<\/A>, native apps can be created for all common platforms. Native apps are especially suitable for mobile scenarios in the field service. Since a stable internet connection is often not guaranteed in the field, the maps including all associated data should be stored locally on the device. There are already several ways to do this with ArcGIS Runtime:<\/P>

<\/P>

• On Demand export of data directly from ArcGIS Services (

Feature<\/A>, Raster<\/A> and Vector Tile<\/A>)<\/LI>On Demand export of complete maps<\/A><\/LI>Preprocessing of ArcGIS Runtime Content<\/A> or Mobile Map Packages<\/A> with ArcGIS Desktop and subsequent copying to the device<\/LI><\/UL>

These options are also used in ArcGIS Apps such as

Collector<\/A>, Navigator<\/A> or Explorer<\/A>. Since ArcGIS Runtime version 100.2, there is now additionally the Preplanned Workflow<\/A> for continuous and automatable planning of mobile offline scenarios.<\/P>

The Preplanned Workflow<\/H2>
In a typical field service scenario, several field workers have the same assignment but in different work areas. An example is the inspection of streets in a city, where different employees are on the move in different city areas. An employee usually only needs the mobile data from his area and not the data of the complete map. Often he is only allowed to see the data of his own area.


The Preplanned Workflow is designed exactly for such scenarios. It essentially consists of two parts – planning work areas in the office and using the "partial maps" in ArcGIS Runtime Apps in the field service.


Planning work areas in the office<\/H2>The prerequisite is an offline-capable WebMap< /a>. The Portal Item ID (the string in the URL) is needed from this WebMap.


Then, the relevant work areas (MapAreas) are defined in the WebMap. The easiest way is to create Bookmarks< /a>. However, extents of the areas can also be determined and used in JSON format, e.g., like this:

{
  \x22xmin\x22: -13184700,
  \x22ymin\x22: 3988556,
  \x22xmax\x22: -13004945,
  \x22ymax\x22: 4061479,
  \x22spatialReference\x22: {
      \x22wkid\x22: 102100
}}‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍<span class= "line-numbers-rows"><span>‍</span><span>‍</span><span>‍</span><span>‍</span><span>‍</span><span>‍</span><span>‍</span><span>‍</span></span>

Using the new Offline Packaging Geoprocessing Service for the Preplanned Workflow, the following tasks can then be performed:

• Create areas (

Create Map Area< /a>)
Preprocess mobile data for each area (Setup Map Area< /a>)
Update mobile data (Refresh Map Area Package< /a>)


Up to 16 MapAreas can be created for one WebMap. The mobile data of each MapArea is stored directly in offline usable format in the portal:

• Features as SQLite database
• Vector Tile Layer as Vector Tile Packages (.vtpk)
• Raster data as Tile Packages (.tpk)

The mobile data has a reference to the associated MapArea. And all MapAreas have a reference to the associated WebMap. This means: if a MapArea is deleted, the associated mobile data in the portal is also deleted. And if the WebMap is deleted, all MapAreas plus mobile data are also gone.

MapAreas and associated mobile data are not displayed in the standard interface of the portal. In Catalog in ArcGIS Pro, these items can be displayed or deleted. Another option is with the AGOL Assistant.

How is it implemented in practice?

Geoprocessing Services can be used in web apps with the ArcGIS API for JavaScript and in native apps with ArcGIS Runtime. With both, it would be possible, for example, to create configurator apps for planners in the office. Another option is to use the Offline Packaging Geoprocessing Service directly in ArcGIS Desktop. My personal favorite, however, is implementation with the ArcGIS API for Python and the OfflineMapAreaManager. With these few lines of Python code, MapAreas from all bookmarks of a WebMap are generated and also immediately generate the associated mobile data:



# Import modules
from arcgis.gis import GIS
from arcgis.mapping import WebMap
from getpass import getpass

# Setup the organization and user information
password=getpass()
gis = GIS('https://www.arcgis.com', 'my named user', password)

# get the webmap from the portal item id
offline_map_item = gis.content token">.<\/SPAN>get(<\/SPAN>"my webmap id"<\/SPAN>)<\/SPAN>\noffline_webmap =<\/SPAN> WebMap(<\/SPAN>offline_map_item)<\/SPAN>\n\n# Loop through the webmap's bookmarks and create a map area for each one bookmark<\/SPAN>\nfor<\/SPAN> bookmark in<\/SPAN> offline_webmap.<\/SPAN>definition.<\/SPAN>bookmarks:<\/SPAN>\n    bookmark_name =<\/SPAN> bookmark.<\/SPAN>name\n    item_prop =<\/SPAN> {<\/SPAN>'title'<\/SPAN>:<\/SPAN> offline_map_item.<\/SPAN>title +<\/SPAN> '_'<\/SPAN> +<\/SPAN> bookmark_name +<\/SPAN> '_MapArea'<\/SPAN>,<\/SPAN>\n            'snippet'<\/SPAN>:<\/SPAN> 'my snippet'<\/Span>,<\/span>\n            'description'<\/span>:<\/span> 'my description'<\/span>,<\/span>\n            'tags'<\/span>:<\/span> [<\/span>'python api'<\/span>,<\/span> 'MapArea'<\/span>,<\/span> 'my tag'<\/span>]<\/span>}<\/span>\n    offline_area =<\/span> offline_webmap.<\/Span>offline_areas.<\/Span>create(<\/Span>area=<\/span>bookmark_name,<\/span> folder=<\/span>'my portal content folder'<\/Span>,<\/Span> item_properties=<\/span>item_prop)<\/Span>   ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍<\/<Span>‍\/‍\/‍\/‍\/‍\/‍\/‍\/‍\/‍\/‍\/‍\/‍\/‍\/‍\/‍\/‍\/‍\/‍\/‍\/‍\/< Span >< \/ Span > < \/ CODE > < \/ PRE > < P > For a quick test, the Python Notebook attached to this blog can be used on notebooks.esri.com < \/ A > (Upload). < \/ P > < P > < \/ P > < H2 id = "toc-hId-1014640770" id = "toc-hId-1014640770" > Use of MapAreas in ArcGIS Runtime Apps in the field service < \/ H2 > < P > The MapAreas of a WebMap and the associated mobile data have now been created in the Portal. Now they just need to be downloaded and used with ArcGIS Runtime. The Preplanned Workflow functions in the SDKs are only available from ArcGIS Runtime version 100.2 onwards. Here are the rough steps for implementation using the .NET SDK as an example: < \/ P > < P > < \/ P > < P > 1. Loading the WebMap < \/ P > < PRE Class = "lia-code-sample line-numbers language-none" >< CODE >< Span Class = "keyword Token" > var </ Span > portal = await ArcGISPortal . CreateAsync ( ) ; \n \n var webmapItem = await PortalItem . CreateAsync ( portal , "WebMap Portal ID" ) ; \n var myMap = new Map ( webmapItem ) ; << EMOJI_22 >> < Span Class = "line-numbers-rows" >< Span >< EMOJI_23 >< \/ Span >< Span >< EMOJI_24 >< \/ Span >< Span >< EMOJI_25 >< \/ Span >< \/ Span >< \/ CODE >< \/ PRE > \n \n 2. Querying the MapAreas of a WebMap \n \n var offlineMapTask = await OfflineMapTask . CreateAsync ( myMap ) ; \n var preplannedMapAreas = await offlineMapTask . GetPreplannedMapAreasAsync ( ) ; << EMOJI_26 >> < Span Class = "line-numbers-rows" >< Span >< EMOJI_27 >< \/ Span >< Span >< EMOJI_28 >< \/ Span >< \/ Span >< \/ CODE >< \/ PRE > \n \n 3. Downloading the info and data of a MapArea as exploded Mobile Map Package \n \n var myArea = preplannedMapAreas . FirstOrDefault ( ) ; \n \n var downloadJob = offlineMapTask . DownloadPreplannedOfflineMap ( myArea , "Storage path" ) ; \n var results = await downloadJob . GetResultAsync ( ) ; << EMOJI_29 >> < Span Class = "line-numbers-rows" >< Span >< EMOJI_30 >< \/ Span >< Span >< EMOJI_31 >< \/ Span >< Span >< EMOJI_32 >< \/ Span >< Span >< EMOJI_33 >< \/ Span >< \/ Span >< \/ CODE >< \/ PRE > \n \n 4. Loading and displaying the locally stored MapArea in the Map \n \n var offlineMapArea = await MobileMapPackage . OpenAsync ( "Storage path" ) ; \n myMap = offlineMapArea . Maps [ 0 ] ; << EMOJI_34 >> < Span Class = "line-numbers-rows" >< Span >< EMOJI_35 >< \/ Span >< Span >< EMOJI_36 >< \/ Span >< \/ Span >< \/ CODE >< \/ PRE > \n \n Strong Synchronization of edits with the Feature Service Strong \n \n For synchronization of feature edits in both directions, the local SQLite Geodatabase is automatically registered by the OfflineMapTask with the Feature Service . Therefore, the developer does not have to worry about it. Synchronization works like this: \n \n var editLayer = class="punctuation token">(<\/SPAN>FeatureLayer)<\/SPAN>myMap.<\/SPAN>OperationalLayers[<\/SPAN>0<\/SPAN>]<\/SPAN>;<\/SPAN>\nvar<\/SPAN> featureTable =<\/SPAN> (<\/SPAN>GeodatabaseFeatureTable)<\/SPAN>editLayer.<\/SPAN>FeatureTable;<\/SPAN>\n\nvar<\/SPAN> syncTask =<\/SPAN> await<\/SPAN> GeodatabaseSyncTask.<\/SPAN>CreateAsync<\/SPAN>(<\/SPAN>featureTable.<\/SPAN>Geodatabase.<\/SPAN>Source)<\/SPAN>;<\/SPAN>\n\n\/\/ sync geodatabase<\/SPAN>\nvar<\/SPAN> taskParameters =<\/SPAN> await<\/SPAN> syncTask.<\/SPAN>CreateDefaultSyncGeodatabaseParametersAsync<\/SPAN>(<\/SPAN>featureTable.<\/span>Geodatabase)<\/span>;<\/span>\n\nvar<\/span> syncJob =<\/span> syncTask.<\/span>SyncGeodatabase<\/span>(<\/span>taskParameters,<\/span> featureTable.<\/span>Geodatabase)<\/span>;<\/span>\nvar<\/span> result =<\/span> await<\/span> syncJob.<\/span>GetResultAsync<\/span>(<\/span>)<\/span>;<\/span>\n‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍<\/span>‍<\/span>‍<\/span>‍<\/span>‍<\/span>‍<\/span>‍<\/span>‍<\/span>‍<\/span>‍<\/span>‍<\/span><\/span><\/CODE><\/PRE><\/>Before a geodatabase on the device is to be deleted, it must first be deregistered with the Feature Service (otherwise it will eventually be cluttered with tons of replicas). Further information can be found in the documentation. It can be implemented like this:<\/>P>Var editLayer = (FeatureLayermyMap.< /Span >OperationalLayers[0];
Var featureTable = (GeodatabaseFeatureTableeditLayer.< /Span >FeatureTable;

Var syncTask = await GeodatabaseSyncTask.< /Span >CreateAsync(featureTable.< /Span >Geodatabase.< /Span >Source;

// unregister geodatabase
await</ span > syncTask::UnregisterGeodatabaseAsync( </ span > featureTable < span Class = \ " punctuation Token " >::Geodatabase ) ; < / span >< < EMOJI_12 >>

::// delete geodatabase << EMOJI_13 >> </ span >< span Class = \ " line-numbers-rows " >< span >< < EMOJI_14 >> </ span >< span >< < EMOJI_15 >> </ span >< span >< < EMOJI_16 >> </ span >< span >< < EMOJI_17 >> </ span >< span >< < EMOJI_18 >> </ span >< span >< < EMOJI_19 >> </ span >< span >< < EMOJI_20 >> </ span >< span >< < EMOJI_21 >> </ span >< span >< < EMOJI_22 >> </ span ></ span ></ code ></ pre >< p ></ p >< h2 id = \ " toc-hId--1537516191 \ " id = \ " toc-hId--1537516191 \ " >Final Words

The Preplanned Workflow has brought the topic of mobile offline scenarios in ArcGIS to completion. The whole thing is now a well-rounded matter but still has optimization potential here and there, e.g., shapes as MapAreas would be more useful than just rectangular areas (which work area is exactly rectangular anyway). We will see improvements, and overall it is already very helpful. We will soon find the Preplanned Workflow again in some ArcGIS Apps (Collector, Explorer). Currently, it is only available in ArcGIS Online; in ArcGIS Enterprise, it will be implemented in a later version.

P.s.: The sections on creating MapAreas with the Python API (a new Python Notebook is attached) and synchronizing Feature Edits have been slightly revised. Many thanks to Antti Kajanus from the ArcGIS Runtime Team for the tip about the smart Python API implementation and his correction of Register/Unregister of geodatabases. 

MaxGlas

Sehr schön aufbereitet.

#offline‌ #offline maps‌ #take offline‌