Web App Builder - Mobile Popup - Need to be able to increase popup tolerance

[IanPeebles]

We have a web app builder application that works well in both desktop and mobile.  We have a popup configured for identifying information on a feature.  The problem is that in the mobile environment, the popup tolerance cannot be set by WAB or ArcGIS Online.  We have received user feedback that they have to click a few times to get the popup to appear in mobile.  To get the popup to appear, you have to click exactly on the point.

The enhancement/idea is to add the ability to increase the popup tolerance for the mobile environment, that way a user can tap just outside of the graphic and still get the popup to appear.  A mouse click and tap on a device are much different.

Bottom line is that the end user must have the best experience in the mobile environment and not have to constantly tap on a feature to get the popup to appear, therefore this is where increasing the popup tolerance will come in handy.

If the user constantly has to tap on a feature to get the popup to appear, they will think that the functionality does not work and may be reluctant to ever use the application again.

Please give us app developers the ability to increase the tolerance for popups in mobile, if it is 10, 20, or 50 pixels.
 

Ian Peebles, GISP

GIS Analyst II – Application Support Team (AST)

Information Technology Department

City of Edmond, OK

Office: (405) 359-4561

Help Desk: (405) 359-4636

[City_ofGlendale__CA]

It is now almost 2018, I have only seen how people get around it in custom development by basically listening to click event and doing buffer on the user clicked point. 

How do I achieve this with WAB?  Is there a setting I missed?  Nor do I see where I can access the source code generated via ftp where I can basically overwrite the function... 

[ScottPrindle]

Hello Tao,

It is possible to set a click tolerance within the Javascript API for the identify task. There are also a few places within Web AppBuilder itself where tolerances can be set: Edit widget, Screening widget, and the Parcel Drafter widget.

Are there specific widgets or actions where a tolerance cannot be set? What kinds of workflows or tools are you using within Web AppBuilder?

To all others voting or commenting on this idea,

Please consider leaving a comment to expand on your current workflows, and what specific tools or processes you believe would be improved by this functionality.

Thanks,

Scott

[IanPeebles]

Scott,

The workflow we are referring to are the popups, especially on points.  Users should not have to click several times for the popup to appear.  Right now, you have to be exactly on the point. 

The WAB needs to have a configuration setting for the popups so you can specify the tolerance at 20, 50, 75 pixels and etc.

I have heard others raise these concerns.  In our case, the popup contains valuable information and hyperlinks as another method of obtaining information.

Please refer to this application:

http://gis.edmondok.com/artinpublicplaces

Even a popup manager would be nice, meaning having a drop down menu where users can choose the layer they want to identify instead of all popups being active at once

If possible, can you share some code samples that would enable us to set the popup or pixel tolerance?  The current code structure is a bit convoluted for the WAB and requires lots of digging compared to a basic JavaScript application.

Thank you for considering this idea.  Just remember how other end users operate an application, if it does not do what it needs or is hard to use, they will not use the application.

[MattiasEkström]

I agree with Ian, the most basic workflow are the popups. It's not easy to hit the point, and when your using pretty big symbols for points you can actually hit the symbol but miss the point. And the user gets the "no-information-popup" which may lead them to think there no information for this point. But there actually is, if you manage to hit the center of the symbol. 

[ViewpointAlgemeen]

I would like the option to adjust the pop up tolerance but then for the opposite reason; If I click in AGOL on a shape near another shape (buildings) then both popups will appear even though I clearly click on a single object/polygonshape. This is very frustrating and the only way to not have both pop up is to zoom in a lot or to click on the center of the shape. Anyway we get a lot of questions from our clients/users why this happens.