map.getLevel() returns -1 when no basemap specified...bug?

Question

I have an application that is being displayed on a 4k touch screen and am having trouble with slow drawing times for the basemap simply because there is so much pixel area on the screen and in the visible extent.  I wanted to try an option where I didn't use a basemap and, instead, used a very simple feature layer that acts as a basemap.  When I do so, all the places where I was reading map.getExtent() to determine certain events all break because the value is -1 instead of, for example, 11.  Anyone else run into this?  Anyone have any good solutions for getting a basemap to load as quickly as possible?

Thanks in advance,

Tim

kenbuja · Accepted Answer

This would make sense if your map contains no services that are tiled (either a basemap or your own layers). This method relies on the LODs of the map, which are automatically supplied by the tiled services. Now while the documentation for getLevel states Valid only with an ArcGISTiledMapService layer. you can specify the LODs when constructing the map that doesn't utilize any tiled services and still use this method. Create Map and add a dynamic layer