topic Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services? in ArcGIS JavaScript Maps SDK Questions

Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

CoryCampbell1 — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 16:32:01 GMT

DOES IT EXIST

Has anyone already developed a custom Editor widget that includes functionality (GUI tools) to select one or more features (geometries) from one map/feature service and paste it into another feature service? For example, I don't want users to digitize polygon boundaries if those boundaries are available from another hosted service. Preferably the widget could be used with Web AppBuilder. Ideally, attributes would also copy over provided the field names/types are identical.

IF NOT, WHY NOT

This seems like functionality that would be in high demand, but it doesn't already exist in the Web AppBuilder Editor widget - so what are the limitations/constraints to including this kind of functionality? I've read several older posts for people customizing this functionality, and the API4JS docs seem to indicate that it's doable via cloning. Is it too difficult to allow configuration with template pickers, graphics and/or event layers, projection problems, client memory limits, read permissions limits, or something else?

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

StephNelson1 — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 19:03:59 GMT

Has anyone gotten back to you? I have the same need and similar thoughts on this topic!

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

GordonTyler — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 17:21:11 GMT

We have the same need and we have come up with a workaround using the GeoProcessing widget.

Create a GP tool (based on a python script) which takes a user selected polygon feature as input and copies the feature to another feature class (in our case the feature class is in an enterprise GDB underpinning another WFS in the same webapp).

Publish the GP tool and set up the GeoProcessing widget within the webapp.

Within WAB (at v2.4 - not sure about earlier versions) when you click a polygon feature and then click the three dots at the bottom right of the pop-up you get a menu option to set it as the input to the GeoProcessing widget task.

It's not pretty but it works for us internally. Not sure if it would be as easy in ArcGIS Online.

You can handle the attributes copying over in the Python script or having the user enter them in the widget dialogue.

I agree that a simple copy-paste of a feature/geometry (like you can do in Desktop) is highly desirable!

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

AhnaMiller2 — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 17:58:11 GMT

Hey Gordon,

Your GP tool from a python script sounds like a good work around in the meantime to this issue.I am working on something similar but instead of pasting into a different feature class, it will be pasting into the same feature class. Any chance you are able to share your code to work off of?

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

GordonTyler — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 22:07:57 GMT

Hi Ahna,

Sure, here is a cut down version which shows what my script does in simple terms. It should work for features in the same feature class. It includes the edits made ('esri added') when the tool is published.

import sys, os, arcpy

# Esri start of added variables
g_ESRI_variable_1 = os.path.join(arcpy.env.packageWorkspace,u'\\\\<server>\\arcgissystem\\arcgisinput\\<tool>.GPServer\\extracted\\v101\\<connection>.sde')
# Esri end of added variables

#input variables
featSet = arcpy.GetParameter(0) #feature selected within app to be copied
Attribute1 = sys.argv[2] #user entered attribute value if needed

OutputWS = g_ESRI_variable_1
OutputFeatures = os.path.join(OutputWS, "<OUtput Feature Class>")

sr = arcpy.SpatialReference(27700) #spatial ref for geometry

sc = arcpy.SearchCursor(featSet,"",sr,"","")
rowIn = sc.next() # this script assumes only a single feature is being copied

#write the feature to the output
rowsOut = arcpy.InsertCursor(OutputFeatures)
rowOut = rowsOut.newRow()

#Copy geometry
rowOut.setValue("SHAPE", rowIn.getValue("SHAPE"))

#Copy attributes
rowOut.setValue("ATTRIBUTE", rowIn.getValue("ATTRIBUTE"))

#User entered attributes for new feature if needed
rowOut.setValue("ATTRIBUTE1", Attribute1)
rowsOut.insertRow(rowOut)

del rowsOut
del sc‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

AhnaMiller2 — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 15:12:39 GMT

Thank you SO much Gordon!

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

AmberKelly — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 02:42:24 GMT

Hi Gordon,

Just wondering if you still have the original py script for the GP tool you created and would be willing to hare? My organisation also needs to copy polygons (parcels in this instance) and paste into a separate existing layer all from within Web App Builder.

Any help would be great!

Amber

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

GordonTyler — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:00:02 GMT

Hi Amber,

The script shared above in my earlier reply is the same as my original except with attribute names replaced and server names taken out. I can't share the original unfortunately.

Is there a specific bit you're having trouble with?

Gordon

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

AmberKelly — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 22:49:46 GMT

Hi Gordon,

I must have misunderstood the original post, I thought you had originally created a script to copy from one feature class and paste into a different editable feature class but the one you have uploaded is for copying from and pasting into the same feature class. Does this script cover both of these scenarios? I am very much in the learning phase in regards to Python so apologies for my ignorance!

Cheers

Amber

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

AhnaMiller2 — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 00:45:15 GMT

Hi Amber, I did this just recently. I can reach out to you tomorrow with a sample of how this can be done

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

AmberKelly — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 01:38:59 GMT

Hi Ahna,

That would be great! Thank you kindly ☺

Cheers

Amber

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

AhnaMiller2 — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 16:54:11 GMT

See commented script sample attached. Let me know if you have any questions!

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

AmberKelly — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 22:52:20 GMT

Thanks Ahna, Ill get tinkering!

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

GordonTyler — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 17:39:46 GMT

Hi Amber,

Sorry for the misunderstanding. The script can be used to copy geometry and attribute values from one feature class to another provided it handles the any field mappings for attributes within the script. The 'featset' input variable gets its value from the feature that has been clicked on (regardless of which feature class it is part of - so long as geometry types match). The Featset then gives access to attributes and geometry so you can copy them to the output feature.

Hope that helps,

Gordon

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

AmberKelly — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 00:47:42 GMT

Got it! It’s a steep learning curve I’m on it seems ☺. Thanks for your explanation!

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

ChelseyAiton2 — Thu, 02 May 2019 16:25:09 GMT

I am working on something very similar but must not have something correct in my python tool. What I am trying to do is have the user add a csv file to the web map using the Add Data widget. This widget will geocode some addresses and add the data as an operational point layer to the map. I would then like a geoprocessing service to copy this operational layer into an existing feature service. To simplify my process, I am currently trying to insert one sample feature layer into another (same schema), with no luck. My gp service was created from a simple python script, added as a script tool and the results published to ArcGIS Server from ArcMap 10.7. The tool runs perfectly from Arcmap, there are no errors when I publish, and there are no errors when I add the service to the gp widget in Web AppBuilder. Message level is set to "Info."

I based my script off of the one ahna.miller posted in December. This script uses a search and insert cursor. (I have also tried using the append tool) The tool parameter data type is Feature Set. This tool has two inputs with no outputs. Maybe the gp service could be having an issue with this as there is no output layer?

My source data is registered with the Data Store. Anyone have other suggestions?

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

JulieK — Wed, 22 May 2019 15:10:22 GMT

Did you get this to work? Will this take the features selected by the Select widget in WAB?

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

JulieK — Wed, 22 May 2019 17:11:48 GMT

Do the fields in both inlayer and outLayer have to match? as in does the schema have to match?

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

ChelseyAiton2 — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 16:04:02 GMT

No, I did not get this to work. I receive no error messages when publishing or running the tool with the GP widget in WAB. It does take the features selected by the Select widget and the GP widget. However, no output is added to an existing feature service. It makes me wonder if the edits are getting saved.

Re: Custom Editor widget to copy/paste geometry between feature services?

AmberKelly — Wed, 05 Jun 2019 00:09:42 GMT

Hey everyone,

I found an AGOL widget that will do this process for me - hopefully will help most of you as well. The Smart Editor widget in web app builder allows you to copy polygons from one layer and copy to another, while copying over attributes (provided schemas are matching).

Tick:

Allow user to create new features from existing features option

and

Copied feature values override defaults

Then click on New Feature, then from the drop down "Select features to copy" option in the tool and drag select the polygons you'd like to copy.