topic Is it possible to set default values for fields with the Editor widget? in ArcGIS JavaScript Maps SDK Questions

Is it possible to set default values for fields with the Editor widget?

ZoeZaloudek — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 23:47:04 GMT

I'm exploring using the Editor widget (with version 4.12) in a web map. This web map asks users to draw a polygon, then attribute the polygon with comment text and contact info. There are 6 fields for the user to fill out.

Since I'm asking folks to add multiple polygons, I'd like to cut down on the amount of typing they have to do by pre-populating the contact info fields. I have a splash screen that asks for this info when they first get to the web map, so it's already saved to string variables in my JS code. Can I assign these values to the text boxes in the Editor widget right after a user completes a new polygon, so they don't have to repeatedly type in these values every time they add a new feature? This seems like something that could be in the layerInfos > fieldConfig property.

Re: Is it possible to set default values for fields with the Editor widget?

HeatherGonzago — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 19:40:26 GMT

The recommended way to have the Editor, or FeatureForm, automatically populate a field with a default value is to set it up on the service end. There is the ability to set default values for a field. The FeatureForm (which is what the Editor uses) recognizes what is stored within the service and uses that.

HTH

Re: Is it possible to set default values for fields with the Editor widget?

HeatherGonzago — Tue, 10 Dec 2019 01:39:49 GMT

Also, I forgot to mention that this is something that we may be able to implement on the API level for those fields that do not have set default values. Server rules would still override anything set on the client, but in those cases where there isn't anything on the field, this could be useful. We've added it as a possible enhancement for a future release.

Re: Is it possible to set default values for fields with the Editor widget?

EdDempsey — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 15:50:36 GMT

I actually had a similar question and discovered through the Update FeatureLayer using applyEdits() sample that when a new feature is created you can set attribute values which then are populated in the FeatureForm. I have extended this sample to much success for my needs which included populating lat/lon & elevation for new points.

Re: Is it possible to set default values for fields with the Editor widget?

EthanVodra — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 14:11:38 GMT

Ed Dempsey‌ Would you have an example of this with the edit widget? I can see how to set a default value in the example you linked to but I'm not sure how to do it using the Edit Widget. Maybe my only option is to make my own Feature Form and use FeatureLayer.applyEdits() ?

Re: Is it possible to set default values for fields with the Editor widget?

EdDempsey — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 14:33:07 GMT

You're on the right path. You want to create a Feature Form, such as this:

Then in the Edit widget, when the user selects a template to create a new feature, I used the "click" event to populate the default values, see below. My code is just an extension of the sample referenced in the original post.

Re: Is it possible to set default values for fields with the Editor widget?

EthanVodra — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 18:04:16 GMT

Thanks for the reply! I'm following you now. Just so I'm clear, (I think we may be using different terminology), you're not actually using the Editor Widget (Editor | ArcGIS API for JavaScript 4.16 ) to add features, but rather using a custom feature form to instead?

Re: Is it possible to set default values for fields with the Editor widget?

EdDempsey — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 18:53:28 GMT

So in my app, I'm actually using both. It starts with the Editor widget where my feature templates are shown. In this case the feature layer is stored in AGOL:

Once a user selects a feature template and clicks on the map, the FeatureForm is then displayed, see below. In my sample, I'm actually grabbing elevation from a DEM to prepopulate the FeatureForm for the user. That's the code in the 2nd screenshot in the previous reply. Hope that helps.

Re: Is it possible to set default values for fields with the Editor widget?

EthanVodra — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 20:04:40 GMT

Thanks that helps alot I'm only dealing with a single type of polygon so don't have any domains/subtypes (and therefore tempates) defined for my layer. Would you happen to know how to get the editor widget to fire an event when the "Add Feature" is clicked?

Re: Is it possible to set default values for fields with the Editor widget?

EthanVodra — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 23:59:29 GMT

Never mind. Realized I can use the "activeWorkflow" property to achieve the same end.

As below, I can use a double-click listener event on the map view (similar to what you have done above) to listen for a double-click event that happens when a user finishes creating a feature. Then I can check the activeWorkflow.started property to determine that my double click is actually from finishing creating a feature (rather than the user just randomly double clicking on the map). I should be able to jump in here and assign my attributes here hopefully.

view.on("double-click", function(event){
   
   console.log("double-click detected");
            
   if(editor.activeWorkflow != null && editor.activeWorkflow.started == true) {
      console.log(editor.activeWorkflow.started);
   };‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Re: Is it possible to set default values for fields with the Editor widget?

EthanVodra — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 22:45:06 GMT

Stuck again! I'm really struggling to see how you are able to populate the FeatureForm associated with the Editor widget!?

If I understand the example you linked correctly, it essentially creates the feature immediately and applies the attributes to "in the background". It then immediate loads the FeatureForm for the newly created feature, giving the user the opportunity to edit the default attributes. It is not really "pre-populating" fields before the feature is created but rather assigning values to the fields straightaway.

I don't see how this can be achieved with the Editor Widget. When adding a feature using the editor widget the user must fill out the fields and press the "Apply" button before the feature is created. Therefore we can't assign attributes to a feature before it is created so I don't see how the fields can be "pre-populated" in this case.

Re: Is it possible to set default values for fields with the Editor widget?

NilsBabel1 — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 21:48:49 GMT

@HeatherGonzago in v3 of the api the FeatureLayer had a before-apply-edits event. I have used that before to populate default values into fields. In v4 the FeatureLayer does not have this event. Setting up defaults in the service is not really a great solution if you want to get those defaults from your application. I'm using v4.19 now. Did the possible enhancement you mentioned above get implemented yet? It seems like this should be something pretty simple to do.

Re: Is it possible to set default values for fields with the Editor widget?

ZA1 — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 16:11:05 GMT

Hi Heather any update on this?

Re: Is it possible to set default values for fields with the Editor widget?

ZA1 — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 08:22:33 GMT

Hi EdDempsey

Could you please explain through code how you were able to automatically populate the field.

Thank you