topic Re: Find layer geometry type in ArcGIS JavaScript Maps SDK Questions

Find layer geometry type

BabbageOcelot — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 11:01:34 GMT

Hello all,

I may just be being dim on a Monday afternoon, but I can't seem to find any way of finding a layer's specified geometry type. This is shown in the REST endpoint as "Geometry Type: esriGeometryPoint"; unfortunately it doesn't seem to be exposed in either the Layer properties, or in the layerInfos object.

What I need to do is create a custom-symbolised featureLayer on the fly, and in order for that to work I need to know the geometry present in this particular layer.

Sadly, I can't use layerDefinitions (which would be far more appropriate).

Any ideas?

- Ben

Re: Find layer geometry type

HemingZhu — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 11:45:42 GMT

Hello all,

I may just be being dim on a Monday afternoon, but I can't seem to find any way of finding a layer's specified geometry type. This is shown in the REST endpoint as "Geometry Type: esriGeometryPoint"; unfortunately it doesn't seem to be exposed in either the Layer properties, or in the layerInfos object.

What I need to do is create a custom-symbolised featureLayer on the fly, and in order for that to work I need to know the geometry present in this particular layer.

Sadly, I can't use layerDefinitions (which would be far more appropriate).
Any ideas?

- Ben

FeatureLayer.geometryType.

Re: Find layer geometry type

BabbageOcelot — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:19:51 GMT

FeatureLayer.geometryType.

Hi Heming,

thanks - turns out I am being dim on a Monday. Create the feature layer, *then* find the geometry type, symbolise accordingly.

It is a little strange that the type isn't accessible without first creating a featureLayer; I'd expect that to be in layerInfos[layerId], or similar.

Cheers,

Ben.

Re: Find layer geometry type

HemingZhu — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:32:05 GMT

Hi Heming,

thanks - turns out I am being dim on a Monday. Create the feature layer, *then* find the geometry type, symbolise accordingly.

It is a little strange that the type isn't accessible without first creating a featureLayer; I'd expect that to be in layerInfos[layerId], or similar.

Cheers,

Ben.

I agreed with you on that.

Re: Find layer geometry type

MichaelKyffin — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 12:41:22 GMT

I agreed with you on that.

Yes - I think being able to expose the geometry type of the (sub) layers could be useful for many, many reasons. I'm surprised this isn't in layerInfos, actually. It's a little silly to have to create a feature layer just to get at this.

Re: Find layer geometry type

MarkSmith — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 04:08:33 GMT

Hi,

Can you help me out please? I've just been looking at this too but can't work out what I'm getting wrong. I have the following lines to try and work out what the geometry type of a layer is, but my alert just give me 'undefined', can you please show me the correct way of getting this?

anFeatureLayer = new esri.layers.FeatureLayer("http://server/ArcGIS/rest/services/service/FeatureServer/0", {mode: esri.layers.FeatureLayer.MODE_SELECTION});
    geomType = anFeatureLayer.geometryType
    alert(geomType)

Thank you.

Re: Find layer geometry type

JayJohnson1 — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:03:39 GMT

Yes - I think being able to expose the geometry type of the (sub) layers could be useful for many, many reasons. I'm surprised this isn't in layerInfos, actually. It's a little silly to have to create a feature layer just to get at this.

The reason it's not exposed is because not all layers are feature layers. Some layers are rasters.

Re: Find layer geometry type

MichaelKyffin — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 13:08:53 GMT

The reason it's not exposed is because not all layers are feature layers. Some layers are rasters.

Agreed - but I wouldn't want to use feature layers at all, but rather the index of the "sub"layer inside a map service. Additionally, the geometryType of the feature layer isn't exposed until it's added to the map.

Re: Find layer geometry type

StephanieSnider — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:44:40 GMT

So what should I do if the geometry type is blank in the map service for a point layer? I have some point layers that are set to "esriGeometryPoint", but others are just blank. This causes a problem when trying to work with the ArcGIS Viewer for Silverlight. I cannot use the layer because the geometry type is "unspecified". How do I set the geometry type of an unspecified layer?

Here's an example of a point layer with an unspecified geometry type:
http://ndep-emap.nv.gov/ArcGIS/rest/services/eMap/MapServer/17

Re: Find layer geometry type

HemingZhu — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 17:18:34 GMT

So what should I do if the geometry type is blank in the map service for a point layer? I have some point layers that are set to "esriGeometryPoint", but others are just blank. This causes a problem when trying to work with the ArcGIS Viewer for Silverlight. I cannot use the layer because the geometry type is "unspecified". How do I set the geometry type of an unspecified layer?

Here's an example of a point layer with an unspecified geometry type:
http://ndep-emap.nv.gov/ArcGIS/rest/services/eMap/MapServer/17

That is causing your featureLayer's geometry being undefined (I tried featureLayer.graphics[0].geometry.type too). That is interesting!!

Re: Find layer geometry type

StephanieSnider — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:00:37 GMT

It is a corrupt mxd that the msd was based on. I partially recreated the mxd (for the offending layers) and now all the blank geometry types are defined as "esriGeometryPoint". All is right with the world. 🙂

Re: Find layer geometry type

StephenLead — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 05:12:17 GMT

It is a corrupt mxd that the msd was based on

For what it's worth, I've noticed an intermittent problem with that happening, too.

I believe it's possibly something to do with exporting from an MXD to an MSD which already exists. I've found the problem doesn't seem to occur as often if I delete the MSD first, then export the MXD - but I haven't been able to reproduce it reliably.

Cheers,
Steve

Re: Find layer geometry type

JamesLandwehr — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:50:31 GMT

I just came across this problem as well. I deleted the .msd and recreated it and was still unable to get the esriGeometryPoint to be exposed. Will continue to work on it and post a solution if/when I find one.

Re: Find layer geometry type

JeffPace — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:03:36 GMT

Just ruling it out, but does the same error occur pointing to the mxd instead of the msd? that would at least focus the msd as the error.

Is the data layer by chance a spatial view?