topic create_view Does not work if layer ids are not ordered sequentially in ArcGIS API for Python Questions

create_view Does not work if layer ids are not ordered sequentially

RandyMcGregor_Home — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 13:47:04 GMT

Views created programmatically from services that have non-sequential layer ids are unusable. I created a view from this code:

source_search = gis.content.search("test_20240608_unique_ids_assigned_all_around")[0]
source_flc = FeatureLayerCollection.fromitem(source_search)

new_view = source_flc.manager.create_view(name="unid_all_around_view")

Source-Service layer ids:

View layer ids:

When the view is opened in the map viewer, the layers are messed up. The Route line layer has become a point layer and one of the point layers (the one with the very long name!) has become a line. A complete mess.

This happens consistently, on more than one platform. It does not happen when views are created manually. Also, create_view works fine when the layers are ordered sequentially 0 to N, top-down.

Re: create_view Does not work if layer ids are not ordered sequentially

Dirk_Vandervoort — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 15:19:33 GMT

I've experienced this issue. I believe it is a defect that Esri should correct: create_view fails to index the layers sequentially.

I see you commented on my other thread.

Meanwhile, the workaround is to manually zero-based index the layers in the hosted feature layer using https://ago-assistant.esri.com/

I'm working on a solution in Python but haven't gotten there yet.

Re: create_view Does not work if layer ids are not ordered sequentially

RandyMcGregor_Home — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 00:12:10 GMT

It's actually a bug, but I can't scare it up at the moment. The status of the bug is 'As-Designed' which I do not understand.

Re: create_view Does not work if layer ids are not ordered sequentially

RandyMcGregor_Home — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 00:12:56 GMT

The 'workaround' offered by the bug-description, is to create the view manually in AGOL.

Re: create_view Does not work if layer ids are not ordered sequentially

RandyMcGregor_Home — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 10:50:10 GMT

Thanks. I'll check that out. There is a 'preserve_layer_ids' property in the create_view method, but I haven't gotten it to accept True

create_view(name = viewName, preserve_layer_ids = True) throws an error. Replace True with False and it works but that's the default and not what I want for this.

Re: create_view Does not work if layer ids are not ordered sequentially

mikaël — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:43:42 GMT

Putting preserve_layer_ids to False solved it for me. The layer ids are not that important I guess because they're not hard-coded in my scripts, just my memory!
I'll have to change that! 😉
Thanks.

Re: create_view Does not work if layer ids are not ordered sequentially

mikaël — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:15 GMT

As an alternative @RandyMcGregor_Home, you could always create your view by calling create_service(is_view=True) and then add_to_definition() to populate it.

It's what AGOL does when you create a view through the web page and it's what I've been doing because create_view() wasn't working for me.
I can share my code if it's something that interests you.