topic Re: Screen orientation on Collector for ArcGIS (Android) in ArcGIS Collector Questions

Screen orientation on Collector for ArcGIS (Android)

StéphaneRIBES — Fri, 13 Mar 2015 08:06:38 GMT

The android application does not support the automatic screen orientation. I tested it on smartphones, and obtained a portrait default screen mode. I tested it on 10-inch android tablet, and obtained a landscape default screen mode.

I need to purchase a 7-inch android tablet to use Collector for ArcGIS. So I'm wondering for screen size and/or screen resolution make the application switch between portrait and landscape default mode?

Can we expect soon the support of the automatic screen orientation as the Collector iOS app?

Re: Screen orientation on Collector for ArcGIS (Android)

RussRoberts — Fri, 13 Mar 2015 19:32:46 GMT

The Android app only supports landscape on tablets like the Nexus 7 and samsung 10 tablets. On phones the app will only display in portrait.

Russ

Re: Screen orientation on Collector for ArcGIS (Android)

AnthonyJones2 — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 14:15:01 GMT

I don't get a landscape mode on my Nexus 7 (Android 4.4.4 and with the upgrade to 5.0) running Collector 10.3. Instead it is locked to portrait mode and has separate pages/tabs for the map and form.

Actually, that is our preferred layout given we have quite long forms including related data. But we don't use a Nexus in the field...

Instead, our issue is that other rugged tablets (Getac Z710), also 7" and running Android 4.1 (and tested with another 7" tablet running 4.2) are fixed in landscape mode. In this orientation, when the keyboard pops up the user can only see two fields as over half of the screen is the keyboard! It really makes it difficult for our surveyors when the form has a further 15 fields to enter. It would be so much better if it could work in portrait mode.

If its related to the Android version, unfortunately our tablets are locked to a particular version. I've been in touch with the manufacturer and there is no upgrade option (apart from buying a more expensive tablet of course!!!).

Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

Re: Screen orientation on Collector for ArcGIS (Android)

RussRoberts — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 17:12:38 GMT

is the N7 the 2012 model? the 2013 model will show it in landscape.

Re: Screen orientation on Collector for ArcGIS (Android)

AnthonyJones2 — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 22:06:13 GMT

Yes it is the 2012 version. But is there a way make the other tablets use our preferred portrait orientation?

Re: Screen orientation on Collector for ArcGIS (Android)

RussRoberts — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 16:00:52 GMT

nope there isn't a way to pick the orientation of the app on the device it is being used on. I tihnk the N7 2012 is the only tablet that is displayed in portrait due to the screen res.

Russ

Re: Screen orientation on Collector for ArcGIS (Android)

PeteCrosier — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 16:19:57 GMT

Is there a timescale for changing this to allow auto-rotation or the user to select an orientation?

My response from Esri UK back in September said "this is a known enhancement, unfortunately I cannot give you a time frame as to when this issue might be resolved".

Re: Screen orientation on Collector for ArcGIS (Android)

PeteCrosier — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 16:24:08 GMT

We switched to the Galaxy Tab Active 8.0" - Collector forces portrait mode on this device.

We did have a Galaxy Tab S 10.5" but Collector was stuck in landscape on this - it was a large (but nice) tablet but would've been really difficult to use in the field in landscape mode (everything but Collector would respect the device's rotation).

Re: Screen orientation on Collector for ArcGIS (Android)

RobBlash — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 13:47:18 GMT

This is INTENDED behavior? Ridiculous! Why? What is the intention on the development side?

Re: Screen orientation on Collector for ArcGIS (Android)

TonyDaSilva1 — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 19:22:50 GMT

@Russell Roberts Why though? The IPad mini is portrait and its the exact same size as the Tab S2 8.0 so I cant understand why this is implemented this way. We switched from IPad's to Android because Androids Bluetooth are more compatible with Trimble receivers only to find this poor design flaw...

Can you fix this, its been over a year since this has been identified?

Re: Screen orientation on Collector for ArcGIS (Android)

PeteCrosier — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 21:02:03 GMT

Last I heard this was scheduled for the 'next generation' of Collector, but I'm not sure what that really means now as we were expecting that earlier this year. We've ended up just buying Android devices and seeing which orientation Collector runs in on them as we couldn't get a set of rules from Esri that determined the orientation chosen. This has been on our radar for a couple of years so I don't think a quick win is on the horizon.

Re: Screen orientation on Collector for ArcGIS (Android)

StephenNicholson — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 21:45:59 GMT

Do you suppose that one of the Developer Options in Android control the screen behavior relative to Collector? I don't understand all of the options available and what they do, but I'm sure some teenager out there does.

Re: Screen orientation on Collector for ArcGIS (Android)

StephenNicholson — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 21:47:18 GMT

Nexus 7 (2013) runs Collector in Landscape only.

Re: Screen orientation on Collector for ArcGIS (Android)

StephenNicholson — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 21:49:06 GMT

I agree. It should be quite simple for those writing code for Collector to allow the operating system to control the screen orientation.