idea Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end. in ArcGIS Experience Builder Ideas

Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

elpinguino — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 05:08:23 GMT

Hi ExB Team,

I am an avid ExB user. My clients are primarily non-GIS users, so I find Experience Builder to be a great interface for them- simple and easy to use, and less clunky than WebApp Builder. Gets the job done.

With the latest release, the Edit Widget has come out of Beta and Snapping capabilities have been enhanced. I've found the enhanced Snapping capabilities to confuse our users and fluster them. There's too many options about things they don't care/should be thinking about. I would really like to see the snapping function and what to snap to be something we the builders configure on the backend.

1. It takes up unnecesary real estate.

2. It unnecessarily flusters the user.

3. Web apps are for (at least for me) built for people who are not GIS users and need something really, really simple. If they were GIS users and wanted all the options, they'd be using Desktop GIS.

Please like my idea people or add some feedback so we can constructively move this forward.

As a side note, I noticed the snapping options in Map Viewer Forms and Experience Builder are different. If we can't hide the snapping functions on the backend, could we at least make it clearer on the front end? If multiple layers are turned on at once, then the user has a whole lot of snapping options to choose from.

Map Viewer Edit

Experience Builder Edit widget

Video here

ExB doesn't have the group layer names like Map Viewer Edit does.

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

DaveFullerton — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 17:34:39 GMT

Yes, this is what we need for our organization too! Please allow us to set snapping settings as part of the the ExB design. Very well written Idea, @elpinguino .

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

LeeBrannon1 — Wed, 04 May 2022 15:21:55 GMT

Ah yes! Agreed!!! I have been thinking about this issue for a week now and very glad others feel similarly. My users of an ExB application I am creating are only editing point features and they do not require snapping in any way, so that part of the Edit Widget window just gets in the way and adds confusion for them. I would love to be able to choose not to show the snapping tools in the Edit Widget window.

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

elpinguino — Sun, 08 May 2022 09:19:19 GMT

@DaveFullerton and @LeeBrannon1 If you could "like" the post, that might help bump it up. Thanks for leaving the comments too! And share with others who you think might find it useful too. Next ExB upgrade should be the start of June I believe...

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

wayfaringrob — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 21:48:34 GMT

Agree 100% - I'd like to have snapping turned ON for certain layers by default.

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

elpinguino — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 08:16:34 GMT

@Jianxia has anymore consideration been given to controlling snapping from the backend and introducing the ability to draw a circle via edit widget? These both would really benefit my projects.

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

Jianxia — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 18:43:34 GMT

Hi @elpinguino and all, what you ask makes sense to me. @TianWen what do you think?

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

TianWen — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 02:36:33 GMT

Yes, they do sound like good points to me. Will consider them later.

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

elpinguino — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 03:09:47 GMT

Thanks for hearing me out @Jianxia and @TianWen .

This ExB idea post gives a good explanation of why adding the circle function into the Edit widget would be so good. This could be the difference between farmers using our app or going with other products that are already out there.

TianWen, when is later, so I know when to bug you again? 😄 All my projects are based around ExB for audiences who are not technical, so these enhancements would make a huge difference to us.

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

elpinguino — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 22:03:56 GMT

@Jianxia @TianWen Any dates we can look forward to for adding in circles via the edit widget? Another thing that has come up a few times now is adding in hover explanation text in the edit widget. Is that a possibility?

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

Jianxia — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 22:38:32 GMT

@elpinguino the latest update allows you to turn the snapping tools off in the setting. Please check it out.

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

elpinguino — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 20:06:28 GMT

Hi @Jianxia and @TianWen , thanks for making this fix! I've gone in and checked it out in my projects. This is a good step forward. I think it could be even better for my clients if when I turn on Geometry guides and Feature to feature on the backend the snapping settings do not show up on the front end in the user interface.

The having to turn snapping settings on and off is what confuses them. They don't understand what Geometry guides and feature to feature means. Those aren't terminology they are used to. And seeing these words they are unfamiliar with (and learning too many new things) flusters them. I'd (and I think they would too) prefer I decide these things for them so they can focus on what they need to focus on.

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

wayfaringrob — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 15:43:26 GMT

@elpinguino agree with you.

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

CamWallace — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 21:49:46 GMT

Would it be possible to allow for default layers to be set along with the snapping preferences, so that the user doesn't have to go in and re-select the layers every time?

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

GISUser74305830 — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 13:27:27 GMT

I agree. Also I would like to be able to set Snapping settings just once in the Web Map and then have those settings preserved in ExB every time the user loads it. Right now the user has to check all their snapping layers every time they refresh the map. Unless I'm missing something ...

Snap Settings in Map Viewer:

Snap Settings in ExB:

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

Calvin_Wong — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 17:59:35 GMT

I would also like to see the ability to enable snapping defaults on the backend so users don't need to set them every time. Basically, replicate how snapping works in WebAppBuilder, please!

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

Adam_Bourque — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 20:45:48 GMT

Anyway snapping can be saved through experience builder? I agree with everybody on this thread lol.

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

GISaaS — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 21:00:10 GMT

I'm like the others, I build apps for non-GIS users. Many are field workers. Asking them to drill down into a tool to set settings should not be necessary. Let us hard-code appropriate features to snap to in the builder settings, please.

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

GTueller — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 20:47:06 GMT

Yes, enabling default snapping layers would be very useful!

Re: Edit widget // Snapping functionalities // Preset in backend. Do not show on front end.

JoeEastman1 — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 11:14:08 GMT

I agree completely with others on having the ability to preset snapping layers. I too have frustrated users who don't want to drill into settings every single time to choose layers.