topic Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking in ArcGIS Experience Builder Questions

Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

DryCreekEng — Mon, 13 Apr 2020 23:49:25 GMT

I have used WebAppBuilder to create good infographic websites, and would like to extend the wide range of widgets found in WAB to Experience Builder. I like that EB allows you to customize the web interface more, and allows for multiple pages to be created under one "website". However, there are very few widgets for working with a map. I can't even find a widget for bookmarks. Is it possible to bring the WAB widgets into EB? I am not using the Developer Edition.

Thanks,

Natalie

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

DavidMartinez — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 20:36:27 GMT

Hi Natalie,

In regards to your question about using widgets from WAB, since the underlying technologies used in WAB and Experience Builder (ExB) are completely different, it would require a rewrite of the widget from WAB to use it in the ExB framework. With that in mind, you can expect us to add widgets in ExB with each release.

Thanks,

David

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

DryCreekEng — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 22:28:49 GMT

Thank you David, I appreciate your answer.

Natalie

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

Anonymous User — Fri, 01 May 2020 18:23:21 GMT

David thanks. Very true, at some point you gotta release, and continue adding new functionality. The current WAB widgets are phenomenal, so while a direct port can't happen I hope most of the functionality itself will make its way upward to E.B.

I want to comment though I jumped into Experience Builder and couldn't figure out how to add a Search widget with my Locator after 15 minutes. I'll give EB a closer look soon.

In general find "flat" look of icons of "web 3.0" difficult to use. No contrast, texture or color. Low visibility, discoverability and intuitiveness. While WAB also had the flat look (which I override in my apps with custom icons and tooltips and CSS), the layout was more logical. Why is the Search widget not in ... Widgets? Or am I missing something? Also, how can I configure Search? I found it on the right in Map but it is a simple On/Off. I don't see where to add my Locator REST services to geocode with? Locators and Search widgets are vital to map viewers for enterprise organizations. I would note this in conjunction with the issues with Suggestions.

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

Jianxia — Fri, 01 May 2020 22:28:33 GMT

Kevin,

The search widget currently is a simple tool off the map widget. In the future, we will have a full Search widget like WAB.

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

Anonymous User — Mon, 04 May 2020 14:11:41 GMT

Thank you Jianxia Song‌ I wasn't sure if I was not seeing it or if it was coming still. Thanks again. I love the ability to do layout graphically and visually now. Web App Builder is wonderful in how customizable it is and I am excited to get in to EB and see how we can customize it too.

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

MatthewMalone — Tue, 12 May 2020 17:57:52 GMT

I'll definitely be following this thread since we're also realizing that we'll have to transition from the WAB apps to EB due to the Javascript 4.x usage. I recently asked about new features in the Webmap Beta, which has a LOT of promise, only to find out that maps authored in the beta likely won't work in WAB...hence on to EB as the new path. Basically, I'd love to "clone" our current WAB Launchpad Theme directly within the EB builder.

Fingers crossed for most of the WAB widgets can/will be ported over to EB. I'm not a developer, so I truly appreciate the ESRI team's efforts, especially after reading in this thread about the framework differences.

Thank!

-Matt

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

Jianxia — Tue, 12 May 2020 19:55:09 GMT

Matt,

The web map created by new map viewer beta should work with WAB as the map spec does not change except for group layer support and cluster renderer. In these cases, WAB will handle them properly. Currently, the Launchpad template in Experience Builder (ExB) is designed to mimic the Launchpad theme in WAB as you can tell from their names. One of ExB goals is to reach functional parity of WAB through incremental releases so the community move forward with new technology including JSAPI4 as you mentioned. Thanks.

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

Jianxia — Tue, 12 May 2020 19:57:20 GMT

Kevin,

Thank you for your encouragement. There are rooms to improve UI/UX for the layout design.

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

MatthewMalone — Tue, 12 May 2020 20:55:51 GMT

Thanks for your response! The group layer support is something I've long sought after, but sounds like it might not work in WAB as you mentioned. The one I'm really excited about in the Map Viewer Beta are the labeling tools, fonts, etc. I have a feeling those might not be supported in the current WAB? The new fonts are fantastic for cartographic choices, plus the ability to have multi-line labeling and different labels depending on scale...all great additions.

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

Jianxia — Tue, 12 May 2020 22:48:09 GMT

You are right Matt. These additions from new map viewer will not work in WAB.

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

Anonymous User — Sun, 17 May 2020 20:59:06 GMT

Thank you so much for your replies Jianxia Song‌ I know we are in good hands with you and your team. Recent features I suggested such as the Share Widget text query box, were awesome to see you and your team implemented perfectly. I know ExB has to get out at 1.0, and then it will build up to some of the features from WAB, like how Pro is getting back ArcMap tools in time.

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

JoshWhite — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 20:02:09 GMT

This would be very useful and I hope it is coming soon. Everything I type into the current search tool (within the map widget) gives me no results and we have no ability to configure these basic tools yet.

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

DryCreekEng — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 21:42:24 GMT

Hi Jianxia Song,

Are the Experience Build widgets built using JavaScript 4X? I took an ESRI class recently on how to use the JavaScript 4x API expecting to use it to customize the WAB widgets. I was very disappointed to learn the WAB widgets use JS 3X so the class was irrelevant for WAB. I currently use WAB for web map development and need to customize widgets for a client. It will be very frustrating if WAB and ExB use a different JavaScript format than 4X, especially since ESRI now has a large library of sample code for widgets using JS4X. Is there a way to bring in these widgets to Experience Builder now?

Thanks,

Natalie

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

Jianxia — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 00:01:24 GMT

Josh,

With the Search tool on the map, you can simply find a place by address or features on the layer if you configure the feature search in the web map item->settings->application settings. The Search widget is on the road map.

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

Jianxia — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 00:17:39 GMT

Natalie,

Sorry for hearing that. Widgets in WAB have to be rewritten in Experience Builder. There is no simple way to migrate them directly. Although WAB 2D is built on JSAPI 3, WAB 3D is built on JSAPI 4 if you see fit in that route. I would recommend using Experience Builder and JSAPI 4 for new development. We do plan to reach the functional parity in ExB through incremental releases. What widgets are you looking for in order to move to Experience Builder?

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

JoshWhite — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 13:37:24 GMT

Jianxia,

I found these settings but by address was already checked. It doesn't seem to matter how I type in an address, it doesn't find any results. I decided to add my address points layer as a layer to search by and that did work. Also, do you have a road map that you could share just so we could see where things stack up?

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

DryCreekEng — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 17:01:04 GMT

Hi Jianxia,

I need to create a web application where my client can use a buffer around specified points to see associated feature layer information. Specifically, my client is interested in evaluating commercial land parcels for their ability to be developed. So when a land parcel is selected, I want to have a specified buffer around the land parcel also select any utilities in the area as well as any environmental layers like flood zones that lie within the buffer. The buffer distance would be set by the user. Then, this information could be put into a report for printing. The list below contains widget I believe I would use. I have been paralyzed trying to figure out which path to take (WAB vs ExB vs build my own) so I havent actually started developing the web map yet. Would it be possible to create a web app using ExB, then download it, edit it with these widgets, then publish it on a website? This is a similar approach to what I understand I would need to do with WAB if I want to add in custom widgets.

LayerList widget with actions | ArcGIS API for JavaScript 4.17

Print widget | ArcGIS API for JavaScript 4.17

Feature widget - Query graphics from multiple layerViews | ArcGIS API for JavaScript 4.17

Query features from a FeatureLayer | ArcGIS API for JavaScript 4.17

FeatureLayerView - query statistics by geometry | ArcGIS API for JavaScript 4.17

Thanks so much,

Natalie

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

Jianxia — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 01:44:09 GMT

Hi Natalie,

Have you had a chance to take a look at the Screening widget in Web AppBuilder? it might fit your need. It can do the buffering and report.

Re: Experience Builder Widgets Lacking

Jianxia — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 01:53:53 GMT

I was able to find an address on the map with Search. Could you log in an issue to Esri Support? As far as the road map is concerned, the Search widget is one of the top widgets on the list.