topic Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options in ArcGIS Explorer Desktop Questions

Help me understand caches and refresh options

PeterLindstrom — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 23:06:06 GMT

I've been bringing my data into ArcGIS Explorer via layer files. In each layer's properties under Source Data, I've set the Refresh Options to "when the map is opened or the layer is added," thinking that refresh frequency would be about right for my data (Source Data help page). However, after making changes to my data from ArcGIS Desktop (with ArcGIS Explorer closed), I have to actually go into Manage Layers and clear the cache (as explained in this thread) for the updated layer before the changes will appear in ArcGIS Explorer. The refresh options make it sound like it will refresh every time I open the map, but this doesn't seem to be happening. I can't tell if it's a bug or if I'm misunderstanding how this is intended to work.

Regardless, it's going to be difficult to get people here to use ArcGIS Explorer if they're constantly having to go in and refresh the map cache.

Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options

PeterLindstrom — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 21:01:21 GMT

I'm still looking for help on this, from ESRI or anyone else willing to share their experience. Still not sure if it's a bug or I'm misunderstanding the intent of the refresh options.

Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options

AndreiIvanov — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 14:44:56 GMT

Peter, I can verify this is a bug. We will take a look at it.

Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options

BrianLeroux — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 13:08:25 GMT

I am having the same issue with maps not refreshing on open. My map is based on numerous wms layers from NOAA and needs to be kept current. Does anyone know if there is a way to create a tool (on toolbar) that would clear cache & refresh for all selected layers?

Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options

DavidCarpenter — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:55:53 GMT

Is there a patch for this bug?
We started using AGX in a Pilot Project last week because it was the perfect tool and just discovered this issue....bit of a show stopper. Thx.

Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options

AndreiIvanov — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:35:19 GMT

The issue (when map is open and cache is not deleted) is fixed, and will go into the next release of ArcGIS Explorer.

Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options

DavidCarpenter — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:50:25 GMT

Do you folks have a rough timeline for the release that you are able to share?

And thanks for the quick response!!

Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options

DavidCarpenter — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 18:45:19 GMT

Based on our situation and the time lines on our Pilot Project a better question would be, is there an actual workaround to this issue?

I have tried clearing the caches of my queries under "Manage Layers", I have also deleted all Caches under "ArcGIS Explorer Options --> Advanced --> Cache Management". No matter what I do I cannot get ArcGIS Explorer to reflect edits that have been made to the SDE feature class unless I recreate all the queries again from scratch.

I my case the data source I am querying in ArcGIS Explorer is an ArcGIS Server Map Service (v10). Queries are very simple and results are very effective....I just need them to update without recreating the queries over and over to see the latest edits from the field.

Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options

BrianLeroux — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 11:46:21 GMT

I created a work around as an Add-In. The following will clear the cache on the selected layer.

Imports System
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.Linq
Imports System.Text

Imports ESRI.ArcGISExplorer
Imports ESRI.ArcGISExplorer.Application
Imports ESRI.ArcGISExplorer.Geometry
Imports ESRI.ArcGISExplorer.Mapping
Imports ESRI.ArcGISExplorer.Data
Imports ESRI.ArcGISExplorer.Threading

Public Class CacheButton
    Inherits ESRI.ArcGISExplorer.Application.Button

    Public Overrides Sub OnClick()

        Dim xlayer As Layer = TryCast(ESRI.ArcGISExplorer.Application.Application.SelectedItems(0), Layer)
        xlayer.ClearCache()
        System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("The cache for the selected layer has been cleared!", "Layer Cache", Windows.Forms.MessageBoxButtons.OK)

    End Sub

End Class

Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options

AndreiIvanov — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 17:43:49 GMT

Instead of a button, you could implement it as an Extension.

http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisexplorer/1500/sdk/conceptualhelp/index.html#/Walkthrough_Creating_a_custom_Extension/00020000003p000000/

Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options

BrianLeroux — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 17:55:15 GMT

Instead of a button, you could implement it as an Extension.

http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisexplorer/1500/sdk/conceptualhelp/index.html#/Walkthrough_Creating_a_custom_Extension/00020000003p000000/

I tossed that idea around but for my purposes I preferred a button. I didn't need all layers to refresh but just ones I was actively using. Some layers are also static so keeping them cached seems to allow evertything to open a little faster. I also have issues with some layer symbology disapearing when navigating around the map. My clear cache button allows me to quickly refresh the layer.

Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options

DavidCarpenter — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 17:56:47 GMT

I appreciate the feedback. Testing this further this morning we have found that connecting directly to the Feature Class in SDE and then building the queries we need in AGX off of that layer we can refresh the results successfully. While not as fast as using the map service it gives us what we need, that being an up to date picture of edits coming in from the field.

With that said I will give this a try as well. Thanks again for the quick responses.

Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options

MarieEsten — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:50:06 GMT

Thank you for this thread, its helped me deal (atleast temporarily) with issues I've been having with connections to WMS. They worked just fine and then they didn't. It appeared that when I changed the cache location (was afraid to delete it) that the situation has been resolved, for now.

I may have missed something, but when did you say the new version of ArcExplorer will be available? I've been using ArcExplorer desktop as part of GIS training exercises and am giving a training on this tomorrow. Would really like to know when this issue will be resolved.

Thanks
Marie

Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options

KrisMcKee — Tue, 10 May 2011 03:52:06 GMT

Hi,

Following on from Andriy Ivanov's email which says the issue is a bug and is fixed in later release and was wondering if you could provide me with the bug link & what version the issue is fixed in?

Cheers,

Chris

Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options

AndreiIvanov — Fri, 20 May 2011 21:37:14 GMT

Hi,

Following on from Andriy Ivanov's email which says the issue is a bug and is fixed in later release and was wondering if you could provide me with the bug link & what version the issue is fixed in?

Cheers,

Chris

This is fixed for 1700. 1700 is not released yet, but stay tuned.

Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options

PeterLindstrom — Mon, 23 May 2011 14:48:42 GMT

Good to hear this will be fixed - looking forward to build 1700! Thanks for keeping us posted on this thread.

Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options

SteveVidal — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:26:49 GMT

This is fixed for 1700. 1700 is not released yet, but stay tuned.

I've got 1700 and even 1750 and as far as I can tell, Refresh on a Query does NOT hit the database!!!

My scenario is as follows (ArcGis Server 10 + ArcGis Explorer 1750):
----------------------------------------------------------------
1. Create the simplest feature class = SimplePoint (OBJECTID, Name)
2. Append 10 points to SimplePoint
3. Create an mxd pointing to SimplePoint feature class and publish service = SimplePointService
4. Open ArcGis Explorer and add content/services -> choose SimplePointService
5. Select SimplePointService -> so far so good, I can see my ten point in ArcGIS Explorer

6. create a query based on SimplePoint with definition "OBJECTID > 0" = SimplePointQuery
7. run SimplePointQuery -> All good, I can see 10 points

8. now delete one feature from SimplePoint

9. Select SimplePointService and hit refresh -> I now see 9 points
10. Select SimplePointQuery and hit refresh -> I still see 10 points!!!

11. create a new version of SimplePointQuery -> I now see 9 points...

So basically, in my scenario, once a query is created, even clearing the arcgis explorer cache does not force a database requery! What confuses me is that I tried to clear the arcgis cache and even did an iis reset but every time I restart ArcGIS Explorer, the cache for the queries get "recreated" and the deleted feature still show in the map... as I said, very confusing.

Obviously, unless I'm dreaming this behaviour is rendering queries pretty much useless, so I'd love to hear from someone (Esri?) about it.

Re: Help me understand caches and refresh options

SteveVidal — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:12:41 GMT

Any chance of an update about this bug from Esri? Our users are abandoning ArcGIS Explorer because saved queries give wrong results...