topic Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting in ArcGIS Field Maps Questions

Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

jstark_mercernj — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 13:18:37 GMT

Hi,

I have been working on configuring forms for field data collection with Field Maps. I spend a lot of time selecting the fields and writing hints and all that, and then a day or two later I go to use it on the app and it has re-set to the default, including fields I do not want on the form. I then go back in to Field Maps, and sure enough there is nothing in the form. I am always sure to save the form prior to exiting, and test it and it works initially.

I am not sure if this is because I am editing the feature layers used (adding more values to fields, etc), or if it is a glitch that others have had trouble with.

Has anyone had this problem? Thanks

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

HermanLouie1 — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 15:43:41 GMT

I've had the same problem with Forms & Groups resetting in AGOL. I think this is due to me NOT working in Web Map BETA, when I open in Map Viewer and edit pop-up or field name all my Forms disappear.

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

TomJackson — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 16:57:03 GMT

Our organization is experiencing the same issue. I haven't really found a pattern, but it seems to go a few days then just randomly resets. I will take note from now on whenever the underlying layers are modified and see if that is related to the issue.

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

Sietse_de_Haan — Wed, 05 May 2021 09:54:55 GMT

Hi there,

I have the exact same problem. I save the form, while the tab in my browser was still open the form appeared in Field Maps. After closing and reopening Field Maps in AGOL it is gone. I dont edit anything in the map. I use the new map viewer (the 'old' beta)

Its quite frustrating.

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

David_Brooks — Fri, 07 May 2021 07:52:00 GMT

@jstark_mercernj I wonder if this is connected with a similar issue I have noticed. I have 2 Field Maps authored within the Field Maps Web App;

they're both editing the same feature service with different basemaps. But I have a field called SiteName with a dropdown list of sites, and in the field maps web app you can set a default value for this field. So if I set the default as "SiteA" in one web map, when I go to the other one and set a default value to "SiteB" the default value is changed for both of the web maps.

At first, i thought Field Maps Web App must be modifying the feature service's default value, but in the data/fields tab of the Feature Service in the item description, no default is assigned.

So my question to you is, are your field maps pointing to codependant feature services, or is the web map being utilised in a browser based Web App?

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

DCMcLain — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 19:51:03 GMT

I just discovered that we're having this issue as well. I configure the forms for my layers. I test them in the mobile app and everything looks great. I even reloaded the page to make sure everything stayed put after the second time the forms disappeared because I had convinced myself I wasn't saving my work. The forms work fine for some unknown amount of time and then they're gone. We want to deploy this solution but we can't be resetting the forms everyday.

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

Anonymous User — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 15:00:58 GMT

I've found exactly this issue today.

Press save, says it's saved, it hasn't saved.

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

Chandreyee_EEA — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 16:18:55 GMT

A user in my org is having this exact problem and I also encountered it a few months ago. They (the other user) are not using default values in the forms (like Brooks_SummitGeo mentions below) and are working with a web map that is saved as the New Viewer (not Classic). Work they did on the form on the first day was saved but the second day, after they added to the form and hit 'save', it seemed to go through and get saved but...was gone from the web map (new Viewer) when opened later! It was also gone from the Field Maps browser app when they tried to open from there.

I wonder if it has to do with the 'save' function malfunctioning? A few months ago, the 'save' button on the form would get greyed out if I hit save a few times while editing the form and I would lose the work I did since the last 'save'. I got into the habit of not doing a 'save' until my form was complete (which was both inconvenient and risky). I have not tested this recently but mentioned it in case it is related.

This is a tremendous waste of time and makes Field Maps unreliable during data collection season (warm months). We are trying to transition over given Collectors' scheduled obsolescence but this is making it hard.

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

GentryEwing1 — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 12:02:22 GMT

https://youtu.be/_M29_CGLQ_k

At the 7:00 mark, she states that if you don’t use the new Map Viewer when editing the map, your changes in the field maps web app will be lost. The solution is to not use Web Map Viewer Classic.

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

Anonymous User — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 12:32:37 GMT

You're absolutely right, and it's been a while so I can't remember if that's what I was doing.

However, As you can see here, there are many many many reasons why Map Viewer classic may still be needed:

https://doc.arcgis.com/en/arcgis-online/reference/limitations-and-compatibility-mv.htm

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

GentryEwing1 — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 20:09:00 GMT

There could be an additional layer to this. Workforce may be affecting this as well. Workforce map for Dispatchers and Workers do not have the option to use the New Map Viewer. I wonder if you have the layer in there as well, and make any changes to those maps, if it breaks the smart forms previously configured.

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

TahoeAIS — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 15:48:26 GMT

I just ran into the same issue today. I spent hours last night configuring the form, saved after nearly every change to avoid the "greying out" of the save button, and checked it in the app multiple times to make sure everything was working smoothly. This morning when I logged on all of the forms were reset to zero, including forms that I had created months ago on layers that were copied onto a new map. Yesterday everything worked perfectly. I am always very careful to only use the New Map Viewer so I don't think that was the issue. I did occasionally have two browsers with Field Maps open, to make sure I was coding lists consistently between layers. Could this be related?

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

DCMcLain — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 16:05:56 GMT

The only way I've been able to make sure my changes don't disappear is to have ONLY the Field Maps window open where I'm setting the templates. It seems like if you make changes in multiple windows of any ArcGIS application it's going to reset. Ever since I started closing everything except the Field Maps tab I haven't lost anything

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

GentryEwing1 — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 16:29:14 GMT

I have not lost any forms I configured(not resetting anymore), and the only reason why is when I am configuring the forms, that is the only browser I have open. Once I am done, I save, and EXIT out of that browser. Open a new browser. DO NOT navigate around in that same browser. It takes an extra 5 seconds, but it doesn't reset the smart forms in the field maps web application.

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

GentryEwing1 — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 16:30:33 GMT

Yes that is correct.

Here is where I found that same solution:

https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-field-maps-questions/what-causes-a-form-and-the-quot-button-to/td-p/1019907

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

TahoeAIS — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 17:26:33 GMT

Thanks for the feedback re: multiple browsers.

I think I was able to recreate the issue. It was caused by making a change to the map in the New Map Viewer and saving. This was my workflow:

Configure form in in Form Builder (Field Maps web app) and save
Check in App – all updates are working
Go to open browser with New Map Viewer Open and select one of the layers -> make update to symbolization, and Save the Map
Form configurations have reset to zero in app and in Field Maps Web app

Since this was part of my workflow last night, I’m hopeful that this was the issue that caused the problems and I can just avoid it in the future.

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

MichaelTorbett — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 19:05:40 GMT

Same issue for me as well. I spent all morning designing my form only to save it and loose all changes. I also cannot edit the features in the original web map now. Wish I would've never tried the field maps form designer.

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

JillHalchin — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 21:32:46 GMT

In case anyone is still looking for an answer, check out this thread. I sure haven't seen anything in the online documentation about that approach, but worth a try tomorrow.

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

lah — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 21:58:48 GMT

Hi Jill,

Thanks for finding this, I hadn't seen that thread yet. Unfortunately, this didn't work for us. I'm assuming because we are on Enterprise 10.8.1, and do not have the New Map Viewer. Hopefully users on later versions have more luck!

Re: Form on Field Maps keeps resetting

JillHalchin — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 14:39:37 GMT

I've been testing what I learned from the other thread this morning and it's a solution for me. By the way, our portal is still 10.8 or 10.8.1, so still using the original map viewer. The trick is how you get to it:

After setting up forms for a map, open the map only using the “Open in Map Viewer” button on the Overview tab of the FM web app. Can add layers, fix popups, etc. there. Close it with the big X in upper right corner and you're back to the form set up.

As a bonus, I just discovered default values: in the FM web app, Content > editable layers > choose one and click the Templates tab in the middle. Click on the form below that and you can set defaults in the righthand panel.