topic Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition in ArcGIS Online Questions

Unable to update feature service layer definition

AdrianWelsh — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 23:09:21 GMT

I followed the directions here:

Updating Hosted Feature Services in ArcGIS Online | ArcGIS Blog

to update a hosted feature service in AGOL.

But, I came across this error:

Invalid definition for 'LastEditDate'.
Invalid definition for ESRI.ArcGIS.SDS.Metadata.EditingInfo

So, I found this article describing a workaround:

Error: Unable to update feature service layer definition. Invalid definition for 'lastEditDate'

I did what was described in the article:

Change the lastEditDate key value by replacing the string of numbers, which indicates the last edit date, to double quotation marks with no content quoted between them (“ “).

Click Update Layer Definition to save the changes.

But, the feature service did not update. It reverted back to the last state.

Has anyone come across this issue? Is there an actual workaround or am I just stuck with what I have?

thanks.

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

JakeSkinner — Tue, 13 Mar 2018 15:46:52 GMT

Hi Adrian,

If you have a space between the quotes, try removing this so that you just have "lastEditDate" : ""

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

AdrianWelsh — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 23:09:23 GMT

Hi Jake,

I wish that worked! It sounded promising.

Here's the thing though. Whenever I make the update and switch the dropdown to JSON from HTML

, I get this message:

{
  "success" : true
}‍‍‍

But, when I go back into the layer, it reverts back to the same values as before:

  "editingInfo" : {
    "lastEditDate" : 1520957077909
  }, ‍‍‍

When I keep it at HTML in the dropdown and update it, it says: "Updated Feature Service Layer"

Even though it did not update the layer.

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

KellyGerrow — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 22:30:49 GMT

Hey Adrian,

What specific parameter are you updating in the service definition? I'd suggest only including the content of the service definition that you want to change.

-Kelly

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

AdrianWelsh — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 22:50:05 GMT

Hi Kelly,

I am trying to change the default value of an attribute from null to a number.

Right now it says:

      "defaultValue" : null‍

and I'm trying to change it to

      "defaultValue" : 3‍

It's a numeric field ("type" : "esriFieldTypeInteger", ) and I've tried with and without quotes but it won't let me change the default value.

My field does have a domain associated with it (with values 1 through 10 as options). I wonder if that is the issue.

Let me know if I can provide more information.

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

larrycamp — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 14:31:12 GMT

Any luck with this? I'm trying to do similar.

Trying to change this value to "false"

"nullable" : true,

I tried the EditDate with " " and ""

Each time I click Update Layer Definition, it reverts back to what it was.

If I change it to JSON, I get - "success" : true

But nothing changed.

If I leave it as HTML, nothing changes

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

AdrianWelsh — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 17:23:39 GMT

No, sorry. I just kind of had to live with it. I did not find success in making this work.

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

CatherineHeindel — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 18:07:45 GMT

I may have a found a solution, but have not had a chance to try it yet. According to the link below, the hosted service you try to update might be need to be empty to successfully update. I have the same problem everyone here is having and I have data in my hosted feature service. I will have a chance to try this on Monday, July 16,2018 . I will post my results if no else try this before me.

Update Hosted ArcGIS Feature Service Schema Issue - Geographic Information Systems Stack Exchange

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

MichaelVolz — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 18:13:45 GMT

Jake:

Have you ever been successful in making these types of changes to hosted feature service in AGOL? If so, is it true that the data needs to be removed from the feature service in order for the changes to be successfully implemented?

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

CatherineHeindel — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 20:00:24 GMT

Sorry everyone, but removing the data from the hosted service did not make a difference for me atleast

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

KellyGerrow — Thu, 19 Jul 2018 20:44:36 GMT

Hi Catherine,

What are you trying to update in the service definition?

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

CatherineHeindel — Fri, 20 Jul 2018 13:15:20 GMT

Hi Kelly!

What I was trying to do was change the field size of a field in a feature service published to AGOL. I followed both sets of instructions Aridain Welsh posted with his original question because I was experiencing the same problem he was Invalid definition for 'LastEditDate'.
Invalid definition for ESRI.ArcGIS.SDS.Metadata.EditingInfo

I implemented the workaround Adrian found and that fixed that problem.

I also deleted all the features in the published feature service like the post suggested that I found (see above).

After doing all of that I experienced what everyone here in this post was experiencing. Every time I selected "Update Definition" it would return True or Successfully Completed based on what I selected (I was trying any combination to see if something would change) but nothing would change.

Thank you!

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

City_of_Edgewater__Fl_GIS_Div_ — Fri, 17 Aug 2018 12:50:08 GMT

I'm having the same problem, it used to be new choices could be added to a domain for the drop downs when editing or field collection, then i was getting the error, but it's not consistently happening ??

Update, no longer a problem

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

CorrynSmith2 — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 20:48:23 GMT

I am also having the same problem. I am trying to change the default value instead "null". I also put in the blank double quotes for the last edit date. It comes back with no error, however, it resets to the null default value. Has anyone been successful with this?

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

KhaledHassen — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 16:53:34 GMT

Default value or field size cannot be changed once you add the field. It is defined only when you create the field. Only field visibility, alias, domain can be changed using the layer updateDefinition admin API. You can however add a new field with the desired property including default value/size and then use the layer Calculate API to assign the new field to the old field and delete the old field.

Also you do not need to set any value for lastEditDate or even add to the definition you need to change. The only accepted value for lastEditDate is null which would update the lastEditDate of the layer to the current date.

"lastEditDate" : null.

Khaled

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

CorrynSmith2 — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 21:21:18 GMT

Thank you for answering, Khaled. Once I create a new field, define the default value, and populate the field by using the Calculate field, the default is changed back to none. Any ideas? Should this be done in Desktop and not AGOL?

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

KhaledHassen — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 21:28:56 GMT

Yes you can do it on online and we should honor it in online feature service fields. However, we have a bug currently in ArcGIS Online where we only honor a default for the field of type esriFieldTypeString. This bug is scheduled to be fixed in September 2019 update,(scheduled ~ next week). The bug will still be there is you use the desktop. So I hope you can wait until next week and verify this is working for you.

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

City_of_Edgewater__Fl_GIS_Div_ — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 12:37:15 GMT

There are options now in AGOL that make changes to uploaded feature services much easier. Instead of going through the process of the admin/service route, you can add fields or add to domain choices easily on the feature service definition page by going to the Data tab => Field. So Much easier. Shout out to Derek Law dlaw@ESRI for showing me this

Attribute field management—ArcGIS Online Help | ArcGIS

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

AdrianWelsh — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 13:43:52 GMT

Thanks for pointing this out. When I ever get back to a project like this, I'll be sure to reference this thread again!

Re: Unable to update feature service layer definition

KhaledHassen — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 14:04:06 GMT

FYI: Please note the data tab UX in the AGOL uses indirectly the feature service admin API to apply the changes. So the rules and the restriction of changing the field size/default value still applies.