topic Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service. in ArcGIS Online Questions

Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

OliviaIldefonso — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 09:19:43 GMT

Hi all,

I'm having a reoccurring error that I'm hoping one of you very bright people could help me to resolve. I have a couple of excel spreadsheets that don't have location data that I've converted into hosted feature layers so that I can use them for dashboards. Everything normally works well, until down the road come the time when I want to update the data. When I try access the hosted feature layer to see and update the data, I get this error message that says "There was an error publishing the service." And I'm unable to access the data, even though the dashboard that was created with it is still working (for example, https://commonpurpose.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/4520200d62ef4316a74e41719bfa7222). This is a big problem for me because I need to be able to update the data annually. I've attached a spreadsheet of the current dataset thats giving me this error (an extremely simple dataset nonetheless, which makes this even more confusing), and a screenshot of the error message.

Thanks so much in advance for your help and support!

Olivia

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

jcarlson — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 14:40:45 GMT

I hate to say it, but I don't get that error when I try publishing the same spreadsheet:

If something were causing issues, I'd guess it to be the empty cells in the bottom row. Null integers can throw errors in certain cases. Do you still see this error if you put 0s into the empty cells?

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

DanielMiranda2 — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 14:40:58 GMT

Are you able to see and update the data immediately after adding the table to ArcGIS Online? Or is it only later on when you try to update it?

The only thing that stands out to me on your xlsx is in the "All New Bedford" row, the school and join key fields are merged. Maybe that is causing a problem? I would first try to unmerge those rows and if All New Bedford does not have a join key, to just leave that cell blank.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

jcarlson — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 14:43:29 GMT

I thought that, too, but it's only how the sheet is rendering here on the Community. If you download the file, it's not merged.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

OliviaIldefonso — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 11:11:42 GMT

Thank you both so much for engaging with my question and for your help!

@jcarlsonI'm unfortunately not able to put 0s in the All New Bedford row to see is that would help because it wont let me see the data at all. It just shows the error.

And @DanielMiranda2 I'm able to see the data and build out he dashboards initially. The error typically comes days or weeks later when I need to go back to the data to update something. Its then that I get this error. And this has already happened to me a few times with other hosted feature layers.

Could it be a problem that I dont have location data in the spreadsheet?

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

OliviaIldefonso — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 11:17:45 GMT

@jcarlson if the issue is that I have empty cells rather than 0s this presents an interesting problem because for the datasets Im working with 0 typically means that the cell has a value and its 0, as opposed to instances when there are no values, for example, because the population is too small so a value cant be given because of privacy concerns. So if ArcGIS Online wants me to always have a value, and not be able to put in NULL or NA (because we know it doesnt like to mix up field types), then Im not sure how Id be able to make that necessary distinction. Thoughts?

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

jcarlson — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 14:12:01 GMT

Yeah, I wondered if the null / 0 thing would cause statistical problems.

Even though you won't be working with fractional values, setting the field type to a decimal / double would allow nulls. Also, it's not surprising that the update process is giving you problems. I've also had issues with null integers during updates, and I believe it's got something to do with one of the backend processes that you unfortunately don't have any access to change.

The lack of spatial information in the spreadsheet could be part of it. Are you using the spreadsheet to update a spatial layer?

I'd suggest looking into alternate means of updating your features. Is this spreadsheet the extent of it, or do you anticipate having a large number of rows or frequent updates? It may simply be easier to edit the table by hand if it's small and infrequent.

If you want it automated, the Python API can edit your features in place, even when the source data doesn't have spatial attributes.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

OliviaIldefonso — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 15:53:18 GMT

Oh thats really helpful to know that setting the field type to a single or double would allow nulls. Thanks for sharing that!

I'm not using the table for a join or any spatial analysis, Im using it (and similar spreadsheets) to create the dashboards that go into this story map (https://arcg.is/11THyX0).

Since Ill only need to update the data twice a year, I plan on updating the table manually using the "update data"-->"append data to layer" feature, but unfortunately that isn't an option when the error is displayed.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

TBWI — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 19:00:25 GMT

I also have the same issue with a table for my dashboard. It was working for weeks, but now I can't access the data table to update my metrics for a serial chart. The data tab has disappeared. Any advice is appreciated.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

SamanthaEarnest1 — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 22:18:00 GMT

Hi, I am hoping to find a solution to this too. I am having the same issue. The file works great for awhile, but then all of sudden it gives this same error "There was an error publishing the service." I was doing the same thing as you were, attempting to go back and edit the data. The first time this happened, I was still editing the data for the first time. I assumed I'd done something wrong and deleted the whole thing and started over. This time, the data is complete and has been working for several weeks, but now is throwing that error. It's extremely frustrating and Google has been no help.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

VojtěchAndrš — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 09:52:53 GMT

Hello, I have the same issue. I also use the data to be displayed in ArcGIS Dashboards, so it seems to me that the bug is in Dashboards. What do you think? Has anyone found a solution besides recreating the layer?

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

TBWI — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 17:07:40 GMT

I ended up redoing my layer to a regular feature layer with overlapping
points/features at the same location. The error was causing a big headache.
I had not found a solution besides redoing my layer.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

TuckerTeutsch — Mon, 15 May 2023 22:57:40 GMT

Was there ever a solution found for this? I have been expereincing this as well. Good to at least know that it is not a mistake that I am making.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

VojtěchAndrš — Tue, 16 May 2023 06:54:17 GMT

I left it as it is and after some time when I checked the layer everything was alright – no error. Dunno, seems to me like some random bug. The weird thing is that now I am having the same error with another layer.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

SamanthaEarnest1 — Tue, 16 May 2023 23:23:23 GMT

BUG-000149005 : Feature services which are successfully published from XLS files return an undefined error about 2 weeks after the initial publish when accessed by the item owner or admin. As an alternative workaround, assisted user to create a replica (a file geodatabase) from the REST endpoint of the service to save attachments from a hosted feature service. Then, published the .fgdb in ArcGIS Online as new hosted feature layer and removed the old layer and added the new one to the web map and user was able to edit without any issues. Related Documentation: 1. https://support.esri.com/en/technical-article/000012232#:~:text=Procedure.%201%20Log%20in%20to%20the%20ArcGIS%20Online,Create%20Replica%3A%20%28feature%20service%20name%29%20displays.%20See%20More.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

SamanthaEarnest1 — Tue, 16 May 2023 23:26:23 GMT

Yes, the ESRI technical support person helped me to copy my excel spreadsheet into a file geodatabase and reupload it. It worked fine after that. Apparently it's a bug from working from Excel.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

JayLarsen — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 18:59:19 GMT

I still have this same problem...I guess I will have to go thru tech support.

So weird that it is perfect at creation, but 2 weeks later get's goofed up. Crazy.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

GreasyHeap — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 17:48:50 GMT

I was just experiencing the same issue with a layer published from a .XLSX file and i believe that is the culprit. My issue was resolved by deleting the XLXS file stored on AGOL that it was published from. Hope this helps.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

JesicaZapataZapata — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 18:01:38 GMT

I have the same issue. Any update on this?

I am not able to update the feature layer and I already created a web experience from that data. I can't redo all the work. I need to be able to update the layer or replace it without messing up with the web experience.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Error: There was an error publishing the service.

JesicaZapataZapata — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 18:23:46 GMT

were you able to solve it?