topic Re: Symbology/Forms not maintaining when creating a new hosted feature layer from an existing hosted feature layer in ArcGIS Online Questions

Symbology/Forms not maintaining when creating a new hosted feature layer from an existing hosted feature layer

JacobLyons — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 17:22:07 GMT

Hi all,

I am trying to create a "template" hosted feature layer that can be duplicated independently for field data collection for separate projects. I have my template set up with edited symbology, popups, and forms in the visualization tab but when I go to make a new hosted feature layer from an existing hosted feature layer none of that is maintained in the new layer. My dataset has a lot of specific symbology and attribute entries so recreating that and reorganizing the form for each new project is extremely annoying.

I have successfully created "template" hosted feature layers in the past when publishing directly from ArcPro and this has never been an issue. The only reason I am trying to do this all within AGO is because there was a recent update that hinders photo attachments from being displayed correctly in AGO when the hosted feature layer is published from ArcPro.

I have come across 2 or 3 other community entries addressing this same problem and it looks like they've largely been ignored by Esri.

Re: Symbology/Forms not maintaining when creating a new hosted feature layer from an existing hosted feature layer

bbollin — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 22:40:21 GMT

Hi @JacobLyons, thanks for bringing this up. The scenario you described should be supported in the next update of ArcGIS Online. However, there is still a way to do this now! You can easily bring use formatting for a new item like symbology, forms, pop-ups, and more by following the steps below:

1. Configure the settings on your original hosted feature layer

2. Save the settings to the item

3. Go to the item details page of the item, and scroll to the bottom. You should see the ability to copy a REST url

4. Go to My Content and start creating a new feature layer. Select "Provide and ArcGIS Server URL"

5. Paste in the copied link. This should carry over the settings that were saved to the original item

Note: there are some cases with secured services where this will not always work, but largely will cover your use case!

Re: Symbology/Forms not maintaining when creating a new hosted feature layer from an existing hosted feature layer

JacobLyons — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 23:16:07 GMT

Thank you! Good to know it is finally on Esri's radar.

Unfortunately, I was using this workaround for a while but then for some reason features collected in the new hosted feature layer started duplicating within the original template hosted feature layer which makes some edits to the original template impossible.

Re: Symbology/Forms not maintaining when creating a new hosted feature layer from an existing hosted feature layer

bbollin — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 00:18:05 GMT

Hi @JacobLyons, are you saying that when you copy the URL and create a NEW feature layer (pictured below on the right) it is creating in duplicate features in the original item? If so, this is a bug and should be reported to support.

I cannot reproduce this by following the steps I outlined above, so if you have a reproduction case that'd be helpful for me to take a look

Re: Symbology/Forms not maintaining when creating a new hosted feature layer from an existing hosted feature layer

JacobLyons — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 22:26:50 GMT

Yeah, unfortunately I had to delete the duplicated features (in the original) because I had to make some adjustments to the original template. I'll post here again next time it does it.