topic Re: Saving Editing Template to use in other Projects in ArcGIS Pro Questions

Saving Editing Template to use in other Projects

BrianBulla — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 20:09:05 GMT

Is it possible to save an editing template to use in other projects? I do not see a way to do it. We have created some 'Group Templates' (which take some time to create), and seems to make sense to be able to save them and use them in other projects when needed. Kind of like a .lyrx file, but for Templates.

Am I missing something, or can this just not be done.

Thanks,

Re: Saving Editing Template to use in other Projects

Scott_Harris — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 20:47:11 GMT

Hi Brian,

I just tested, and it looks like a layer file will save feature templates along with it.

-Scott

Re: Saving Editing Template to use in other Projects

Anonymous User — Thu, 20 Dec 2018 00:03:14 GMT

Yes, templates are part of the layer definition and will travel with the layer within a project or through a layer file on disk.

Re: Saving Editing Template to use in other Projects

BrianBulla — Thu, 20 Dec 2018 13:53:19 GMT

Awesome! Thanks Sean Jones‌ and Scott Harris‌. One other thing I'm trying to figure out is how to load a layer file based on the layername, using .NET and/or Python code. So far my attempts at using the ApplySymbologyFromLayer_management geoprocessing tool have not worked. I'm pretty sure I have the syntax right, but it just won't work. There are a few posts on here about it, but no real concrete answer as to what might be causing the problem.

Can you help?? See these posts for reference:

Update Symbology based on .lyr file

Building proper syntax for importing .lyr symbology for Feature Layer

Apply Symbology From Layer—Data Management toolbox | ArcGIS Desktop

Basically I'm trying to create a tool that will load the layer files automatically, just to make things easier for the users.

Re: Saving Editing Template to use in other Projects

Scott_Harris — Thu, 20 Dec 2018 18:38:50 GMT

The issue you are seeing could be related to a bug report we have in Support, but I can't really say for sure. You may want to call us at 888-377-4575 to confirm. Here is there bug report I found:

BUG-000106281 The Apply Symbology From Layer tool does not apply symbology properly when it is executed through the ArcGIS Pro SDK.

FYI - This issue is reported to be fixed in 2.3 (the next release of ArcGIS Pro hopefully coming early next year - 2019).

-Scott

Re: Saving Editing Template to use in other Projects

BrianBulla — Thu, 20 Dec 2018 18:53:20 GMT

Thanks Scott. I searched the 'Bugs' on the support site previously, but I guess I just didn't use the right keyword search. I see two bugs reported there, one for .NET and one Phython, so hopefully at v2.3 things will start to work for me.

Thanks for the information!

Re: Saving Editing Template to use in other Projects

Scott_Harris — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 20:32:34 GMT

Hi Brian,

I wanted to provide some clarification here, as I see you are working with Group Templates and not just standalone Feature Templates. There are some limitations when sharing Group Templates through layer files and layer packages. For example, if you save a layer file that contains a Group Template when you add the layer file to a new Project it may be missing the references to other layers that are used in the builder. These references will have to be repaired manually in the Group Template properties, or if you want to make sure the template will function in another Project, you can use map files to share them. Save a map file—ArcGIS Pro | ArcGIS Desktop

These limitations are planned to be addressed in a future release of ArcGIS Pro.

Thank you,

Scott

Re: Saving Editing Template to use in other Projects

BrianBulla — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 14:26:35 GMT

Hi Scott,

So I am back into working with 'Group Templates' and was hoping you could answer a few questions. Here are the templates I am working with in my 'Water Service' feature class:

1. Originally I had more 3 templates here. After I renamed Fireline, ICI Water Service, and Res. Water Service (to include the ###mm diameter) and closed/opened ArcGIS Pro, I lost the 3 other templates that were associated to each of the mentioned ones. Should that have happened?

2. If I create a Layer File of Water Service, with templates, the templates are not showing up when I add the layer file to a new project. Group Template, or not group template, it doesn't seem to matter. All I see are the 'default' templates, not the ones that the layer had when I created the .lyrx file. Do you know if this is something being addressed since we originally discussed this in 2018?? After adding the layer file to a new map, this is what I get (even with/without the other layers required for the group templates).

Thanks!

Re: Saving Editing Template to use in other Projects

BrianBulla — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 14:54:40 GMT

Ok.....so I did some more testing and I need to revise what I said. If I 'drag and drop' the .lyrx file into ArcGIS Pro, then 'Yes', I do see the templates listed.

The Group Templates are blank regardless of whether the other related features are or are not in the map at the time of drag and drop. Do you know if this issue is something being looked at?

What I originally did was use my .NET code for reading a .lyrx file and updating the symbology. So I guess what I need to figure out now is how to extract the template information out of the .lyrx file. Bringing the symbology in seems to be working using something like this:

featureLayer?.SetRenderer(((CIMFeatureLayer)cimLyrDoc.LayerDefinitions[0]).Renderer as CIMUniqueValueRenderer);

But I will now have to extract template information too. Any advice??

Thanks!

Re: Saving Editing Template to use in other Projects

Scott_Harris — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 17:00:22 GMT

Hey Brian,

I'm trying to follow... are you saying you have a layer file (or layer package) that was created from a subset of the layers that are required for your group template, and then you add that layer file to a map that contains the remaining set of layers and are expecting the group template to still function?

If that's the case, I wouldn't expect it to work. What should work is if you create a layer file (or layer package) from a Group Layer and that and group contains all the layers required for your template to function:

Regarding renaming layers and losing group layer functionality (after closing and reopening Pro) - I just tested it and could not* (*edit) reproduce that. Perhaps there is a specific detail that I'm missing?

Thanks,

Scott

Re: Saving Editing Template to use in other Projects

BrianBulla — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 18:09:46 GMT

Hi Scott,

Basically what I am trying to do is figure out a way to share templates. I'm only using .lyrx files because that seems to be the only mechanism for doing that right now.

In my group of 7 or 8 people, we all edit data, and all need to use the same tools to edit the same data (a versioned SDE). As these 'Group Templates' are a bit of a pain to setup, it makes sense to try and share them amongst each other instead of having to create them from scratch each time.

For example, the one 'Group Template' highlighted below actually creates four different features. So it's super convenient to use, but a bit of a pain to setup.

So from your response above, it sounds like creating a 'Group Layer File' would solve this. I did just finish testing and it seems to work. It's a different workflow for us. Currently (in ArcMap) we just drag and drop layers from SDE into a map, hit our 'Symbolize Layer' button (pulling from Layer files), and everything works. Everyone uses the 'old school' editing (ie. NOT template editing) in ArcMap, so I'm trying to bridge the gap to make the transition to ArcGIS Pro as easy as possible.

And using group templates will allow me to not have to rewrite the code I have working in ArcMap to work in ArcGIS Pro. I want to use as much 'out of the box' functionality as possible and stop maintaining code.

Now with the 'renaming' of the template issue I am seeing, this is how it is happening for me using an example of a group template for creating a Mainline/Manhole feature:

1. Create a 'Template' for the Mainline, using default value for all attributes.

2. Create a 'New Group Template' by right-clicking the template from #1. Edit the 'Builders' to also include a Manhole feature at the end of the line.

3. Save, close and reopen ArcGIS Pro. Both templates are still there.

4. Rename the template from step #1.

5. Save, close and reopen ArcGIS Pro. Template #2 is now missing.

Is this supposed to happen? I would think that when I do step #2, I am creating a copy of the first template which is totally independent from the one created in step #1.

Re: Saving Editing Template to use in other Projects

Scott_Harris — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 23:24:39 GMT

Hi Brian,

Thanks for clarifying.

For sharing the editing templates to your users, you may want to look into project templates (which can contain maps) or project/map packages, or a mix of both. Some good info here: FAQ: What are the methods for transferring customized settings in ArcGIS Pro from one machine to another?

Regarding the lost template after renaming the original - yes, we will address this problem in a future release of Pro, but for now, parent group templates should not be renamed - if you want the child group template to come back, rename the parent template back to the original name.

Thanks,

Scott