idea Improve Map Action: Possibility to highlight features in ArcGIS StoryMaps Ideas

Improve Map Action: Possibility to highlight features

MattiasEkström — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 14:37:47 GMT

I've been working on some map actions lately and I feel they're too limited.

I would like to be able to not just zoom to a specific feature, but also highlight is some how. By make it selected or set a custom symbol or something else to make it stand out more.
If I describe several near by features in my story and want the user to be able to identify the corresponding feature in the map, I need some kind of highlighting function.

Re: Improve Map Action: Possibility to highlight features

AaronKoelker — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 15:53:07 GMT

A built-in highlight option would be neat for quick stuff -- but as a workaround in the meantime (or for advanced highlighting!), you can achieve this effect by putting two copies of the same layer/dataset into your web map, and then changing the symbology for one of them to be your 'highlight' look. Then, when you are setting up the map action, toggle off the visibility for your default copy and turn on the highlight copy. That should pull off the same effect, albeit with a little more work.

Re: Improve Map Action: Possibility to highlight features - Status changed to: Under Consideration

OwenGeo — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 15:44:58 GMT

We have this on our list, but there are a few technical challenges we're facing with implementing our preferred experience. We'll continue to monitor this idea for interest to prioritize further research in this area.

For now, as a workaround, you could create a duplicate layer with alternate styling that highlights the feature in question and toggle that on in a map action to call out a specific feature or area of the map.

Re: Improve Map Action: Possibility to highlight features

OwenGeo — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 15:49:30 GMT

Sorry, Aaron, I didn't see your reply before posting mine. 🙂

Re: Improve Map Action: Possibility to highlight features

MattiasEkström — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 07:35:46 GMT

Thanks for the workaround tip Aaron (and Owen).
This can be useful for a few features, but say you have 20+ features you want to describe and highlight with map actions then it's too much work... So I'm hoping the technical challenges are solved soon and we'll see a built-in highlight option in a future release.

Re: Improve Map Action: Possibility to highlight features

MattiasEkström — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 08:33:01 GMT

Maybe this is a whole different idea, but if the technical challenges are mostly related to the "connection" between the story map action and the actual feature in the data source. Another route would be to be able to add a simple sketch layer to the map from a map action. Then you could point out you feature with an arrow, ring och something and maybe even add explaning lables.

Of course that solutions has it's downsides but it could also be useful for a lot of other stuff, but I don't know, it might come with other even more challenging technical issues 🙂

Re: Improve Map Action: Possibility to highlight features

KathrynHailes — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 01:09:38 GMT

Hi, Just wondering if there has been any news on if the technical challenges have been overcome and if this feature is likely to be implemented in the near future?

Many thanks

Re: Improve Map Action: Possibility to highlight features

SaraJL — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 14:51:23 GMT

Whoops - I also just realized I posted a similar idea. I was thinking similar to how the ArcGIS Dashboard actions work: https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-storymaps-ideas/map-actions-gt-highlight-feature/idi-p/1405180

For the way it works in Dashboards, it does require some type of layer linking in order for the program to understand what to highlight, which makes sense.

Re: Improve Map Action: Possibility to highlight features

Laura — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 18:57:11 GMT

I also would really like this as I am in the same boat as @MattiasEkström with multiple storymaps I'm working on. I need to highlight 20 different individual parts of a layer..

For one I made 20 individual maps, but again that is not ideal for me and my time nor for the application working well and just wanted to say you are not alone.