topic Re: Problem with dynamic updates to shortlist story map in Classic Esri Story Maps Questions

Problem with dynamic updates to shortlist story map

BenParker — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 07:39:06 GMT

I'd like to be have my shortlist story map update dynamically when I add new points to the underlying feature service but I can't seem to get that to work. The web map shows the new points but the shortlist only shows the original ones.

Here are the steps I followed:

1. Created a CSV file defining my original set of locations for the story map.

2. Uploaded my CSV file to AGOL and used it to create a feature service.

3. Created a web map and used the feature service to create a layer.

4. Created a Shortlist story map from the web map.

5. Story map looks fine and all points present.

6. Updated my local copy of the CSV file to add some new locations.

7. User the "Overwrite" option on the feature service to upload the new CSV,

8. The feature service shows the new points.

9. The web map shows the new points.

10. The shortlist story map doesn't show the new points.

Not sure if it's a factor but my AGOL account is through the ArcGIS Home Use program.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks!

Re: Problem with dynamic updates to shortlist story map

MarkCooney — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 18:07:31 GMT

Hi Ben,

Which version of Shortlist are you using? The one hosted in AGOL (version 2.X), or the version you download and host yourself (possibly version 1.4.X)? Version 2.X does not currently support updating the Shortlist layer outside of the Shortlist builder, but is something we are looking to add in the near future. Version 1.4.X does support dynamic updates to the Shortlist layer(s) and updates will show up in the app.

-Mark

Re: Problem with dynamic updates to shortlist story map

BenParker — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 20:48:00 GMT

That probably explains the problem. I am using the version hosted on AGOL. I'll try switching to the downloadable version. Many thanks!

Re: Problem with dynamic updates to shortlist story map

MarkCooney — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 21:00:53 GMT

No problem Ben. This is the version you will want to use: Release v.1.4.9 · Esri/shortlist-storytelling-template-js · GitHub .

Cheers,

Mark

Re: Problem with dynamic updates to shortlist story map

BenParker — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 21:14:13 GMT

Excellent!

Thanks,

Ben

Re: Problem with dynamic updates to shortlist story map

BenParker — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 07:26:46 GMT

I'm afraid that still didn't work for me. I obtained the version 1.4.9 files from GitHub, updated "index.html" with my web map id, and posted the files to my web server. When I run the shortlist story map from my web server, though, I still only see the original set of locations. As before, both the feature service and the web map show the new features but the shortlist does not.

However, I switched to another approach and had better luck. I posted my CSV file (lat/long based) to my web server and used it to define the point layer in a new AGOL web map. I switched my shortlist "index.html" to use that new web map and now changes to the CSV file are dynamically reflected in both the web map and the shortlist story map each time they start up.

While this approach meets my needs it's a bit more awkward due to the need to add lat/long to my CSV entries. If you have other suggestions regarding the feature service approach I'd be interested.

Thanks!

Re: Problem with dynamic updates to shortlist story map

RupertEssinger — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 00:33:09 GMT

Hi Ben

Sorry about the issue. Any chance you could share the URL to a web map containing your feature service (assuming it is shared publicly) so we can have a look?

Rupert

Re: Problem with dynamic updates to shortlist story map

BenParker — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 19:04:43 GMT

Sure. These should be the links to everything:

CSV:
http://lookabout.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=6119d955e27b4bc1a0394f98e28384a0

Feature Service:
http://lookabout.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=88bae943edcb430bb24fa9f152aa24fd

Web map:
http://arcg.is/2jIaSoa
http://lookabout.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=e9dd73e61aec4722835e135633348f1b

Story map:
http://lookabout.net/test_agol_csv_fs_shortlist/

The original CSV used to create the feature service defined four locations. After creating the story map I used the "overwrite" option on the feature service to add six more locations. All show up on the web map but the story map only sees the original four.

Thanks!

Re: Problem with dynamic updates to shortlist story map

BenParker — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 19:21:00 GMT

I just noticed that I'm seeing what looks like new behavior this morning (or somehow missed this before). The story map is now showing the new locations, but it's putting them on a duplicate tab. There are two "ALL" tabs showing now, one with the original four locations and one with the five new locations. Note, although I added six new locations, only five of those were targeted at the "ALL" tab.

Actually, I think that when I ran my earlier tests I didn't have any tabs defined. Maybe the presence of the TAB_NAME field is somehow tied to the update process? Any ideas on how I can avoid duplicate tabs after an update?

Thanks!

Re: Problem with dynamic updates to shortlist story map

BenParker — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 20:47:36 GMT

As a side note, I tried sorting my updated CSV file by TAB_NAME but I still end up with two "ALL" tabs.

Re: Problem with dynamic updates to shortlist story map

MarkCooney — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 21:17:14 GMT

Hi Ben,

You will want to double check the TAB_NAME field values, it appears the second tab that is showing up is because those features TAB_NAME field values have one more space than the other features.

Mark

Re: Problem with dynamic updates to shortlist story map

BenParker — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 23:51:57 GMT

That was it. I removed all trailing spaces from the TAB_NAME entries in the CSV file and the duplicate tab is gone now. So with version 1.4.9 dynamic updates to the feature service are now properly reflected in the story map shortlist. Thanks for all the help in getting this working! You can consider this case closed now.