Problem updating multiple fields with same domain definition

[jsidborn]

Hi,

We are having problems when we want to update the field defintion on a featurelayer that is hosted on a featureservice in ArcGIS Online. We want to update the domain definition on multiple fields that uses the same domain.

Domain defintion:

"domain": {
				"type": "codedValue",
				"name": "YESNO",
				"mergePolicy": "esriMPTDefaultValue",
				"splitPolicy": "esriSPTDefaultValue",
				"codedValues": [
					{
						"name": "No",
						"code": "1"
					},
					{
						"name": "Yes",
						"code": "2"
					}
				]
			}

This domain is used on multiple fields in a feature layer that is hosted in ArcGIS Online.

We call the update_definition in Python like this:

from arcgis.gis import GIS
import arcgis
import json

gis = GIS([AGOLURL], [USER], [PWD])
fs = arcgis.features.FeatureLayer([FeatureServiceURL], gis)
update_dict = json.loads(...json field defintion...)
check = fs.manager.update_definition(update_dict)

JSON field defintion:

"fields": [
		{
			"name": "field1",
			"domain": {
				"type": "codedValue",
				"name": "YESNO",
				"mergePolicy": "esriMPTDefaultValue",
				"splitPolicy": "esriSPTDefaultValue",
				"codedValues": [
					{
						"name": "No",
						"code": "1"
					},
					{
						"name": "Yes",
						"code": "2"
					}
				]
			}
		},
		{
			"name": "field2",
			"domain": {
				"type": "codedValue",
				"name": "YESNO",
				"mergePolicy": "esriMPTDefaultValue",
				"splitPolicy": "esriSPTDefaultValue",
				"codedValues": [
					{
						"name": "No",
						"code": "1"
					},
					{
						"name": "Yes",
						"code": "2"
					}
				]
			}
		},
		{
			"name": "field3",
			"domain": {
				"type": "codedValue",
				"name": "YESNO",
				"mergePolicy": "esriMPTDefaultValue",
				"splitPolicy": "esriSPTDefaultValue",
				"codedValues": [
					{
						"name": "No",
						"code": "1"
					},
					{
						"name": "Yes",
						"code": "2"
					}
				]
			}
		}
	]

 The result from that call is SUCCESS and it updates all fields.

BUT the name of the domain for each field changes from what I except "YESNO" to field1_[number], field2_[number], and so on. 

Does anyone have some input how to solve this? or if I am missing something. I have checked that we dont have missed out any fields in the feaure layer that uses the same domain.

We have ArcGIS Pro 3.1.3 installed at the moment.

[PeterKnoop · Accepted solution]

I've had the same experience. It seems that in ArcGIS Online, a field's domain is defined within the field's definition, meaning a domain only applies to that one field. You cannot re-use one domain across multiple fields in a hosted feature layer, like you might be used to doing in ArcGIS Pro, such as with a feature class in a file geodatabase. 

(Intriguingly, there are a couple JSON keys in a typical feature service definition, hasSharedDomains and supportsSharedDomains, which might hint at the possibility of sharing domains across multiple fields? However, I have not found any documentation that describes how to use them.)

[Clubdebambos]

One day these shared domains might come into fruition. For now, each domain for that layer must have a unique name, so AGOL is probably noticing that you are breaking that rule and renaming the domains for you. 

[jsidborn]

Thank you for the tip on hasSharedDomains and supportsSharedDomains in the service definition. When i set them to true it worked 😀.

I have tested on a hosted feature service with multiple layers with fields where they all share the same domain and it works.

[Clubdebambos]

• This is nice to know. I have some workflows to update now 😅