Blog discussion: Take the same layer offline twice in Collector using feature layer views

[Kylie]

I've posted a new blog about how you can Take the same layer offline twice in Collector using feature layer views. You might have a single layer of data that you need to add to a map multiple times (perhaps so that visibility can be toggled separately). In the blog, I show a way to take the same data offline multiple times in a single map, and have filters honored on each layer. Give the blog a read, then come here to discuss it.

[erica_poisson]

Hi Colin,

I have invited your account to a group from an account name DWSP_erica.tefft; the group is "Collector Technical Support - Esri". Within the group is the web map and layers.

We are using Collector version 20.1.0 on iPad Pro 10.5in devices. Even with no filter on the View, it does not display in Collector.

Thank you!

Erica

[ColinLawrence]

Erica,

Thanks for sharing the data. I can reproduce the problem but I dont see anything obvious jumping out at the moment. I will take a more extended look at this. Do you know if this is reproducible with any other View layers (from the original source or another)?

I would note that when you take this data offline, the layer displays just fine. This could give you a temporary workaround.

Regards,

Colin

[erica_poisson]

Hi Colin,

I am not aware of any other view layers we have that do this. In an attempt to correct this, I have deleted and re-created the view for this particular layer multiple times, with no success. 

I actually did not know that going offline resolved that, however I just did a test and do not see the points from my View layer showing up in the offline map (although the layer is listed in the legend/layer list. 

Erica 

[ColinLawrence]

Erica,

Sorry I lost track of this one...are you still having issues with your View layer? It may warrant opening a case with Tech Support if you have not already. 

Regards,

Colin

[erica_poisson]

Hi Colin,

No worries. Yes, we are still having problems. If you think a Tech Support case is the way to go, I will do that soon.

Thanks,

Erica

[TravisNaibert]

Hello,

I have a point feature layer in a webmap that I will use in Collector this summer to collect geologic data. The feature layer has 4 templates to collect based on rock type: metamorphic, sedimentary, volcanic, plutonic. After a point has been created there is a domain list of map unit. I want my field workers to be able to see the points symbolized by the 4 simple rock types or by map unit. I created a hosted feature layer view from the points layer and changed the symbology of it to map units and then added this to the webmap. So in Collector there are 2 layers, rock_station (the hosted feature layer) and rock_station_map_unit (the view). The feature layer is set to editable. I have the view set to sync but not editable.

When I look at the map in Collector and I edit attributes in rock_station or move a point, the hosted feature layer view also updates or moves, but only when I leave the map and then return. This is almost what I want.

When I download the map in Collector and I edit the attributes offline in rock_station or move a point, the hosted feature layer view does not update symbology of move to match the edits. This is obviously not what I want. The edits don't get updated in the view until I sync the data to the portal, which is at the end of an entire day of fieldwork.

Is it possible to get the view to update with the underlying feature layer in offline mode in Collector? I have tried both Collector Classic and new Collector and they both seem to be the same unwanted behavior.

Thanks, Travis

[ColinLawrence]

Hi Travis,

I think this is a really good question and unfortunately I dont have a definitive answer for you at this point, but I thought I would chime in. What you have identified is likely expected behavior. I believe the relationship between View Layer and its Parent are handled at the feature service level (online). When you take a make offline the data is packaged into multiple sqlite databases. These databases are likely not aware of the relationship between the two layers and therefore and updates to each other would only be recognized after a sync is performed. 

Have you tried using sync in the map after making the changes you explained?

Regards,

Colin

[TravisNaibert]

yes, I have made offline changes to the feature layer and the feature layer view does change after a sync.

In a perfect world, I think a view of the data would still be related to the underlying data when it is taken offline, but I am sure in practice it is harder to program it that way. I made my view not editable, but I wonder what would happen if the view were editable and the view and the feature layer were both edited in the same offline session. I imagine whichever edit was more recent would be kept.

Thanks for your response Colin.

[ColinLawrence]

This is something that got my thinking for sure. I will bring this up to some other relevant teams to see what could be done but as you say, the solution is not so easy. You could also log this as an Idea on the ideas site here. 

For your other scenario, as a general rule, last edit in win so I imagine that is what would happen. I hope this info helps a bit!

Regards,

Colin

[TravisNaibert]

Thank you for your reply. The more I think about this, the more feature layer views seem designed only for applying various filters to your data and not for having multiple copies of the same features with different symbologies. Having multiple views related to the underlying dataset even offline would multiple symbologies for the same data much more useful. Currently, feature layer views are not as useful for data collection as they could be.

I have logged my idea here: https://community.esri.com/ideas/18638 for anybody is interested, please upvote it.