Provide layout guides in Operations Dashboard

[deleted-user-8TVt6oc0ewsX]

When creating a Dashboard it is often hard to accurately place widgets.  For example I have 5 indicators stacked.  I want them to appear the same size.  I have to "eyeball" this.  I would like the cursor XY to be exposed so I can accurately calculate position.  A GRID overlay, much like "GUIDES" appear in a serial chart, for the workspace would be also very helpful.  In the short-term just showing the XY of the cursor would be a huge help.

[KevinMWright13]

Hi Jonathan,

I agree this would be helpful.  I have done a workaround where I edit the JSON using the AGO Assistant.  I usually grab the JSON from there and drop it in a JSON editor (like JSON Editor Online ) and search for the Height and Width in the Layout -> Root Element -> Elements  section of the code.  Change the width and height then save it back to the AGO assistant to update it online.  I know its a long way to go but if all else fails.....

Thanks,

Kevin

[geodoozer]

I strongly agree Jonathan, it is hard to get spacing of multiple widgets even, and the guess then use a ruler approach is tedious.

Along with the guide idea, I would go further and suggest including options of:

• Snapping to other widgets/frames
• Selecting multiple frames and having a button to size them evently (not unlike the distribute horizontally and distribute vertically options in ArcGIS and PowerPoint).

[PaulDavidson1]

This was going to be my comment also.

Provide methods for even distributions in the X or Y dimensions .

Snapping to edges of other widgets is also an excellent (I would claim necessary) idea.

However, since I can make dashboards now without widget edge snapping, I guess it's not exactly necessary.  But it sure would be helpful.  😉

[RuiMenezes]

Great idea Jonathan.

All the other inputs are also great.

Thanks,

Rui

[RalphHughes]

I'm ashamed to say it, but I've been using a physical ruler on the screen which is the first time in my 11 year GIS career! 

[geodoozer]

Agree!  Widget snapping and Distribute and Align options would be very helpful indeed!

[RichardLittlefield]

Yes, some kind of snapping, grids or measuring would be very helpful. I'm building a dashboard and have four pie charts that I'd like them all to be the exact same size. This can't be done with dragging and eyeballing while resizing the element. I can get it close, but not exact. I too, not trusting my eyes, brought out a ruler to do measurements on the screen. Or even number indicators I'd like to be the same height.

 

[patrickb]

There are a few things that we are working on in this area, and will be released over time. One of the first things we worked on is already available in ArcGIS Dashboards Beta . Dashboard authors now receive visual feedback that indicate an element's width or height when changing its size.  

[patrickb]

A new authoring experience for dashboards was introduced in the December 2021 release of ArcGIS Dashboards. This new experience exposes the layout of a dashboard in much more detail, and offers a one-click ability to distribute the width or height of all the elements in a row/column evenly. 

https://doc.arcgis.com/en/dashboards/reference/previous-releases.htm#ESRI_SECTION1_937C7D1A032D471AA...

https://doc.arcgis.com/en/dashboards/get-started/dashboard-layout.htm#ESRI_SECTION1_94E2E1B1780B4E86...