Publishing between Map Image vs Feature Layer

[cardiokan]

HI all,

As it has been mentioned many times, grouping is not a option with feature layers.

I have noticed grouping works if you publish with map image layer type. Can anyone tell me the main difference and if i was to publish all my layers as map image instead of feature layers, what issues could occur? 

[Joshua-Young]

The map service sends an image that is rendered on ArcGIS Server to the client and the feature service sends the raw data for the client to render. You typically get better speed and can use more advanced symbology with a map service, at the cost of client customization and lack of offline use. The feature service allows for more customization on the client side and offline caching if needed, at the cost of speed and limited symbology on the web. Also, feature services always provide a better looking map export because you are using the vector data instead of a image from the map service. The pixelation of map services on map exports is even more noticable to me when using a vector basemap as the background.

One issue that I have come across with map services is if the visibility range is set at the time of publishing then the client cannot change the visibility range of the map service. At least that is what happens at ArcGIS Enterprise 10.8.1.

The great new is that the next version of the Map Viewer will support grouping feature services together in the web map. I hope this helps.

[Anonymous User]

Hi,

Map services are good for displaying spatial data over the web. Feature service extends the capabilities of a map service by enabling feature access. This allows feature services to be edited after they are published, as well as allowing users to change the symbology of the features on the server side, rather than in the source data.

A map image layer is simple a layer present in a map service, so I am using the more broad term here.

For more information, you can check out the documentation pages:

https://enterprise.arcgis.com/en/server/latest/publish-services/windows/what-is-a-feature-service-.h...

https://enterprise.arcgis.com/en/server/latest/publish-services/windows/what-is-a-map-service.htm

Hope this helps!

-Calvin

[cardiokan]

Thanks guys really appreciate it.

There will be no requirements for editing for these layers or changing the symbology. Do you think publishing as a map service will help as a workaround to the grouping issue? 

Grouping is such a major issue, I am trying to figure out the best alternative to resolve this issue.

[Anonymous User]

Based on your workflow requirements, it looks like a map service would be the way to go. You can have multiple layers in your ArcMap Document/ArcGIS Pro project, and publish the entire map as a map service to ArcGIS Server, with all the layers included. During publishing, you can either set the map service to draw dynamically from the data, or from a cache of pre-generated tiles. The tiles take up a good deal of space in your arcgiscache directory, but allow for faster rendering if demand for the service is high.

I would recommend you take a look at the following documentation:

https://enterprise.arcgis.com/en/server/latest/publish-services/windows/common-reasons-for-using-map...

https://enterprise.arcgis.com/en/server/latest/publish-services/linux/what-is-map-caching-.htm

-Calvin

[Joshua-Young]

Currently, publishing as a map service is the only way to have grouped layers in a web map in ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise. I must use map services for all of my organizations utilities layers so my users can turn off entire groups of utilities with one click. The problem with that is I have wound up having to use map services for all the other layers in the web maps with the utilities so that I could order the layers the way I needed them to be. The current Map Viewer puts all feature services on top of the map services. So if you have another layer in your web map that needs to be below your grouped map service it must be a map service as well.

[RachelS]

@Joshua-Young 

I have this exact problem currently with groups that I have published from data sitting in a SQLgeodatabase.

I now have the problem that we have moved to storing data from 2020 onwards as hosted feature layers in Portal, so it won't let me add this data to the groups as it's already published. I'm wondering do you have any data in groups that are hosted feature layers? Is it possible to get these into groups with data from sql geodatabases?.

Thanks

Rachel

[Joshua-Young]

@RachelS 

You can sort of group hosted feature layers with data from SQL geodatabases using the new Map Viewer available at ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9.1. The new Map Viewer will allow you to group hosted feature layers with map services that already have grouped layers. The limitation is that you cannot add the hosted feature layer inside the existing group that is in the map service.

One way around that limitation is publishing the SQL geodatabase data as individual map services and grouping them together in the new Map Viewer with any hosted feature layers, but I would first test this to see if it works for you. I say that because grouping layers in the new Map Viewer is a pain when dealing with many layers, the new Map Viewer is not yet widely supported in ArcGIS Enterprise, and compared to the classic Map Viewer you may be losing functionality that you need. Here is a list from Esri about what is different between the new and classic Map Viewers: https://enterprise.arcgis.com/en/portal/latest/use/limitations-and-compatibility-mv.htm

I am sure Esri will get there eventually with proper support for grouped data in ArcGIS Enterprise, but for now I continue to use a mix of SQL geodatabase store data and hosted feature services depending on our needs.

[RachelS]

@Joshua-Young 

Thanks for this. It's such a pain trying to work with groups in Portal. Looking at a few map viewers I'm going to have to republish the map image layers with added layers in the groups and I've a feeling I'll have to reconfigure all the pop ups again. Which takes up a fair amount of time!

We're updating to 10.9.1 later this year so hopefully that will be a help, although your not filling me with confidence, if some of the existing functionality can be lost. It sounds like a pain either way.

Really hope ESRI sort it out soon.

[cardiokan]

Thanks guys, - Yes that is the big issue for me also in regards utilities. It just does not work with the current setup when you have so many layers.