Can you access Map Notes outside the AGXOnline interface?

[AlanRea]

I really like the ArcGIS Explorer Online interface, and have made a map containing Map Notes. However, when I view that map using the ArcGIS Online viewer, or in ArcMap 10.0, I don't see the Map Notes (or bookmarks, for that matter.) Is there any way to see the Map Notes outside of this interface?

ArcGIS Explorer Online would be a great collaboration tool, especially for a data steward working with lay users. The users could submit data edits/notes/errors via Map Notes. With the current application, the data steward could see the user submission only in a separate window. It would be really handy if the Map Notes could be loaded in ArcMap, or downloaded as a shapefile.

Are the Map Notes something only supported by Silverlight?
Thanks.

[RupertEssinger]

Notes in web maps you create using ArcGIS Explorer Online currently aren't supported in the ArcGIS.com viewer, ArcGIS for iOS or ArcGIS Desktop. Sorry about that. This functionality is still under development. However, they are supported in the free ArcGIS Explorer Desktop app and using build 1500 of that app you can convert them into geodatabase features using the following steps:

1. Load your web map into ArcGIS Explorer 1500 using the ArcGIS Online window you can access from the ArcGIS Explorer button in the top left hand corner of the app.


2. In the Contents window, right-click the notes (or folder containing notes) that you want to convert to features.


3. Choose Share and then in the dialog that appears choose the Layer Package option.

If you now open that layer package in ArcGIS Desktop 9.3.1 or 10, you'll be able to access the notes as features, change symbology, work with the attributes, export to shapefile, etc. Tip: In the ArcMap Table Of Contents, open the Layer Properties dialog for the notes and turn all the fields on in the Fields tab in order to access all their attributes.

Direct support for notes in ArcGIS Desktop when you open web maps is planned for 10.1. Bookmarks in web maps are supported in 10.0 Service Pack 1 which is now available.

[MichaelNorelli]

I've created a web map in AGXOnline containing map notes, a flavor of map notes called recreation, a publicly-shared map service from another user, a layer from a CSV import, ArcGIS.com content from ESRI, and my own zipped shapefile. 

I tried to opening it in ArcGIS Explorer 1700.  Only the ArcGIS.com content appears when the web map is loaded.  No map notes layers...

My map is accessible in ArcGIS Explorer Online search with keyword mnorelli360 or essinger.

Any ideas?

[RupertEssinger]

Hi Michael

Sorry about the issue. Since my last post on this thread, we have updated the internal format of web maps and as a result you can't bring map notes drawn on top of web maps into ArcGIS Explorer Desktop 1700 or ArcGIS Desktop 10.0.  😞  We are still in the process of updating those desktop applications to convert map notes to feature layers. I don't have a date for when this support will be released in ArcGIS Explorer Desktop. This support will be in ArcGIS Desktop 10.1. Ths story is similar for support for layers in web maps that reference CSV and shapefiles, etc. Those currently aren't supported when you open a web map in the desktop clients. Ideally it would all be synchronized and all supported in the Desktop clients but basically the ArcGIS Online folks have got this great new web map functionality and as this can be released on the web faster than on the desktop, we didn't want to hold it up.

I looked into why that map service in your web map that isn't appearing when you open it in Explorer Desktop 1700 and it turns out it is a bug we have whereby service layers get dropped out of web maps by the desktop clients when you open them if there are any map note layers underneath the map service layer in the web map (Explorer Online allows you to move note layers so they come below map service layers in your web map's Contents window). We'll get that fixed in the Desktop clients so they won't drop out service layers in this situation. If there are no note layers below the service layer, the service layer won't get dropped out.

So that explains why all the layers in your web map (except the basemap) don't appear when you open it in your desktop client. 😞 Definitely not great and we are definitely working on improving this!

PS. I saw from your ArcGIS Online profile and your test map that you work on GIS at the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. Beautiful place so close to the city! I was lucky enough to stay at Cavallo Point last Christmas and hiked around the Marin Headlands.