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Provide meaning and useful error messages when using ArcGIS Online to create offline map areas for use in Field Maps.

188
3
2 weeks ago
Status: Open
Labels (3)
MichaelJablonski
Emerging Contributor

I have had problems for years when using ArcGIS Online Maps for offline use in Field Maps, and the Collector program before Field Maps.

When creating an offline map using ArcGIS Online, the program says "Packaging." Then after a long time, "Packaging" goes away but an offline map may not have created. There is no error message about the failure. Nor does it say success if it makes an offline map.

There is a second problem. Often when ArcGIS Online successfully makes an offline map, when you download the offline area onto a mobile device using Field Maps, it fails to download, saying "Download Failed."  With retries, often with many retries, it might work. Sometimes it never works. I was up until 3:00 A.M. in the morning, many times, trying to get online maps onto a mobile field device for field data collection starting in the morning.

Opening a technical support case on this is not the solution. I've done so at least a dozen times.

An exception is happening in Field Maps when the download failed. The software knows what caused the exception. It would not be a difficult programming job to determine what went wrong and provide a meaningful and useful error message. Better yet, fix the error in the software that caused the problem. Engage ESRI's software engineers and programmers to fix the error and to provide meaningful error messages upon all successes and failures, in ArcGIS Online and in Field Maps.

This is a flaw in ArcGIS Online and a flaw in Field Maps.

By way of my background, I have been programming professionally since 1982.

I was certified by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society as a Professional Software Engineering Master, from July 2015 until July 2024, when I let my certification expire.

I hope this helps.

3 Comments
AlfredBaldenweck

I agree. A list of "Your download failed because: 1)..." would be extremely helpful.

I have things fail all the time with offline areas and it'd be nice to point out a specific layer, or a size limit, or something that was causing the problems.

ErinCourtney

Not sure if this would be helpful for you, but this community post  has helped me with a lot of troubleshooting offline areas over the years. You can actually get some useful information about what is causing the error. It isn't always a slam dunk, but can be useful

tikola
by Esri Contributor

In nutshell my practical experience is that if offline packaging should be possible and it fails it is in 99% case where you simply decrease are and leve of detail. With some trial and error you find the right limits. 

I agree that there should be better error messages giving a hint are we close to success or not. Erin link was brilliant - I will give a shot of those next time when making offiline map.