Simultaneous use of offline areas and online map

[swiss_parks_network_nbernhard]

Currently a map can only be used online or offline. While the option to download either one or several offline areas should be maintained, an additional online map should be made available. Thus, you would not need to delete the offline areas when you want to go online which is not user-friendly (the synchronization takes a long time in each case and the storage space on the devices is limiting). The simultaneous use of offline areas and an online map is needed by field staff for overview and work coordination. Please provide for the same map following options (see attached picture):

• Online map which can be viewed/edited, e.g. online see below
• Download user defined areas which can be viewed/edited, e.g. Bereich 1 see below.
• Download predefined offline areas which can be viewed/edited, e.g., Nord and Süd see below.

[Joyce_Peng_GIS]

Do we have a timeline for the implementation?

It becomes annoying more and more.

Thanks. 

[Anonymous User]

@AlixPower @DougMorgenthaler there were an additional 12 'votes' for this on the Early Adopters site forum requesting this functionality Online/offline map use - ArcGIS Field Maps (esri.com) . Would be good to know what Esri's thinking is on this idea and a rough timeframe.

[Anonymous User]

This would be a great addition. In my scenario, we have a public hunting map on field maps. Currently, we only provide a few predetermined offline areas with the map as some of the state has poor cell phone coverage. However, giving the public the option to access the live and full map would be very helpful. Providing two maps of the same thing, one offline and one live, is not ideal.

[MaxMolello]

Agreed, this problem is the main reason we have not switched to use Field Maps yet.

Here is our use case for this. Some of our field crew has good cell service and some don’t so offline areas are not always needed even for the same map.  If I pre-create an offline area for a map then all users are forced to use it and do not have the choice to use an online map. When users use the offline map they loose the basemap options of the online map (satellite or topo layers) and are stuck with the basemap set for the map. So if I force an offline area, no one can use imagery. If users create their own offline maps they encounter the same problem if they want to use a basemap. There is no way to switch to an online mode to enable basemaps without completely deleting their offline map and having to recreate and download it before they go offline again.

If there was a way to have offline maps on device but be able to toggle them off and use the online map instead that would be idea. Another way around is if they have an offline map but have service then online basemaps should still work.

The reason we haven’t started using two maps, one online and one offline, is because it doubles the maps we have to manage. If I need to make a change I then would have to make it twice. Also, this requires more user training on switching between them, and more maps cluttering the list of maps users can see.

For offline basemaps and sideloading, our areas of operation cover hundreds to thousands of square miles each and in some areas we have multiple imagery sources depending on what the user needs or quality they are looking for. So sideloading imagery would be several to hundreds of GB’s in size, which is not remotely feasible for phones or tablets, and again it would require more training and user device set up instead of just sending a text or email with a Field Map link to the map/app. With hundreds of users across the continent that would be a massive undertaking. We do have a general topo basemap that is offline capable and is packaged with their offline areas download when they make their own area or download a premade one.

[JustinColville]

This was added in the November 2022 release of Field Maps.

You can access the online version of the map by tapping the map card in the Online map section of the map areas list. You no longer need to provide online and offline versions of your map.

[ChristineTombleson1]

Yes!  Absolutely agree this would be very useful!