Using Map Viewer Classic Paradox - How can I avoid both custom Field Maps forms disappearing and Web Map setting Find Locations disappearing?

FionaRenton1 · ‎08-11-2022

In order to avoid custom Field Map forms disappearing I open the web map from within the web field maps interface to make whatever changes I need (symbology etc.) and save and close. This makes the underlying web map setting uncheck the check box for "Find Locations" (that allows search by attribute)....without me doing anything.

In order to fix this I close the Field Maps web interface and open the Web map in MyContent. I check the box for Find Locations (again) and save. This causes my custom field map form to disappear so I close the web map and go back to the form and recreate the custom form.

and so on...every time I need to change a web map.....

These two events may be independent..I'm not at all sure why these two things keep happening.

Does anyone know a way around this? I have related tables so I have to use Classic Map Viewer and I am using ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9

Thanks

CraigGillgrass · ‎08-15-2022

@FionaRenton1 a few things on this

At Enterprise 10.9, the Map Viewer (what is called Map Viewer Classic in later releases) does remove the form on Save, I can confirm this.
The new Map Viewer Beta is available for use with 10.9, but is a separate install. It will keep your form and not remove it from the map if you want to install it and use for maps that have forms.
I can also reproduce the behavior you describe with Find Locations being removed from web maps on Save, but I can only reproduce this when I have the web map opened in multiple browser tabs/windows. If use a single tab/window as I make changes, the information is not removed/overwritten.

Wondering if you can confirm that; when you use a single browser window/tab you are not able to see the behavior of the Find Locations or forms being removed?

thanks, Craig

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CraigGillgrass · ‎08-15-2022

"Should I not use the field maps web to create the form and use Map Viewer beta instead?"

You can use either. In later releases there are differences between Form Authoring in Field Maps compared to Map Viewer; but in your Enterprise release, they are very similar.

"If map viewer beta won't recognize the relates with identify it is possible that the form might be programmed differently to recognize relates? "

Unfortunately, no. Form Authoring doesn't support this yet; it's in our backlog and on the roadmap to support later this or early in 2023. I wouldn't recommend programming the form to recognize relates; while supported in the spec; authoring and maintaining it might be a bit tricky.

Tough to comment on the entire workflow you're trying to accomplish, but, if you're looking for a web form for workers in the office, you could consider using Survey123 as it has more form functionality that is not yet in Field Maps.

Craig

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CraigGillgrass · ‎08-17-2022

Thanks for sending this @FionaRenton1 it's help me to narrow down a repro. I can tell you that this issue appears to be addressed in Enterprise 10.9.1; I've followed the same steps that remove Find Locations in 10.9 but, in 10.9.1 the capability remains.

We don't have any plans to back port this fix to 10.9 but this is something you'll pick up when you migrate to the newer release.

Craig

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CraigGillgrass · ‎08-12-2022

@FionaRenton1 can you clarify:

"In order to avoid custom Field Map forms disappearing I open the web map from within the web field maps interface to make whatever changes I need (symbology etc.) and save and close. This makes the underlying web map setting uncheck the check box for "Find Locations" (that allows search by attribute)....without me doing anything."

- Are you opening the web map in Field Maps to edit the form? Or, are you opening Map Viewer from the Overview tab in Field Maps to edit the web map?

Would like to try and reproduce this but struggling a bit with the steps.

thanks, Craig

FionaRenton1 · ‎08-12-2022

I am opening the MapViewer from the Overview tab in the field maps form to attempt to avoid the custom Field maps form from disappearing. The Classic map viewer does not edit the form.

I have tried opening the web map in MapViewer to make changes to symbology etc from My Content and it erases the custom form.

FionaRenton1 · ‎08-12-2022

I have a case open with tech support to reproduce this too.

CraigGillgrass · ‎08-15-2022

thanks @FionaRenton1 do you have the support number so I can touch base with the analyst if I need to?

FionaRenton1 · ‎08-15-2022

Case number #03120713 thanks

CraigGillgrass · ‎08-15-2022

@FionaRenton1 a few things on this

At Enterprise 10.9, the Map Viewer (what is called Map Viewer Classic in later releases) does remove the form on Save, I can confirm this.
The new Map Viewer Beta is available for use with 10.9, but is a separate install. It will keep your form and not remove it from the map if you want to install it and use for maps that have forms.
I can also reproduce the behavior you describe with Find Locations being removed from web maps on Save, but I can only reproduce this when I have the web map opened in multiple browser tabs/windows. If use a single tab/window as I make changes, the information is not removed/overwritten.

Wondering if you can confirm that; when you use a single browser window/tab you are not able to see the behavior of the Find Locations or forms being removed?

thanks, Craig

FionaRenton1 · ‎08-15-2022

Hi Craig,

I can confirm that the field maps form does not disappear when I use Map Viewer beta from the Overview tab, but the map viewer does not recognize the relate between the site and the visit tables. The visit tables are the ones that will be edited in the field.

Yes I am using multiple tabs as I have Field maps open in a new tab. I think Field maps web automatically opens a new tab? I am looking at the web map settings in another tab so I suppose this could be the issue, but it seems odd that something would change it without warning me. I'll have to try this out a bit more.

And to add to my workflow...I built an app using Web app builder for staff who are not in the field, but want to see the data.

If I build an app with web app builder and the map viewer beta then I'm sure if the related tables will work...but I suppose if I go back to basics and build the same app myself with the Javascript API 4.x using the feature layers and ignore the map viewer it might all work. I'm not clear on this and the only web apps I've built with the JSAPI are not as complex as the ones that I can very easily build in web app builder.

Thanks for your time and help!

FionaRenton1 · ‎08-15-2022

@CraigGillgrass I have confirmed that if I make a change to the field map form (Field maps web opens up in a new tab) it unchecks the Find locations + that is already set up. This may be nothing to do with the new map viewer possibly a different issue.

FionaRenton1 · ‎08-15-2022

There is also a way to create the form in the new web map viewer beta. I am pretty confused as to the correct workflow here. Should I not use the field maps web to create the form and use Map Viewer beta instead? If map viewer beta won't recognize the relates with identify it is possible that the form might be programmed differently to recognize relates? I am not clear on this!