Allow GeoEvent Processor to update non-editable AGOL feature services

[RJSunderman]

This discussion is being re-posted from a user idea submitted to the ArcGIS Ideas portal.

http://ideas.arcgis.com/ideaView?id=087E00000004sAHIAY

When using ArcGIS Online, it is possible to edit feature services that are non-editable if you are logged in as an administrator. GeoEvent Processor cannot add or send updates to a non-editable feature service, even when the arcgis.com data store has been set up using an administrator account. There are likely to be use cases where GEP users wish to share feature services with the public but lock down editing to only administrators. If a feature service is made editable, both administrators and publishers are able to edit it - this is a concern in regards to accidental edits. This 'idea' proposes that GEP be able to update non-editable feature services, when the service is accessed through an AGOL administrator data store.

Posted by mtjones to ArcGIS Server Sep 30, 2013

[RJSunderman]

Matt –

Thanks for your feedback and idea. The GeoEvent Extension deliberately, by design, does not allow add / update feature operations on feature layers when editing has not been explicitly enabled.

• For locally published services you must toggle the Feature Access

• For services you publish as hosted by ArcGIS Online you must specifically enable editing by selecting to Enable editing and specify that editors are allowed to Add, update, and delete features.

If your goal is to restrict organization members and prevent them from editing features, it is recommended that you publish a feature service to your local ArcGIS for Server site (with the Feature Access capability enabled) and then add an item which references the locally published map service to your ArcGIS Online for Organizations portal. Refer to the steps outlined below:

• From the My Content page, select Add Item > From the web and enter the URL of your locally published map service (e.g. https://my-server:6443/arcgis/rest/services/service-name/MapServer/0).
  • Expose the non-feature-editable AGOL Feature Layer to others in your Organization by sharing the item.
  • Named users will be able discover the feature layer and include the layer in a web map, but they will not be able to
    add/update features using a web map they open through the ArcGIS Online for Organizations portal.

If your goal is to allow members of your organization to edit features using a web map, but not necessarily share the feature service from your local ArcGIS for Server site publicly, it is recommended that you add an item to the locally published feature service to your ArcGIS Online for Organizations portal and then share the feature service only with members you specifically invite to join a group.

• From the My Content page, select Add Item > From the web and enter the URL of your locally published feature service (e.g. https://my-server:6443/arcgis/rest/services/service-name/FeatureServer/0​) to add a reference to the feature service to your Organization's content.
  • Do not expose this second item by sharing it with the "Everyone" - share it with specific members through an established Group.
  • Group members who select to add this second item to a web map will have the 'Edit' button available and will be able to add / edit / update features using the web map.

[RJSunderman]

In the following illustration, notice that the option to Add layer to new map with editing enabled is not being presented.

ArcGIS Server / Portal / ArcGIS Online administrators should be clear on the following points:

• Users with access to the ArcGIS Server site can always navigate to the feature service's page in the ArcGIS REST Services Directory and use the Add Features, Update Features, and Delete Features endpoints and make edits administratively using the REST Services API.

• Only services listed when a user clicks 'My Content' in the ArcGIS Online for Organizations portal will be listed by GeoEvent when configuring an add / update feature output, clicking to import a GeoEvent Definition (etc.) ... Items which have been shared with you are not listed by the GeoEvent Extension by design.

• Users with access to the GeoEvent Manager can configure an add / update features output by using the the Default GeoEvent Data Store connection to access a locally published feature service.

• Users who do not want to maintain a locally published map service and feature service, but want to use a hosted feature service instead, must enable editing so that GeoEvent can discover the REST endpoints needed to add / update features ... otherwise GeoEvent cannot be used to add or update features in the hosted feature service.

• GeoEvent, by design, is not allowing users to work around the fact that editing has been disabled on a hosted feature service by accessing REST endpoints which are not exposed by the service. The endpoints exist, but GeoEvent does not have a comparable workflow to Add layer to new map with editing enabled (refer illustration below).

• The GeoEvent Manager will display a validation error when an add / update feature output targets a local service whose Feature Access capability has not been toggled "on". The same validation error is displayed when an add / update feature output targets a hosted service whose Editing property is Disabled. The validation error reads:

Status: Error - Validation Error: Transport not started because Create capability is required by the output but is missing from the layer in the feature service.

Named users who have published an AGOL hosted feature layer do not need to specifically enable editing ... AGOL allows them to Add layer to new map with editing enabled:

Hope this information was helpful -

RJ