ArcGIS Viewer for Javascript - Application Builder

AdamDrackley1 · ‎01-06-2012

As we're seeing new Builder applications be released for the Silverlight and Flex Viewers, are there any rumblings of plans to release one for Javascript? I'm aware that ArcGIS.com has a JS Web Application Builder, but the Silverlight Builder has the great ability to integrate custom-created widgets (Add-ins) into generated applications. Has anyone seen/heard anything about a user-friendly way of spinning up Javascript API Web Apps with the option of including Custom Widgets?

KirstenLawrence · ‎06-05-2014

Hi All,
Anyone know if this is an AGOL/Portal specific product or if it will be usable with standalone ArcServer?
Thanks,
PW

I'd like to know as well

StephenLead · ‎06-05-2014

Hi All,
Anyone know if this is an AGOL/Portal specific product or if it will be usable with standalone ArcServer?
Thanks,
PW

I've only played with beta 1 for a few minutes, but on first glance it looks like it's hard-wired for ArcGIS Online/Portal - one of the inputs is an ArcGIS.com web map.

KevinMacLeod1 · ‎06-06-2014

I've only played with beta 1 for a few minutes, but on first glance it looks like it's hard-wired for ArcGIS Online/Portal - one of the inputs is an ArcGIS.com web map.

How much can we discuss here? Stevel you're right on. I believe most of us wanted something like Flex but for JS. Easy to use yet powerful and customizable, not tied to ArcGIS.com. This is not it. This Web Builder is just Basic Viewer 2.0. It should support our services on our servers running the API on our machines. I say this even though we have an ArcGIS.com Online organizational account. ArcGIS.com is fantastic, we use it, and it's really coming along, but it's not appropriate in a lot of common scenarios especially for large enterprises or government agencies, where data sharing, security, control over redundancy, and other concerns mean sites and data will never be in anyone's "cloud" except on premise. The more ESRI can get their web viewers out there as a tool and get CIOs/CEOs and other corner office types interested the more ArcGIS Server licenses they can sell. I don't think ArcGIS.com competes with onsite servers, it compliments them. So I think it would be very beneficial to both ESRI and us as users, to make this Web Builder work with local services, local API etc.

And I think we all want AGS TOC widget built in to API. A real table of contents, it's time for it! Would be a nice feature to include in Web Builder.

ThomasHoman · ‎06-07-2014

And I think we all want AGS TOC widget built in to API. A real table of contents, it's time for it! Would be a nice feature to include in Web Builder.

AMEN! - They canned the TOC functionality out of the 10.0 WebADF in the conversion to 10.1and it needs to come back.

Tom

KevinMacLeod1 · ‎06-11-2014

AMEN! - They canned the TOC functionality out of the 10.0 WebADF in the conversion to 10.1and it needs to come back.

Tom

ESRI developers have posted philosophical reasons they do not want a TOC in the API.

ESRI has also been promoting "task based viewers" where every viewer is substantially different.

Task based viewers are nice, but nearly every big client, company, or city wants "The Viewer". The main viewer with a standard set of tools. Or at least an easy way to add and remove from a standard set of tools. (Flex easy, not JS easy. ActionScript is nice.). One of which is a Table of Contents (TOC). I believe the majority of users do in fact understand how to use a TOC and want it. Everyone else chime in here if you have different experiences. But I believe they need to make the Basic Viewer template and the Web App Builder for JavaScript both A) easier to use B) more powerful. Our services, our servers, local API, as much (and much more) customization possible as Flex, but as easy to get started with. More out of the box widgets supplied, like TOC, Google StreetView, Multiple services Identify widget, etc. The JSON customizing in the Web Builder looks great although I wasn't getting it to work doing some tweaks on positioning scalebar, and some simple geocoder things (i.e our geocoder).

JeffPace · ‎06-11-2014

ESRI developers have posted philosophical reasons they do not want a TOC in the API.

ESRI has also been promoting "task based viewers" where every viewer is substantially different.

Task based viewers are nice, but nearly every big client, company, or city wants "The Viewer". The main viewer with a standard set of tools. Or at least an easy way to add and remove from a standard set of tools. (Flex easy, not JS easy. ActionScript is nice.). One of which is a Table of Contents (TOC). I believe the majority of users do in fact understand how to use a TOC and want it. Everyone else chime in here if you have different experiences. But I believe they need to make the Basic Viewer template and the Web App Builder for JavaScript both A) easier to use B) more powerful. Our services, our servers, local API, as much (and much more) customization possible as Flex, but as easy to get started with. More out of the box widgets supplied, like TOC, Google StreetView, Multiple services Identify widget, etc. The JSON customizing in the Web Builder looks great although I wasn't getting it to work doing some tweaks on positioning scalebar, and some simple geocoder things (i.e our geocoder).

I couldnt agree more.

Task Based Viewers - great for simple/non developers. Nightmare to maintain, or islands that are never touched. Great simple customer experience, terrible consistency between viewers.

"The Viewer" - what everyone else wants

Seems like ESRI thinks these are mutually exclusive. Or at least, highly promotes one at the expense of the other.

We have integrated the TOC. I would love to add right click, reorder,etc.. functionality. But for now, good enough.

http://www.mymanatee.org/gisapps/mobile/index.html

EricPollard2 · ‎06-12-2014

I have been using the beta of the webapp builder. It seems great, I have gotten a full application setup (almost) exactly as needed, downloaded the zip file, uploaded the unzipped folder, but then cannot get it to run in any web server. I've tried in the localhost, I've tried loading to my web host, and each try it will just show a static image of the basemap, the loading symbol, and no elements of the actual application whatsoever. This occurs in all browsers. REALLY wish I could get this fixed !!!
Thanks,
Eric

RobertScheitlin__GISP · ‎07-14-2014

All,

There is a new group for Web App Builder:

Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS‌

Also there are widget developers like Robert Scheitlin‌, Frank Roberts‌, Larry Stout‌ already working on widgets and enhancements to the OOTB widgets.

KevinMacLeod1 · ‎07-14-2014

Well it ain't Flex Viewer.

In this Builder there is no Table of Contents. We are restricted to 3 extra widgets. And the customization in the first beta with JSON where we could configure position and some other quick things... appears to be gone? Also where do we add our own REST layers? I saw that mentioned in What's New but can't find it. Is there an "Advanced Mode" I'm missing somewhere or is this really all there is. Even BasicViewer template was more useful as a starting point. That is just the problem. ESRI by now has released dozens of "starter apps". HTML5 boilerplate. Bootstrap starter. Bootstrapmap. AngularJS viewer. SimpleViewer. BasicViewer. Now this Builder. The problem? All of them are lacking some fundamentals. Table of Contents etc. Easy use of our own layers. Yes...... I know I can dive in and remove the hardwired restriction to 3 widgets somewhere I'm sure, or add my own layers. But then, what is the point of this template!? If it's only for extreme beginner users, they're better off just sticking to ArcGIS.com. This is in a useless middle zone, between beginning and advanced. It's basically a dumbed-down Basic Viewer with a graphic user interface to set it up.

I hope they add a lot more to this before release. The easier JSAPI is, the more server licenses they may sell...

The comment on people developing 3rd party widgets to plug into this sounds great though. That's key. Like in Flash. You download it, alter one line of code and presto, it works. No scope issues, AMD vs legacy issues, and so on. Like fitting two legos together. I hope ESRI makes Widgets finally this easy, with this builder. First one to publish ags TOC widget will be pretty popular here on the forum!

RobertScheitlin__GISP · ‎07-14-2014

K M,

I am a little confused as to what a TOC widget would do that the Layer List Widget does not already do?.. As far as a 3 widget limit, well that is a misunderstanding on your part. What the Web App Builder calls the 123 widgets are just on screen placeholders for three widgets of your choosing, but you are by no mean limited to three widget in your app. You can add several widgets to the header controller by clicking on the "set the widgets in this controller" link on the widgets tab.

Robert