Community

Package Apps, Web Maps, and Hosted Feature Layers

515
0
02-07-2019 12:46 PM
Status: Open
by Anonymous User
Not applicable

We can currently copy content from one organisation to another, or within the same organisation, using ago-assistant.esri.com.

My idea is somewhat challenging to explain, but I will try my best:

Case 1: Create a Copy of a Hosted Feature Layer (1) from a Folder A into a Folder B.

Everything works great for this case, a copy of the layer is created as a new Hosted Feature Layer (2). If the layer (1) contains features, the feature are copied along to the new layer (2).

Case 2: Create a Copy of a Web Map (1) from a Folder A into a Folder B as a new Web Map (2). Web map (1) contains a Hosted Feature Layer (1).

The web map (1) is copied and a new web map (2) is added to Folder B. 

BUT the new web map (2) will still contains the Hosted Feature Layer (1) from web map (1) rather then generating a copy of this feature layer at the same time. This workflow is fine in most use cases.

   Suggestion: Add an option to also create a copy of all hosted feature layers contained in the web map being copied AND for the new web map (2) to now contain these new hosted feature layers (2) as well instead of referring back to feature layers (1). In other words, this would be similar to packaging everything that is contained within the web map and generating a copy of the whole package.

Case 3: Create a Copy of a Web App (1) - e.g. Web AppBuilder hosted on ArcGIS Online - from a Folder A into a Folder B as a new Web App (2).

The web app (1) is copied and a new web app (2) is added to Folder B. 

BUT the new web app (2) will still reference to the web map (1) rather then generating a copy of this web map at the same time. Later on, when changing the web map being used in the web app (as is possible in web appbuilder), most widgets will have to be re-configured.

   Suggestion: Add an option to package up the whole app (1), including it's web map (1) and the hosted feature layers (1), and creating a copy of the package as new entities independent from content (1), but now depending of one-another - the web app (2) uses web map (2) which contains hosted feature layers (2).

Happy to discuss further on this topic, as I know there are many workarounds but that they are not very user friendly at most times (e.g. replacing service URLs in a web map using the ago-assistant).

My thought behind this packaging capability - especially at the web app level with all it's related contents - would be an opportunity for enabling users in creating and sharing their own packaged solutions to be easily re-used by the wider community without having to re-create/re-configure the web maps and applications.