Best practice for editing domain values in online

[Lars_Kristian_EngelsbyHansen]

Hi,

I have previously posted a thread in the forum for the collector app. ( http://forums.arcgis.com/threads/104468-Best-practice-for-editing-dropdown-values-in-online ) But without any answars. Therefore i'll try it here..

I have lots of hosted maps in AGOL for different purposes. One thing that i am really excited about is the posibillity to publish features with domain values. This is really helpfull in the Collector app. Now and then, I am being asked if I can add or remove fields, or edit the values from that was originally assigned in the domain values in the geodatabase. But how to edit these values once they are published to AGOL? I have tried to overwrite the feature, but the new feature cant connect to the maps that was created on another similar feature..

Is anyone aware of a best pratice within this subject, or how does people do this?

//Lars

[TimWitt]

Lars,

I think you would have to download a local copy and then edit your domains and then re-upload your feature service.

Tim

[Lars_Kristian_EngelsbyHansen]

Hi Tim.

What do you excatly mean by re-upload my feature service?

When choosing "Create local copy for editing" i find the gedatabase of the local copy in the folder [\\FeatureServiceLocalEdits]. I add my domain values in the properties of the geodatabase. I check that the values are added on the layer and even edit one af the attributes, so that it contains one of the new domain values.

From this point I have two posibillities:

1. Finish my edit session (With the updated domain values) and choose "Synchronize local edits with service". The result is that the domains are not updated in AGOL.

2. The locally edited geodatabase and the feature are added to a map in arcmap and attempted to be shared via the "Overwrite an existing service". The problem here is that the setup has to be the exact same as the original (feature class name, description, geodatabase name and so on). If just one thing are wrong, the existing feature service on AGOL are deleted as it deletes this feature service, before it comes up with the error = NOT A GOOD USER EXPERIENCE.

I really hope that I have missed a perfect method for this, beacause the existing are not recommendable.. Anyone?

[IanYarbrough]

I'm facing the same problem with similar results as Lars.

I tried bringing the feature service down for local editing. When I navigated to the temporary GDB, I can see all my domains and even make changes. When I click ok and exit, even if I immediately start an edit session, the domain changes aren't available in my individual layers. Synchronizing changes also seems to make have no effect on either the local editing, nor the AGOL editing.

I could see this type of edit being made much easier if they was a functional way to upload a fGDB to AGOL, but this operation doesn't seem to produce a working layer.

Ian

[Lars_Kristian_EngelsbyHansen]

Hi Ian.

As I have heard there will be an update of AGOL today or tomorrow that will contain some changes on this area. I really hope that they will update the functionallity within domains in AGOL - it seems like it. I will open a botle of champagne in that case 🙂

[IanYarbrough]

Fingers crossed! Where did you hear about this update? I know to look out for new features on the ESRI blog, but I'm unaware of a news source for upcoming releases.

Thanks for the heads up, Lars!

[Lars_Kristian_EngelsbyHansen]

I saw an overview somewhere of the new release on AGOL.  Of course i cant find the url now. But try to google it.. It must be somwhere out there.. Or, just wait 24 hours and see the updates 😉

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

I received an email on the 18th (to my "free" account, not my organization email account, go figure...not the first time but bet it's an internal issue).  Not that this is the proper place to post this, but since it was mentioned, I'll attache a copy of the email with the list of enhancements. (My guess is it's also online somewhere)

[IanYarbrough]

In case anyone else is looking, the blog post below has the new features. No mention of changes to editing the domains though. The new over-write functionality does still restrict the changing of the structure (fields, features etc have to be identical).

What’s New in ArcGIS Online (September 2014) | ArcGIS Blog

[Lars_Kristian_EngelsbyHansen]

I am missing the function as well. I keep looking and testing over the weekend..