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Hosted Feature layer notifications

SLouq

I have workers in the field doing hydrant inspections using Survey123. When they submit the form, it updates a hosted feature layer which I can access in my ArcGIS Pro document. I was wondering since I update a hydrant feature class with the information they are publishing in the hosted feature layer, is there a way for me to get a notification whenever that hosted feature layer is updated? Instead of me just having to remember to check it everyday to see if it's been updated.

Thanks

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StrathconaBTS

Hosted Feature Layer Webhooks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9PMC2yGJbA&ab_channel=EsriEvents

SLouq

I think you have provided enough information for me to figure this out. I will keep trying until I get the Status = Completed answer you provided.

RhettZufelt

They really messup up the access to REST service through item details a couple "udates" ago, especially with secure services.

So, now if it is secured (not avail to public), you need to do the r-click thing to get it to pass token properly and forward you to the correct server.

The link you post in the init.json to the HFS will not load in a browser directly without the token required message if your service is not public. However, the script also passes the credentials of user in your org with access to it, so the token is generated behind the scene, and the script should have access.

SLouq

Thanks for all the help with this. I think I know what I need to do now.

RhettZufelt

Use the copy icon below the View. This should give the full https://services7.arcgis.com/..../FeatureServer url.

You will then need to pass an AGOL username and password that has access to that feature service in the init.json or you will get token issues.

SLouq

It adds a tokenID to the URL

SLouq

Should I copy that URL for the fsURL in the init.json file?

RhettZufelt

After your second example, right click on the >service_...... at the top and open in new window/tab.

SLouq

I think I am missing something from the fsURL.

When I copy and paste that URL into a web browser, it goes to this page

but when I click on view from the HFS overview page, it goes to the FS REST Service Directory

SLouq

yes I changed it to smtp

RhettZufelt

Are you using your internal smtp server and just changed to gmail as that is sensitive? I ask, as there are specific instructions in the original post of how to configure if using gmail.

Other than that, I see you have serviceuser and servicepw in the init.json set to an email, and smtp.

This needs to be the AGOL username and password that has access to the service (otherwise, token errors).

Also, the serviceuser does not have quotes around it, which causes it to throw the exact error of you earlier post (why it is not parsing the json correctly).

SLouq

I made a copy of the init.json file for you to look at and edited out the sensitive information.

I left the fsLayerNum value set to 0 because that is what it shows in the service URL when I view it.

Here is the init.json file

RhettZufelt

You should not make any changes to the python script, just the init.json file.

Yes, that is the correct URL to put in there, but, the HFS will also have at least one layer in it. This script monitors for changes in a layer in the HFS, so you need to supply the layer number for the fsLayerNum: in the json file. Here is my file with sensitive info changed:

I use internal mail server, with no issues (set in the "email" portion of the json file "server": ).

Once it runs correctly, or at least creates the layergens file, you will see that file appear in the 'generations' folder. AND, if you make any changes to the init.json after running it, you will need to delete the layergens file that gets created there or you may get errors. (it is specific for the single layer from the HFS that is configured in the init.json)

the "serviceuser": and "servicepw" need to be a user that has access to that service.

However, based on the last error message you provided, I don't think it is getting that far. Seems there is something wrong with the init.json file.

In python window, you should be able to put the following code:

import os
import json
os.chdir(r'C:\CD')
cfile = 'init.json'
json.load(open(cfile))

That should print the contents of the init.json file as a json string. If it doesn't, or errors out, this is where the problem lies. Once you get past that, will be easier to troubleshoot (if needed).

SLouq

The only question I have about the python script is for the line that says

if servername=="smtp.gmail.com":
server.login(srvrInfo[2],srvrInfo[3])

Does the servername need to be my 'organization's smtp server name' and not smtp.gmail.com?

SLouq

I'm not sure how to direct message on here and I don't want to share the init.json file since it has our email servere info in it. So I'll just post questions if that's ok.

for the fsURL in the init.json file I have the URL of the Hosted Feature Layer.

Is this the correct URL for the fsURL?

When I copy and paste that URL into my web browser it goes to an ARCGIS REST service directory but it says Token Required

To answer your question, Yes the init.json file is in the same folder as the DetectChanges.py file.

It is generating a folder called 'generations' but it is empty

RhettZufelt

The first time you run it, should look like this:

Then, if you make any change to the data and run again:

and get an email like:

If running as a scheduled task, you don't see IDLE, so will just get the email when something chaged.

I am able to run this from any computer that I have Pro installed on (since it installs python3 and the requests module). But, doesn't even need Pro, just python3 and request module.

It looks like you are having an issue reading the json config file. Is your init.json file in the same directory as the DetectChanges.py file?

Is it sensitive, or can you share the text content of your init.json file to help troubleshoot? (Can direct message me if you like)

SLouq

Thank for replying to my questions on this!

I ran the python script in IDLE and it outputs this file.

I was getting the error I specified in a reply yesterday of Unable to generate token but then got it to output this file. Does this look correct?

My IT guy is telling me this needs to be run on the database server.

RhettZufelt

You can test it manually first to make sure it is working correctly, then task scheduler it.

Once you have ran it once, it will create the layergen file for you.

Then, to test it, you can have your crew submit another test survey, then just run the script in IDLE again.

PS, unlike the power automate connector, this will notify you when the HFS has changed (editing in map viewer, Pro, etc) wheras the Survey 123 connector only detects changes made with Survey 123.

SLouq

I may have answered my own question. I got the python script to run without throwing an error. Now I just have to get my IT people to put the DetectChanges.py and the init.json files in the right location and set the Task Scheduler up so it will run the script for me.

Thanks!

SLouq

Now I see. I didn't see where the download button was in the upper right of the page. Now that I have found the python DetectChanges.py and init.json file and downloaded it to my computer do I need to change anything in the DetectChanges.py script or just in the init.json file?

I ran the DetectChanges.py script using IDLE(ArcGIS Pro) and it gave me the error:

SystemExit: 1 Unable to generate token. Invalid Username or Password (in getToken)

Does that mean I'm not entering the right username and password in the init.json file?

RhettZufelt

If you follow the directions linked above, Step 1 of the script part is to download the script:

That zip file has the python script AND the init.json file. The init.json file is what needs to be modified with the blue items from the link above, the included script is what you run in python3.

Then:

You need to run the script once at firsts, this will create the layergens_ms.json file, which captures the 'state' of the HFL at that time.

Unlike PowerAutomate, this "script" won't detect when a change is made automatically, the python script has to run in order for it to "check" for changes. So, schedule the script to run as often as you want. (I had it run every minute when testing). When it runs, it will compare the state on AGOL to the state last captured in the layergens file and will report if any changes were made.

Doesn't matter what you name the layergens_ms.json file, but, since I use this to detect change in more than one layer, I usually include the layer name so it is easier to keep track of.

   (ex.  "layergens": "layergens_hydrants.json")

So, the first time you run it, it creates the layergens file and will not notify you of any changes. After that, anytime it runs, it checks with the layergen to see if anything has changed, if so, it sends the email, and updates the layergen to include the recent changes so that same update doesn't trigger it again.

SLouq

I copied the python code into a notepad .txt doc and saved it with the .py extension. I entered my hosted feature layer URL into the script and I had my IT person replace all the blue text with the corresponding server info so the script could access the server. Had my inspection crew submit a survey but recieved no email notification.

My question is for the line in the script: "layergens": "layergens_ms.json"

Do I leave that line as is or do I need to replace layergen with the name of my hosted feature layer?

SLouq

Thank you !

RhettZufelt

If you have office 365 login, you can set up power automate Survey 123 notification that does just that.

I have also had success with scheduled python tasks and this post.

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