How to create and load a layer group to ArcGIS online ????

[EbenBroadbent1]

Basically, just want it to behave more like ArcGIS Desktop where I can group layers thematically and allow people to open and close the folders of layers in ArcGIS online or Explorer online maps.

Any help much appreciated. I have ArcGIS 10.1 and a institutional ArcGIS online account, my tools available.

ebennb@gmail.com

Thank you!!!

[MikeMinami]

Do you mean you want to do the grouping in the web map of arcgis.com? There is no way currently to group layers. It's actually a bit problematic to do because grouping implies layer ordering. The layers in a web map can't be positioned anywhere in the TOC because of how they're getting drawn. For example, shapefiles can't be drawn below a layer that references a map service.

Mike

[EbenBroadbent1]

Dear Mike,

Thank you for your prompt response. Here is a quick, hopefully clearer, summary of my question:

Situation: I have 100 shapefiles and 50 satellite image rasters. The shapefiles are themeatically grouped into 10 categories (of 10 shapefiles each). The rasters are grouped into 5 categories (of 10 rasters each).

Objective: I would like to be able to create an ArcGIS online map for the public to look at and interact with that has all these layers, and has them grouped into their thematic groups. The objective is for it to appear like as in ArcMAP Desktop where you can expand and minimize the group depending on which themes are of interest to you at the moment.

Tools: The tools I have available to accomplish this task are an ArcGIS 10.1 Desktop installation, including ArcCatalog, etc... and an institutional ArcGIS online account (connected to the desktop ESRI software).

Any methods, or even better a detailed step by step, would be super appreciated.

Thank you!!!

Eben Broadbent
Postdoctoral Fellow
Harvard University & Smithsonian Institution
eben@amazonico.org

[MikeMinami · Accepted solution]

Eben,

I think it will be challenging to author one web map with 100 shapefiles and 50 rasters. Are the rasters meant to display all together as one virtual layer? You want the map user to dynamically control which layers are visible?

When you say you have an institutional ArcGIS Online account, does this mean you've been invited into an organization that has a paid subscription to ArcGIS Online? You will need this to upload your data and publish web services out of them.

If you have access to ArcGIS Server, you could publish a map service. That would give you the grouping you're after and also the ability to turn layers on and off.

By publishing to ArcGIS Online, I could suggest the following. You need to have the role of publisher in the organization.

• Publish a hosted tiled map service for your rasters. I'm assuming that they're meant to display together and they're not 50 separate layers. You will need to assemble a map in arcmap and publish from ArcMap.


• Publish each shapefile as a hosted feature service. Simply upload each shapefile as an item to My Content. During upload, you will see the option to create a service.

As a web map doesn't allow creating groups of layers, you might consider taking a different approach where you create your own application where a user might answer questions that define what layers to show rather than relying on the table of contents to control it. Then the application would show the appropriate layers.

Good luck,

Mike

[BrianAnderson4]

I have access to ArcGIS Server but am missing something in publishing a map service to ArcGIS Online since I have not been able to do it. Is there any documentation somewhere that I can read?

[ChristopherWesson]

So what can I do with GPX data. At the moment I have tracked points (which I'm not showing) and the 24 subsequent routes, which I am and have styled all the same. They are all one data layer but the TOC dropdown and therefore the legend separates each entry which looks stupid.

Do I need to go into ArcGIS desktop to resolve this? At the moment the GPX is straight out of a Garmin sat-nav. I had hoped this would work as its kinda the point of a blog article I'm writing it for, i.e. the ease of use.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,

Chris

[jonraper]

So I just got off the chat with ESRI. They really need to provide the ability to categorize and sub categorize data within the online maps. I thought the solution might be to create zipped folders for each sub category and then zip them together based on how items are loaded into online. Example:
1)Gathering system
   A) gathering system 1
   B) gathering system 2
   c) gathering system 3

This does not provide a solution though, you will receive an error "missing shapefile", very frustrating since we are trying to expand the use of this tool within our organization. ESRI has a lot of work to do if they want our dime.

[PhuongDo]

Without layer grouping, ArcGIS online is just a toy. Unfortunately, I do like ESRI but can't use ArcGIS online for my real work.

Phuong

[DavidMuthami1]

Hi, I am interested with whether you found a solution to group layers in ArcGIS online web map

[SebastienPetit]

Same here.

We created a specific template for that but would appreicate other feedback