How to upload/import local CSV files into new Map Viewer (formerly "Map Viewer Beta")

[TraceyFinnegan-Wiese]

My organization uses ArcGIS Pro/ArcMap on the desktop, however I am a novice user and have never found the desktop tools to be intuitive so I only use ArcGIS Online for creating maps and this is strictly done with uploading local CSV files. In the existing ArcGIS Online tool users can import a local CSV file as a layer into Map Viewer Classic (formerly known as “Map Viewer”) by clicking on the Add content button, import, and CSV and then users can browse for the file on their local devices. However, I cannot figure out how to do this in the new Map Viewer (formerly known as “Map Viewer Beta”). The only option I see is clicking the circle with the plus symbol in it and then clicking CSV, but by doing so it doesn’t appear the user can select a local file – it has to be a url address (e.g. https: // <enter URL>) and none of my files are in a url format (I have no idea how to even make a local csv file as a url). Am I missing something? Given that I’m not a super-user I suspect I’m missing some important steps, but I’m hoping this new Map Viewer isn’t going to require a bunch more steps to import a local csv file. Please respond in laymen’s terms if possible as I rarely understand all the technical jargon used by the GIS gurus. Thanks!

[JeremyBartley1]

Hi Tracey,

Your best bet for loading CSVs into Online is to load the data from your My Content page.  Doing it this way creates a hosted feature layer that has virtually no size limits on the amount of data you can load.  Loading a CSV in Map Viewer Classic will add the features into the web map and there is a strict limit on the number of features you can add this way (for performance reasons).  This assumes you are a user in an organizational account and can create hosted feature layers.  

The new map viewer will eventually have a way to make this seamless and integrated within the app itself in a future update.    So stay tuned!

Jeremy

[TraceyFinnegan-Wiese]

Thanks for your response, Jeremy. Yes, what you suggest is the current method I use to upload local CSV files to the old/classic web viewer (e.g. from "My Content" page). However, what I really want to know is HOW to upload CSV files directly in the new/Beta Web Viewer without first creating in the old/classic web viewer and then viewing in the new.

My fear is that the old/classic web viewer and its functions will go away and there will then be no way to upload local CSV files in the new/Beta web viewer. Hopefully the old/classic web viewer will not be de-commissioned until all the features/functions from it are available in the new/Beta web viewer.

Since sending my original question I've done additional research and found my issue to be one shared by many others and from what I can tell the existing new/Beta Web Viewer isn't set up to allow import of local CSV files for creating layers, which is disappointing and a total deal breaker for me being able to use the new/Beta Web Viewer.

[JeremyBartley1 · Accepted solution]

Loading from My Content is still your best bet.  You will get better performance and you will have no limit on the number of features you can add.  It is independent on which map viewer you chose as your default.

That being said we will in the future have a way to upload local files directly in the new map viewer.  

jeremy

[PaulSLowrey]

Agreed Tracey, and 1.5 years later it appears nothing has changed; map viewer wants a URL for my local csv file. (!)  What used to be so easy for my Intro to GIS students has become kind of an ordeal.

[JeremyBartley1]

In the November release of Online you will have the same add experience in the new map viewer that is in My Content.  This will allow of direct publishing of the files from the map viewer.  In addition, that experience will allow you to host the geojson/csv files that can be viewed without publishing to a service (if the user can't publish for instance).