Map Tour Storytelling Template, problems getting it to work

[MichaelMachado]

I'm trying to use the storytelling map tour template and can't seem to get it to show up.  I've created the web app on ArcGIS Online, added some content, saved it, shared it publically, downloaded and configured the template.  When I click on the link, the page kind of opens but it never gets past the "Loading Application", doesn't load the data or start the tour.  Any assistance would be great.  Thanks

[RupertEssinger]

Hi RuthAnne

We have just released the updated version of the map tour template download. Here is the link to the updated zip file:

http://links.esri.com/storymaps/map_tour_template_zip

Your existing web map will work with this update OK. This should fix the issues you saw. You will have to re-apply any customizations you have made to your existing template download files, such as changing the logo to be your own instead of Esri's.

To all map tour template download users: We recommend that all users who have deployed a map tour story map by downloading the previous version and putting it on their own web server or web site download the updated version of the template and update their deployment using those files. You will need to re-do any customizations you have done to your existing map tour. So it is a good idea to make a copy of your existing map tour first. It's worth doing the update because our updated version fixes several issues.

Note: with the recent update of ArcGIS Online this week, we have enhanced the map tour template so all user accounts, not just ArcGIS Online for Organizations subscribers, can create map tours without downloading the template by using the hosted version of the template which is built-in to ArcGIS Online. Previously the hosted map tour template was only available to ArcGIS Online for Organizations subscribers at the Publisher or Admin level. Now it is available to all user accounts including Public Accounts. All you need to do to get started is to create an empty web map, save it, and then share it as a web application using the Map Tour template you will see in the Template gallery. Follow the instructions and when you configure the app, you'll be prompted what to do.

Also, if you have created a map tour with the hosted version of the template (the one that is in the template gallery when you share a web map) then there is a new option now available in the Organize dialog that lets you nominate the first point in your tour to be an intro image+caption for your map tour that isn't shown on the map as a point. Previously this behavior was only available in the template download (where it is the default behavior). But now you hosted map tour users can opt in and get that behavior if you want. It is nice because it lets you give your audience a picture and some text to set the scene for your tour, without the caption+image having to be about a particular place on the map. So hen users press the > arrow next to your intro to start the tour, they get take to place 1, instead of place 1 being what they see when the tour first starts up.