Multi-Panel Web Application Comparison

[JasonBalmut]

There are subtle differences between the out-of-the-box multi-paneled applications. I've compared six ArcGIS Online Web Application Templates using the same web maps in each when possible. Some of them have bugs that will need to be worked out in the next patch.

• Panel Synchronicity On Double-Click -  The panels remain synchronized when Location & Scale are toggled to 'On' and the user double-clicks on a panel.


• Legend Items Described - Legend items are not just symbols they also have a description from the Contents panel of the Web Map.


• Content List - The layers that make up the Web Map are listed in the application.


• Description - The Web Map's description from its Details page shows up in the application.


• Configurable - The application is configurable after publishing it.


• Other Issues - Other bugs that may detract from the use of the application.

[TABLE="class: grid"]
Panel Synchronicity
on Double-ClickLegend Items
DescribedContent ListDescriptionConfigurableOther IssuesSide By Side ViewerNoYesYesYesYes
Storytelling CompareYesNoNoYesNoScale slider tool is too small.Multiviewer StorytellingYesYesNoYesYes
Swipe ToolYesYesNoNoYes
Compare MapsNoYesYesYesYes
Search MapsNoYesYesYesYesIf maps from different areas of the world are being compared for content and the Scale and Location options are toggled 'On' there can be some real issues with each map panel trying to adjust to the others.  The user should only use this option if comparing maps with similar extents.
Save and Clear options do not appear to do anything.
[/TABLE]




This was posted on July 13, 2012.  I'll try to post changes to this table after the next patch (November 2012?).

[MikeMinami]

Nice list!  The double click synchronicity seems like a bug.

As for the some of the other items, not all the templates are meant to support exactly the same things. For example, the fact that the storytelling compare template doesn't list contents is a design decision the developer of the application chose to do. The focus was not on what layers are in the app, but rather telling a story about the maps being shown.

thanks for the feedback,

Mike

[JasonBalmut]

Thank you for your comments, Mike, and I understand.  I meant to post this as a discussion instead of Q&A.  It was mainly to show a quick summary of what to expect from each app as it is out-of-the-box so that other people didn't have to do the same research.  This was originally going to be a spreadsheet our organization would use to select the appropriate app for a gallery map; I figured others might want to use it for the same reason.

The only real bugs in the apps are the double-click synchronicity issues and the full legends not appearing.  The Storytelling Compare app lacked a decent legend and it couldn't be configured after publishing which made it less utilitarian than some of the other similar ones.  I could have posted those bugs in a separate thread but it seemed more appropriate here.