Replacing a feature service URL in AGOL web map with a view layer URL is not working. (Using AGO Assistant and ArcGIS Pro)

[MDB_GIS]

We have a webmap that currently contains a feature service for water meters. That feature service has editing enabled on it. We also have a view layer that was created from that feature service that has editing disabled. I want to replace that original editable feature service with the URL for the view only feature service. First, I tried to do this using AGO assistant. I updated the URL to the new view layer that has editing disabled and saved it. I can see on the AGO assistant that it is now using the view feature service URL. However, if I go to the webmap itself and open it up I can still edit the feature class. If I go to the item properties to open the item detail page, it is still pointing to the the original feature service that has editing disabled despite the fact that AGO assistant says it is not. 

Hoping that it was a bug, I decided to try the same thing in ArcGIS Pro. I opened the web map in arcgis pro, and updated the data source to the feature class view that has editing disabled using the "Set Data Source" option in properties. Same story, it appears to be pointing to the correct source, but after saving the web map and opening it again in AGOL, it is still pointing to the original feature service that has editing enabled.

What gives? I am currently working through an ESRI support case on this, but the rep I am talking to now just said that she thinks this is an expected behavior. I couldn't really follow her reasoning. She said that since it is just a view of the original feature service, everything is going to reflect back to that.

While I understand that the view is essentially just a copy of the original feature class, I still thought the view was supposed to honor different share settings. Am I misinformed? If not, then what is the point of a view layer? I'm quite confused here. 

[EmilyGeo · Accepted solution]

Hi @MDB_GIS, 

Yes, you are correct in your understanding of how a view layer should work.  But there are a couple of things that could be going on here. I have some suggestions that may help get you pointed in the right direction. 

1. AGO Assist: While AGO Assist can be quite handy, it is not perfect. Simply replacing the URL of the feature layer may not be enough. 

• Another thing you could try is editing the map json to replace the itemID of the original layer with the Item ID for the view layer. 
• Or you could try opening the map in Map Viewer and adding the view layer there, then see whether the editing settings are preserved when you use that work flow. 

2. Editing privileges: Another thing to keep in mind is that as a layer owner, you have privileges to edit the data whether or not editing is enabled on the layer, or in this case, the view. So, while you can still edit the data, that doesn't necessarily mean editing is enabled.

You can check whether Editing is Enabled in the View layer settings. 

3. If none of that makes a difference, then I recommend persevering with the tech support case. Good luck! 

[MDB_GIS]

Thanks for your response! The problem was indeed in the JSON. Using the "Update URLs of services in a web map" option did indeed update the URL, but there was an "itemID" parameter that also pointed back to the original layer that was not updated. This was the problem. I manually edited the JSON to replace that with the new feature class and it seems to have resolved it. 

AGO Assistant should either replace that item ID or at the very least warn you that it is not doing to full job.