Republish an ArcGIS Server Feature Service

[JohnMarino]

Is it possible through ArcGIS Online to republish a feature service (using a Feature Service View or some other mechanism) from an external ArcGIS Server (of which I have no control)?

Here is an example:

Say there exists a feature service on an external ArcGIS Server (example.com).

I would like serve a filtered view of that data as a feature service to share with others (so that the others do not have to connect directly and view the full data at example.com).

From within ArcGIS Online, I can successfully connect the target feature service at example.com.

At this point, normally I would simply utilize the "Create View Layer" feature from within the Feature Layer, however this option does not appear for my connected Feature Service from example.com.

Is it possible that the target/source feature service (the ArcGIS Server at example.com from my above example) is simply blocking this from occurring, or is this not possible at all? If this will not work as envisioned, any ideas for potential alternative solutions?

[SethLewis1]

After you've added the external REST endpoint to your map, apply the filter(s) that you wish to use. Then right click on the layer and click 'Save Layer'. This action will create a new Feature Layer item in your portal with the filter intact. You then may share the filtered layer item with users.

[JohnMarino]

Thanks, Seth Lewis‌. Since this does not appear to update the layer definition, does this work with external users? I.e. to share this filtered view with others outside of one's ArcGIS Online organization?

[Juan_ManuelAngel_Cuartas]

Hi Jhon thats true first you need to create a view from the service with this buttom.

and then apply the method that Seth Lewis explain to you, thats all you need and then share de feature Service

[SethLewis1 · Accepted solution]

As long as your users have access to the external ArcGIS Server instance of which you have no control and you make the Feature Layer item public, then external users should see the filtered layer in a map.

One note: you are creating a layer definition object with a definition expression property but on the Feature Layer item, not the original REST endpoint of the outside server. You can check the Feature Layer item's JSON using AGO Assistant to verify this.

[JohnMarino]

Thanks, sethlewistempe‌, this appears to be working.

Using this method, since the feature layer is still referencing the original REST endpoint, I suppose that a user could remove the filter (even if the person cannot save the layer) or go straight to the source REST endpoint to view all of the source data.

Just to confirm, though: there is no built-in way in ArcGIS Online (aside from some custom scripts to sync the data) to republish the data from the REST endpoint as a Feature Layer that I can control (and that does not directly reference the original REST endpoint)?

Hope that makes sense, thanks so much again for your help.

[SethLewis1]

That's correct John. A user could add your filtered Feature Layer item into the default map viewer and review/remove the filters and/or go to the original source. Depending on your audience's technological knowledge (i.e. are they likely to wish to view the content via a targeted web application and not the default map viewer?), this may not pose an issue.

As to your second question - to my knowledge there is no built-in method.

Glad to help. Go ahead and mark this question as answered if your original issue was resolved.