Saving properties to the source layer from within Map Viewer

[RuthSpell1]

I am confused about how to save properties of a layer to the source layer from within Map Viewer.   I believe the Save button under a layer's Properties -> Information will save properties to the source layer.   I have also read that you can go to the layer in the Layer List on the left side of Map Viewer and click Options (...), then Save and this will also save to the source layer.

My question is:   Do both these methods save ALL properties to the source layer?   Or does it just save the last property you edited?   Is there a way to save SOME properties to the source layer and others to the map?   

AGOL documentation  page entitled "Set layer properties" says that you can save individual properties or all properties at once, but doesn't specify how to do either.

I am trying to make sure that my Forms are saved to the source layer, but in the Properties -> Information the Forms keeping showing as saved in the web map.    

Any insights would be appreciated?

[EmilyGeo]

Hi @RuthSpell1, 

Yes you can Save forms to the layer using either of the methods you describe above. When you do that, it means that anytime you add the layer to a map after that, you'll see the form that you saved to the layer.

This will not affect layers already in the map.

Check out this article with editing tips for more info: https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/arcgis-online/mapping/5-tips-for-easier-editing-in-map-vie...

[RuthSpell1]

Thanks, @EmilyGeo ,

It's good to know that I can use the Save option in Properties or in the Layer Options to save a form to the source layer.

But I am still unclear whether using the two Save options I described above saves ALL layer properties (forms, pop-ups, symbology, etc) to the source layer or only new property edits that haven't previously been saved.  For example, maybe I want my form to be saved to the source layer, but I want my pop-up configuration to only be saved to the map.    

AGOL documentation  page entitled "Set layer properties" says that you can save individual properties or ALL properties at once, but doesn't specify how you would do one vs the other.   

Would appreciate any further feedback.

[EmilyGeo]

Hi @RuthSpell1, 

By default, any changes you make to the properties of feature layers in your map are stored in the map when you save it. Saving to the layer saves all the properties you have configured in that map (forms, pop-ups, symbology, etc) so that you can easily use them in other maps. 

I think what's throwing you off is this section 

which refers to the properties you can manage here:

 

[RuthSpell1]

Yes - that section of the documentation is throwing me.   

I hate to belabor the point, but if I click on the Manage Layer Properties button that you highlighted, it presents 2 options:

 I can either reset ALL properties to the source layer OR disconnect from the source layer and have ALL properties saved in the map.    There does not appear to be a way to save an individual property to the source layer vs the map as indicated in the 2nd sentence that you highlighted from the documentation.  

 

I must be missing something...

[EmilyGeo · Accepted solution]

Yep, I see your point. You're not presented with a menu that lets you choose what individual thing to save and where. You can save individual things differently than others (layer vs map), and you can view and manage those in the way that you described.

If you’d like to see a menu to choose what to save where, you could submit an idea or enhancement request.

If what you want to do is save a form on the layer, but not save the pop-up to the layer, you can do that by taking these steps in the following order:

• Create the form.
• Save the layer.
• Create the pop-up.
• Don't save the layer. 

Hope that helps!

[RuthSpell1]

Thank you!!   The documentation was definitely tripping me up.   

Thank you for the alternative suggestion on how to achieve save different properties between the source and web map.   

I appreciate all of your time and feedback on this.

Ruth