Session Variables for Web Apps

[ChristopherDawe]

Is it possible to create "Session Variables" for ArcGIS Online web applications.

I have been using Sweet for ArcGIS for some digitisation workflows and the Session Variables option has been massively useful for applying attributes to all features within a "session". I use this for adding things such as project number, project names, survey number etc across field surveys we do so that the user doesn't have to enter each time and allows us to filter  the data in pro.

I am looking for similar functionality in normal web applications, where we can set a pop-up at the beginning to enter these details and they will carry through as variables within the editing of a layer. The main reason for this is that i cannot use Sweet for this workflow as i have 24 separate surveys going on at the same location and no way of filtering the ones I dont  need off, hence using a web-app that does contain the filter option

[AlixVezina · Accepted solution]

Hi @ChristopherDawe 

Firstly, I'd recommend logging an ArcGIS Idea for your session variables request, if none already exist.

Now, there may be some creative ways to come up with a solution for this.

One option, and potentially the simplest, could be to leverage Survey123 and "Favorite" answers, so users can re-use answers when the users fill out the next form. Depending on your workflow, you can use Survey123 on its own, or an application like Experience Builder integrates easily with Survey123 so you can create a single application experience for your workflow.

Another option may be using Calculated expressions in Forms.

• Here's a blog with a somewhat similar workflow: Use the filtered value as a default field value - Esri Community
• And here's a blog with some examples of Calculated expressions in Forms and how to set them up: Go Beyond the Smart Editor using Smart Forms (esri.com)

I don't have all the details of your workflow, but my thought is that you may be able to leverage Calculated expression to automatically populate values for features you are creating based on the values in an existing feature in a reference layer you're filtering.

Once you've setup your layers and Forms in the map, you could use Experience Builder (ExB) and create an application that goes as such:

1. First the user can create a new feature in a reference feature layer where those "session variable" values are stored

2. You could then provide an option for the user to select/filter only for the feature they have just created

3. Your calculated expressions are built as such that only the values from the remaining feature they've created in step 1 and filtered in step 2 will be populated in all the new features they create next

I think for this to work well, it would rely on authoring a friendly user experience.

One more insight; we are currently working on Copy and Paste functionality for the new Web Editor application, which will be released this coming June 2024. You'll be able to quickly copy and paste features with their attributes, which will prevent having to type all the values again.

I hope any of this helps with waht you are trying to achieve.

[ChristopherDawe]

Hi @AlixVezina 

Thanks for the tips, I will have a look and see if any of these workflows will work with what I need to do. I think as both Experience Builder and Sweet progress we will see more functionality included anyway which will help, but i will definitely have a look at adding some ArcGIS Ideas too.

Many Thansk

Chris