Layer from web failed to publish in story maps

[ChristopherSwift]

Hi all,

I'm a relative beginner on Story Maps working in an educational setting. I've built some maps on ArcGIS Online using CSV layers from the web -- Google Sheets specifically. On the ArcGIS Online side, the layer appears fine. But when I try to bring that map into Story Maps, the layer disappears. Interestingly, I was able to add maps with hosted CSV file layers on two other pages in the same Story Map. In fact, to test things out, I built a map using a web CSV file that I had already used in another map which worked in Story Maps. So the problem is not in the CSV file, I don't think. Is there a limit on the number of web hosted maps allowed on Story Maps? 

Here's the story.... if it helps. https://arcg.is/1KHqCP

By the way, I have published to "everyone" in ArcGIS Online and in Story Maps. So I don't think this is an issue. 

Any assistance you could provide would be brilliant!

Thank you,

Chris

[OwenGeo]

Hi @ChristopherSwift -- There are several maps in that story. Could you specify which one is having this issue? It would be helpful if you could provide a direct link to the web map (or its item ID), mention which layer(s) specifically are experiencing this issue, and provide a link for the web CSV layer you are using.

It would also be good to know if the layer is visible if you open up your web map in the map viewer beta or if the layer is only visible in the classic map viewer.

[ChristopherSwift]

Hi Owen,

Yes, of course. I should have given these to you in the first place.

Here's the published Google Sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQdDYVABr_odo2gGFjOnlXGcpgX0Nvy0IjsiMOocXatFfqwribxZ...

This is a link to a single tab from the sheet, not the "ENTIRE" sheet. If that matters.

Here's the map created in ArcGIS Online: https://arcg.is/1XnqXW

And here again is the Story Map: https://arcg.is/1KHqCP

I'm working on the page after the introduction: "HOW TO USE". When I'm editing and click "Add Map", I'm given the option to go to my ArcGIS account CONTENT. I choose the map I just created (City Performs: Complete Map with Active/Non-Active (2021)... the first link in this message), and the Map Viewer (Beta) tool opens with the map. It's at that point that I only see the base map without the layers (points on the map) that I can see in ArcGIS Online. Strangely, if you scroll to Early New York and Nineteenth Century panels, you'll see maps that I previously created that are linked to a live Google Sheet layer. It's strange that these two maps are functioning but the "Complete" map is not. 

Here are the ArcGIS Online Maps for the other two:

Early NY: https://arcg.is/1uDLC51 

Nineteenth century: https://arcg.is/jzLeL

Perhaps there's something in the "Complete" google sheet causing the error? Still that doesn't seem to make sense since it functions with ArcGIS online but doesn't show up in the Story Map. 

Any help you can provide would be great!

Thank you,

Chris

[ChristopherSwift]

Quick amendment... for some reason the 18th century map no longer links to the Google sheet. When I update info on the Google sheet, it doesn't get reflected in the ArcGIS online map (or the Story Map). 

The nineteenth century map does, however. Here's the google sheet for the 19th century layer: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vSQXjQGJJWGKFz1RT9tWD7KLLa9ER1qvIvgajk_o7Hnyo580ntjo... 

[OwenGeo]

@ChristopherSwift Thanks for the additional information.

I opened your web map in the map viewer beta and I can see the same issue (the layer does not appear), so unfortunately this looks like it's a web map issue rather than a StoryMaps issue.

Just some quick technical background...the map viewer beta and ArcGIS StoryMaps both use the latest (4.x) version of the ArcGIS API for JavaScript (JSAPI), which is the underlying technology framework for web mapping applications. Unfortunately, the 4.x version does not yet support all of the layer types as the previous 3.x version of the JSAPI. The classic map viewer uses the 3.x version of the JSAPI, so this is why you see your layer when you open up the web map in the classic map viewer.

I believe adding layers from URL is coming soon in the 4.x JSAPI, but I'm not sure of the exact date. It might be best to share the link of your map opened in the map viewer beta to the map viewer beta question board on GeoNet so they can give you the latest information on when that layer type will be supported.

[ChristopherSwift]

Owen,

Thanks for your reply. I'll leave a message on the question board.

It is odd, though, that one of the maps in the Story (19th century) does work with URL layer while the other don't. Got lucky I guess. 

Last question, if you don't mind. I have institutional access to ArcGIS Pro. Would I be able to insert a map created in Pro into Story Maps that would accept URL layers? Sounds like no, for now, but I thought I'd ask. 

Chris

[OwenGeo · Accepted solution]

@ChristopherSwift If you're talking about GIS data layers you publish from Pro as web services (so feature layers, tile layers, image services, etc.) then absolutely those are supported in StoryMaps.

The unsupported URL layers we were talking about above are things like 3rd party data sources like files/data from Google Sheets, Google Drive, etc.