Is there a way to attach pictures to an existing feature service?

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03-10-2020 03:23 PM
AyeletGreenberg
Occasional Contributor

I built a survey based on an existing feature service to help users updating existing features and also collecting new ones. In both scenarios the users will need to add pictures to the surveys.

To view the existing features in Survey123, the users need to access the survey via the Inbox >> map, but this option wouldn’t let them add a photo.
Using Collector to open the surveys doesn’t work either as the Collector works on its own copy of the feature service and updates will create new records instead of updating existing ones.

Is there any other way to update existing features and add attachments via a map?


Thanks

8 Replies
Shwu-jingJeng
Esri Regular Contributor

Hi Ayelet,

Currently there is an existing enhancement request submitted for this issue:

ENH-000110614 Add the ability to allow additional attachments to be added when attempting to edit and resend surveys in the Survey123 Field App

I encourage you to contact Esri Support. Our Support team will assign an official enhancement number for your records. Similar requests from other customers can then be attached to the same enhancement request, which helps us assess demand for the enhancement and prioritize it accordingly.

Thanks,

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AyeletGreenberg
Occasional Contributor

Hi Shwu-jing,


I opened a ticket with esri support when I couldn't attach a picture to the survey and from them I learned about this enhancement request:
ENH-000112172: Allow users to view images from submitted surveys in the survey's inbox.


I built this survey for one of our departments after I realized that they are using another app (not from esri), and I convinced them that esri mobile/field apps are much better for them, and now I can't deliver whet they need. Not with Survey123 and not with Collector.
This is a major problem for me.

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Shwu-jingJeng
Esri Regular Contributor

Hi Ayelet,

Thanks for contacting Esri Support. This issue has a higer polularity and we had adjusted the priority for this request. There is no promised timeline for this request yet but will defintely address this in the near future.

Thanks,

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DougBrowning
MVP Esteemed Contributor

We get around this by having each field visit be its own form.  Then we relate them all back to the main static point.  Much safer this way since you do not have everyone editing the same data.  Plus you do not lose GPS, editor tracking history, etc for each visit.

Hopefully the helps.

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AyeletGreenberg
Occasional Contributor

Hi Doug,

I used the related table option before, for a survey I build for recurring inspections, but the new one I'm creating is different. This survey is for street signs - mapping new ones and validating existing ones so I want the field crews to update the features themselves, not as related records. 

The reason I decided to use Survey123 is because I have different categories of signs (Regulatory, Warning, etc.) and under each category there are over hundred signs, and with Survey123 I can apply a category choice filter - users will first select the category and then in the next question only the signs belong to this category will be available from a drop down list.

 If there is a way to do something like that in Collector I'd be happy to use it instead.

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DougBrowning
MVP Esteemed Contributor

The issue with that workflow is you will constantly have to update the drop down list.  For us we load all the signs in collector and then launch inspection forms off of that.  If your form rules are simple enough then you can do it all in collector spatially.  If not then its harder.

For us we have a strict QA process so we never let anyone edit the "official" record until its been checked.  For example someone picks the wrong sign or goes to the wrong place.  Data is now bad.

Hope that helps.

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AyeletGreenberg
Occasional Contributor

The field crews are the ones that going to update the data, they are actually going to QA the existing records, and photos can help later in case things are unclear.
I wouldn't need to update the drop down list as we pretty much know what signs we have/use and the lists are long enough to include all the relevant signs. The form is simple, but I'd like to use the choice-filter option and that is why I use Survey123 and not Collector. 

JürgenBiendara
Occasional Contributor

Hi Shwu-jingJeng

My customer has the same problem as covered in this question. For performance reasons he wants to split one very large survey into smaller sub-surveys, each sub-survey dealing with a specific aspect/topic of the inspection. He needs to add attachments in all of the sub-surveys which is not possible when editing existing objects with the sub-surveys (populated from the inbox).

Can you tell the status of ENH-000110614 and also if there is some kind of workaround?

Thank you very much, best regards,
Jürgen

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