Vector Tile Layer questions

[Jack_Zhang]

Hi, I have couple of questions about Vector Tile Layer that I couldn't find a clear answers here, wish if anyone could help.

ArcGIS Pro 2.1.2, ArcGIS Portal 10.5

1. When publish vector tile layer to Portal (with option to copy all data), it creates a Tile Layer and a Vector Tile Package automatically. Interestly, if I delete the vector tile package, I'm still OK to view the Tile layer. So what's the purpose of creating the Vector Tile Package. 

2. How to overwrite a published vector tile layer directly from ArcGIS Pro? Am I supposed to do it only by creating a VTPK in Pro to replace the same VTPK in Portal? If I tried publish from Pro to the same vector layer already exists in Portal I got an error message said item name already exists.

3. In terms of customised label and symbol of a my own vector tile layer, I know need to change the Style JS file. I'm wondering if there's tool allow me to preview changes while editing the Json style, or even better a tool to convert the symbols used by the layer in Pro directly to the JSON string? 

4. and 5. Also would be great if vector layer support legend and identify to show highlighted field value. (though from my reading it sounds not possible...)

thank you.

[Andy-Green]

A few answers.

1) You *can* delete the VTPK but there can be some loss of functionality by doing so.

Hosted layer management—Portal for ArcGIS | Documentation for ArcGIS Enterprise 

2) I realize this question is older, so hopefully you've upgraded your Enterprise to at least 10.6 where there is a Replace feature in portal. You can keep the same hosted tile layer name so it doesn't impact your tile layer/style service URL. New VTPK and hosted tile layer should have a different name each time publishing (Basemap_2020Q1, Basemap_2020Q2, etc.).  They will be swapped (replaced) into your original hosted tile layer name. 

Manage hosted tile layers—Portal for ArcGIS | Documentation for ArcGIS Enterprise 

3) We now have the Vector Tile Style Editor (in ArcGIS Online as well as Enterprise at 10.8).  While not directly going into the JSON code to edit, the changes you make will update the JSON.

Introduction | ArcGIS for Developers