Group Filter Widget duplicating records when activated

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10-07-2021 10:20 AM
SFM_TravisBott
Occasional Contributor III

I am attempting to use the Group Filter widget in a configurable web app and it appears to multiply the records based on the number of layers in the group filter. 

I have a dataset that contains a multi-level approval workflow. The dataset in the web map that underpins the web app is replicated as four different layers, each filtered to display the records at various stages of the approval process. The point of the group filter is to be able to highlight all records in a particular county or jurisdiction, regardless of their respective stage in the process. However, when the group filter is activated it multiples the record as if it exists in all stages as once. This behavior stops when the filter is turned off or reset. 

See image below. This data is currently incomplete, and displays as such (yellow, report forthcoming). But the Info Summary displays counts for the whole state, hence the group filter....

Groupfilter1.PNG

When the filter is activated, it cuts down the appropriate category, but then erroneously replicates it into all other categories. 

Groupfilter2.PNG

It would seem that the group filter is perfectly designed for what I want it to do....it just does too much besides. Here is a link to another question somebody asked over a year ago and got no responses to.

Any thoughts?

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SFM_TravisBott
Occasional Contributor III

Turns out a case was not necessary. 

A box at the bottom to "Append all expressions to existing map filter" needs to be checked (the default option, "Append any expression....." does not work). 

Simple fix, though I can't say I understand what's really going on. 

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AlixVezina
Esri Regular Contributor

Hi @SFM_TravisBott ,

This definitely looks like an issue that may need fixing. It would be difficult to troubleshoot this through the comments here, please if you have the time would you be able to report it to Esri Support so we can pin down the source of the problem so it can be fixed? Thank you very much for sharing this.

Alix

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SFM_TravisBott
Occasional Contributor III

@AlixVezina I will do just that. Thank you for the prompt response. 

SFM_TravisBott
Occasional Contributor III

Turns out a case was not necessary. 

A box at the bottom to "Append all expressions to existing map filter" needs to be checked (the default option, "Append any expression....." does not work). 

Simple fix, though I can't say I understand what's really going on. 

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AlixVezina
Esri Regular Contributor

This is how the filter options work:
AlixVezina_0-1633706688815.png

Group Filter widget—ArcGIS Web AppBuilder | Documentation

Please let me know if you still see inconsistent behavior given that settings change.

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SFM_TravisBott
Occasional Contributor III

@AlixVezina Thank you. I could have read this documentation more closely, as I was thinking only about filters applied through the web app, rather than those that existed in the web map itself. 

I still don't think this is a satisfactory explanation for what occurred, however. With the box unchecked it overrides the filter, in a way, but that's no explanation for why it replicates the data and makes it appear as if it is attributed in a particular way when it isn't. It made every record appear as if it was compliant with every filter as it existed in the web map...that's not just overriding filters, but something else entirely. 

AlixVezina
Esri Regular Contributor

Good point, it's possible there may still be an issue. Would you be able to share your application with me through an ArcGIS Online Group so I can take a closer look at the behavior? My username is AlixSolutions.

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SFM_TravisBott
Occasional Contributor III

You've been added to the CAL FIRE Datashare - Esri group, in which you'll find the application. It's the 'SDR Jurisdiction Notification Web App'

AlixVezina
Esri Regular Contributor

@SFM_TravisBott ,

So, although counter-intuitive, it appears this is behaving as expected.

When you have filters set against layers at the web map level, you will need to check the box for Append all/any expressions to existing map filter. Otherwise, the Group Filter will override/ignore any filters that were configured against your layers at the web map level.

Also, since you basically have 4 times the same layer (same data source endpoint) in your web map, when the Group Filter overrides your web map filters it now appears your data is duplicated/replicated 4 times.

(the 4 layers from your web map below are simply a different display for the same data source)

AlixVezina_0-1633736401632.png

Since the filters you have configured against each listed layer in your web map was "cancelled" by the Group Filter, all the features that correspond to the expression from the Group Filter widget were returned.

Once you checked the box for Append all expressions to existing map filter, then your filters for each layer were preserved and the Group Filter expression was appended the existing filters to only display the features that matched both your web map filter and your group filter.

I hope this makes sense...? There's no elegant way to explain this in seems! If you can think of a better way to explain the behavior for this setting in the documentation, please let me know. We're always looking for way to improve it.

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SFM_TravisBott
Occasional Contributor III

@AlixVezina Thank you for this. 

I do understand it better now. It's intuitive enough, and I was probably overthinking it. 

Regarding documentation: Much of Esri's documentation is more 'play by play' than 'color commentary.' It is often a statement of the obvious, rather than providing additional examples or documentation how something actually works. This is a poignant example, as the documentation for the button in question states: "the append expressions to map filter button allows you to append expressions to existing map filters." Very helpful. If I'm looking for documentation on something I probably want more than just a re-iteration of the name of the tool. That's cherry picking a bit, as there's a little more detail below, but lots of AGOL documentation reads just like that, more a naming of the buttons/features associated with a tool/widget/whatever rather than an explanation of how they might be used.