Web App Builder (Beta 3)

[BrianO_keefe]

I'm toasted.

I've spent 2 days now trying to develop an app with Web App Builder.

1) Local

Downloaded Web App Builder (Beta 3). Set it up on my server. Double-clicked startup.bat and get nothing but errors. Don't know if it's due to having a WebAdaptor or what, but I can't get it to work. My co-worker is suddenly decisively moving forward trying to unlock the errors but I'm done.

2) ArcGIS Online

Built the entire web app with Web App Builder (Beta 3) online. Laid it out, setup the pop-ups, configured the widgets, and then realized there wasn't a 'download' button. Almost lost my mind.

3) Web App Viewer

Downloaded this cockamammy nonsense and am proceeding to pull my hair out.

http://maps.cityoftulsa.org/iot/

There's the URL. I keep getting 'Forbidden Access' and I have no idea why. I'm editing the config.json file, but I'm quickly losing hope. Long week... and it's only Tuesday.

I figured this whole process would be INFINITELY easier if we just installed Portal but I don't have the time to even research it thoroughly enough to figure out if it will cause issues with our current configurations?! Ugh.

[BrianO_keefe]

I really hope not... ugh.

[BrianO_keefe]

Quick question for... um... everyone? (I guess)

Why am I suddenly having my posts to my own thread moderated? I just tried to post a reponse to something I read and it popped up and said "Awaiting Moderator approval."

Then shortly thereafter I got a response that my post had been approved?!?!?

What the heck?!

[RobertScheitlin__GISP]

There was hours of SPAM attacks on Geonet last night and things are a little screwy today. I believe it is something that will work itself out soon.

[BrianO_keefe]

Ahhhhhh...

Thank you sir.

Robert Scheitlin, GISP‌, quick question. You seem to have a STRONG grasp of Dojo and the Javascript API. I'm betting you have a programming background. Is there any chance you would consider doing some YouTube video tutorials on Dojo / ArcGIS Javascript API? I would welcome a Hello World Widget video from you and easily subscribe to a YouTube service where you taught this stuff.

I've tried (briefly) to wrap my head around Dojo, but work doesn't give me the kind of time I need to REALLY grasp it. So I 'kinda' understand it and I can edit stuff as needed... but the module loading process has me lost and I feel if I could grasp it, then I could really unlock some power with these JS web maps.

Any chance?

[RobertScheitlin__GISP]

Does not look like there is a good chance of this. I am very busy working on getting my Flex Viewer widgets ported over for WAB and this is quite a task right now. Maybe esri will have something like that.

[BrianO_keefe]

Well, I'll keep on aiming for time to get in and learn Dojo.

Any good recommendations for tutorial sites, books, etc?

[StevenGraf1]

If you're not familiar with JavaScript, here is a free online book:  Eloquent JavaScript

It doesn't cover Dojo, but it may be a good place to start with the JS language. 

Here are a bunch of lectures on JavaScript: Crockford on JavaScript: A Public Lecture Series at Yahoo!

Codecademy has some JavaScript and HTML tutorials: Learn to code | Codecademy

The only updated Dojo tutorials I have found are here, created by the Dojo Community: Documentation - The Dojo Toolkit

Here's a short book on HTML5: Dive Into HTML5

This is always my go to when I want to start learning something new: W3Schools Online Web Tutorials

Steven

[BrianO_keefe]

Thank you for the links! It always helps to have resources that are actively being used by people in similar situations to yourself... I do have a decent grasp of Javascript and even HTML5. It's the Dojo that's eluding me... ugh!

But I'm adding these to my Keep for Javascript References, thanks again!

[Anonymous User]

Brian, do you know if WAB apps that are downloaded from the Developer edition are suppose to have an 'appID' property in the config.json file? Mine don't, even after adding the app to AGOL. The WAB development edition help docs online indicate that they do have an 'appID' property, but the help docs on deploying an app are not very comprehensive.

AGOL configured WAB apps do have an AppID, so maybe I will have to go that route.

Also did you add a proxy to your app. It seems like alot of work to set it up a proxy so I wanted to know.

[BrianO_keefe]

Brian, do you know if WAB apps that are downloaded from the Developer edition are suppose to have an 'appID' property in the config.json file?

I do not know this. I assume that they do but that they are added through the WAB? I'm just guessing here. Because of that point in the WAB app building process where you pick your AGOL map from the list. I think that adds the appID somehow.

The WAB development edition help docs online indicate that they do have an 'appID' property, but the help docs on deploying an app are not very comprehensive.

I have not been impressed with the WAB documentation so far, but maybe I have high standards? I don't know.

Also did you add a proxy to your app. It seems like alot of work to set it up a proxy so I wanted to know.

I did not add a proxy. Not even sure what the purpose of a proxy is nor why one would be needed.