Story Map needs sign on

[JustMapSynch]

For the second time in as many weeks, I have tinkered with a series Story Map, finished my changes, and gone to an incognito window to test whether the public could access it.  They couldn't. I was unexpectedly blocked by a the "please sign in" request.  That usually means that some component of the overall Story Map was not shared publicly.  I was able to narrow the problem down to a map app feeding my Story Map.  After checking all of my sharing permissions a couple of times, and rebooting once for good measure, I got the same message, gave up and went to bed.  By the time I woke up, my Story Map had fixed itself and could be opened from an incognito window.  Elves?  What do they know that I don't?

[JoeBorgione]

Just need to ask- why the incognito window?

[KaylaFlamm]

Probably so they can stay signed in to AGOL and make changes that can then be viewed in the incognito window which simulates an anonymous, public viewer because they aren't signed in in that window. Same could be done by opening a different browser, like Firefox.

In reference to the original post, yep, I've experienced a few similar instances where something isn't updating or working as intended but then magically works the next day. Call it an elf visit!

[JustMapSynch]

It's some relief to have someone sharing my pain, at least.  Thank you!

[JustMapSynch]

I test public access to the Story Map by trying to sign in thru a Chrome

incognito window because that puts me on the same basis as a stranger

trying to open my Story Map for my test. If I try to open a map once I'm

logged into my own account, I can have "bad" settings (not publicly shared)

and still get into the Story Map.

[Egge-Jan_Pollé]

Hi Joe Borgione‌,

When signed in at ArcGIS Online you might have permission to see content which is not shared publicly. You can 'abuse' the incognito window, within the same browser session, to access content while not being logged in to AGOL. An alternative to this approach might be to use 2 different browsers. I tend to switch between Mozilla Firefox (where I am logged in) and Google Chrome (where I am not).

E-J

[Egge-Jan_Pollé]

Hi MapSynch MapSynch‌

So, all content in your Story Map is shared publicly - that's why everybody (i.e. the general public) can see it now.

Is that an answer to your question?

Cheers,

Egge-Jan

[JustMapSynch]

Well, yes, everyone can see it now because everything (the supporting apps, maps and layers) is shared publicly, but everything was already shared publicly the night before when I was getting bounced.   

[Egge-Jan_Pollé]

The magic of the ArcGIS platform 🙂

[JustMapSynch]

I finally did a session with tech support when the same problem cropped up again.  The tech, as usual, was great.  (It always amazes me that they are able to learn packages a convoluted as ESRI's as well as they do.)  We were able to narrow the problem down to a software problem with the particular map app I was using.  It was the "Basic Map Viewer", which you get to by clicking Share, Create A Web Map, Configurable Apps, then the default Basic Viewer.

The tech was willing to keep at the problem to the bitter end, but mentioned that the Web AppBuilder had a better track record of reliability than the Configurable Apps that I had used.  I tried that. The WebAppBuilder let me recreate my app quickly and easily.  When in doubt, refresh, reboot or rework.  It can be worth a pound of cure.