Support <a href="tel:" in Story Map Tour

[Amanda__Huber]

Hi Esri,

We have recently brought it to support's attention that the Story Map Tour does not support <a href="tel: as HTML in either the Title or Description text boxes.(All other story map templates do support the tel: protocol).

(BUG-000116653)

Some background information:

We have physical stops with signage for art or features within our parks that allow users to call into a phone number to listen to the audio for that location. Currently we have story map tours that feature these locations and provide contextual information. The ability for users to simply click a link in these story maps and activate the phone call to listen would be extremely beneficial for our user's experience.

Please fix this "tel:" protocol issue to allow our users to have a streamlined user experience for our park goers as they navigate our parks using this great story map tour.

Thanks so much,

Three Rivers Park District

[MarkCooney]

Hi Amanda,

The Map Tour app does indeed support the tel protocol with anchor tags.  Do you have a link to the app where you are having issues that you could share so we could have a look?

Mark

[Amanda__Huber]

Hi Mark Cooney, 

Thank you so much for the quick reply. That is intriguing information. The story map is public, but unfortunately I am unable to save to show you. When adding this HTML to the storymap: <a href="tel:17633541054">Listen Here</a>  

I receive a error message stating: "Save Failed due to an invalid HTML tag in a name or description" and it refuses to save the story until I remove the mentioned above HTML. Thoughts?

Thank you again so much for your time. We would love to get this working. 

[MarkCooney]

Hi Amanda,

Unfortunately with using Feature Services to drive the Map Tour, there are some higher level restrictions that the app does not have any control of.  Here is some additional info: 

Frequently Asked Questions | Story Maps

Feature services and client applications—Documentation | ArcGIS Enterprise

Mark

[Amanda__Huber]

Hi Mark Cooney‌, 

I apologize, but I am confused. In the link you sent me it states: 

• Allowed protocols for href and src are https, http, tel, and mailto. 

Are you saying that this is a fundamental limitation of Feature Services and therefore map tour as well?

If this is the case, why are other HTML supported in Feature Services and map tour? (https://developerscorner.storymaps.arcgis.com/styling-map-tour-text-with-html-and-css-7b0c57c1b7ad ) 

Why is the "tel:" protocol specifically throwing this issue?

Thank you again so much for your time, 

Amanda 

[MarkCooney · Accepted solution]

Hi Amanda,

Sorry for the confusion, but if you check the supported HTML in the second link I posted, that is what applies to Feature Services (Feature services and client applications—Documentation | ArcGIS Enterprise).  It is a limitation of Feature Services, and therefore Map Tours that utilize Feature Services.  Map Tours can also be built from scratch from the Map Tour builder, existing web maps, and external sources such as csv files, and those will support the tel protocol.

Mark

[SimonMorgan]

Mark,

When you create a map tour from an external source (csv, existing web map etc.) it create a feature service under the hood for you doesn't it?

Simon

[MarkCooney]

Simon,

It will create a graphics layer (which in the case of an external csv, is driven by a Feature Layer created by the JS API).  Here is an example of an external csv that properly displays a link using the tel protocol (in the description of the first location).  https://arcg.is/qH9Lj 

[Amanda__Huber]

Hi Mark, 

This story map that is experiencing issues was created using the "Map Tour builder". If I understood your last answer correctly, this shouldn't be having an issue then. Correct? 

"Map Tours can also be built from scratch from the Map Tour builder, existing web maps, and external sources such as csv files, and those will support the tel protocol."

To confirm, I created a new Story Map tour using the builder following the workflow and it still has issues with the HTML. Please see below: 

Thank you, 

Amanda 

[MarkCooney]

Hi Amanda,

You will run into this scenario if you have an organization account and choose the upload images option in the builder.  This is because the Map Tour will be driven by the created Feature Layer (so same restrictions will apply as linked above) from that option.  If the Map Tour is created from images hosted on Flickr, Google images, or self hosted urls, the restrictions will not apply.

Mark