Working with ArcGIS Field Maps and Branch Versioned Data

[DanMoore]

Are you curious how versioned data is handled when taking maps offline in ArcGIS Field Maps or offline in general? You are at the right place! Learn how to prepare your branch versioned data for offline use as well as reconcile and post named version edits back to the default version. This video was recorded using ArcGIS Pro 2.9 and ArcGIS Enterprise 10.9.1 in January 2022. 

For further branch versioning training, check out Esri's Configuring Branch Versioning in ArcGIS course: https://bit.ly/3K06s41.

[AneteZvaigzneLV]

Wonderful video! As always - looks simple, but in reality I have short questions:

1) What is the reason that I don't see Sync capability under my Operations Allowed? Is it something that has to be defined only when publishing?

2) How did you access Feature Service Advanced Options? 

I am on Portal 10.9.1.

Many thanks in advance!

[DanMoore]

@AneteZvaigzneLV Sorry for the late reply. Sync can be defined after publishing. You just need to make sure that you are clicking on "feature access" next to the check box for feature access for your specific service in ArcGIS Server Manager. You will then see the "Operations Allowed" as well as "advanced options" near the bottom of that page. 

[AneteZvaigzneLV]

Thank you @DanMoore ! I apologize for my previous question - and I value your polite answer (now I know how silly it was!) 🙂 

I have slightly more sophisticated issue. I struggle with the fact that I have not enabled replica tracking before publishing my service.

According to the documentation here: "If you do not enable replica tracking on the data before publishing with the option to Create a version for each downloaded map, you'll receive an analyzer error and cannot publish until you correct the error." 

What are my steps to fix this when I have already published my branch versioned and registered service? I get this log in server manager: ''Not all datasets are replica tracking enabled. When the feature service versionCreationRule is versionPerDownloadedMap and the synchronizeReplica syncDirection parameter is bidirectional, all datasets in the replica must be replica tracking enabled.''

Cheers, 

Anete

[AneteZvaigzneLV · Accepted solution]

Answer to my question - enable replica tracking (data management tools) for the dataset and overwrite the service, if it was not done before publishing. 

For those who watch this video FYI - it is best to enable sync (and enable ''create a version for each downloaded map'') and enable replica tracking before publishing.

Also another note for first timers as myself - make sure that the basemap you are using for your enterprise web map that you want to take offline comes from AGOL basemap service. Steps for this here Use an Esri basemap offline . Or in other words - as always read the documentation carefully! Even if you think that 5 min video says it all and very clearly (it is just not possible to tell everything to everyone). 

Cheers and good luck! 

P.S. I managed to achieve all I wanted yesterday:

- versions worked great both offline and on;

- offline map areas on my device downloaded successfully - sync worked great;

- could easily (after some struggle) create map areas both via Web map settings and Field maps;

- one problem very weirdly field maps app did not allow me to add a new feature anywhere else besides my current location (even if I disable the Feature Actions Collect Here option in the Field Maps web app)

and today - I still haven't fixed my yesterdays problem AND now I cannot create a Map area either by Field Maps web app, nor via Web map Settings page. No problems with the device and offline area creation+download. Nothing has changed overnight. Love this. 

[City_ofNorth_Bay]

Thanks for this Dan! 

I have everything working and am able to add features off line and I can reconcile and post within ArcGIS Pro. Is there any other way to reconcile and post? Could this be done in the Field Maps application to allow field workers to do this?(they do not have access to Pro)  Or is this an administrator only process?

[DanMoore]

Sorry for the late response @City_ofNorth_Bay This process cannot be done in field maps. Version administrators will have to post edits from field workers. 

[AmyRoust]

@DanMoore, my feature editing layer is set up according to the process outlined in Esri's Configuring Branch Versioning in ArcGIS one-day instructor-led class. After viewing your video and reading the comments on this post, I enabled Replica Tracking and Sync. I republished from scratch, but my users with the Esri default Creator User Type and a Data Editor Role are unable to view or edit the data in web maps. Users with the Creator User Type and Administrator Role are able to view and edit. Should Data Editor roles be able to edit these web layers?

[DanMoore]

Hi @AmyRoust - sorry for the late response! Data Editor user roles should be able to edit - are the feature and map image layer shared to a group that the Data Editors are a part of? That's the first thing that comes to mind.

[AmyRoust]

Hi @DanMoore - the issue turned out to be a sharing setting. As it turns out, you cannot set the Map Image layer's sharing to a more restricted setting than the Feature Layer. I had the Map Image layer set to owner only and the Feature Layer set to owner + 1 group. That doesn't work!