Deploy Custom Widget to Portal for ArcGIS

[NickCameron2]

Hi All,

I know this has been asked before but I can't find a solution that seems to work for me.

I've built a custom widget in WAB dev. No problems using it within WAB dev, now am trying to deploy it to Portal for ArcGIS so non-dev's can use it when creating apps from within Portal as well.

What I've tried:    

     -   Copy the widget files from <wabdev_folder>\stemapp\widgets\<widgetname>\ to the Portal server webappbuilder directory (C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Portal\apps\webappbuilder\stemapp\widgets\<widgetname>)

     - Updated config.json in Portal stemapp directory to include the new widget.

     - Updated widget-manifest.json to include the new widget in Portal stemapp/widgets directory (not sure if this is needed).

     - Followed the instructions in this thread - Deploying a Custom Web App Widget – Portal for ArcGIS - and copied the stemapp folder from WAB dev to Portal WAB stemapp directory so that they're both v1.1.

     - Restarted Portal service just to make sure (not sure if this is needed).

Does anyone know if this is possible to do yet or am I missing something obvious?

Thanks,

Nick

[DerekLaw · Accepted solution]

Hi Nick,

Enabling custom widgets within the embedded version of Web AppBuilder in Portal for ArcGIS is NOT a supported workflow.

From the Web AppBuilder help documentation: About Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS

The 3rd paragraph under key features states: “A developer edition is also available that allows you to extend the framework to create custom widgets and themes. Visit ArcGIS for Developers to download Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS (Developer Edition) and learn more about creating your own custom apps.”

While it is technically possible to enable custom widgets within the embedded version of Web AppBuilder in a Portal for ArcGIS instance, this may void the software license technical support contract because you would be altering the internal software files of Portal for ArcGIS.

Only the Developer Edition of Web AppBuilder supports custom widgets.

Hope this helps,

[VHolubec]

Hi Dereck,

so if I understand right, Portal cannot be customized (with my themes and widgets), and only apps I will create in developer WebApp builder can be customized with my own widgets. Am I right?

If I create my own app with my own widgets and theme, I can only register it on Portal, or I can create a template, so other user (if I will share it with in public) can use this template to create their own apps on Portal or AGOL.

Will my own widgets available within the template in AGOL or Portal? If so, it looks the way how I can extend the Portal with my own widget.

Thank you for clarification.

Vladimir

[DerekLaw]

Hi Vladimir,

Apologies for the late reply, I've been very busy the last few weeks with Esri 2015 Dev Summit stuff.

> so if I understand right, Portal cannot be customized (with my themes and widgets), and only apps I will create in developer WebApp builder can be customized with my own widgets. Am I right?

Not quite. You are correct when you say the embedded version of Web AppBuilder (WAB) in Portal for ArcGIS cannot be customized. But apps created from it can be customized - when they are NOT hosted within Portal. So if you use WAB in Portal, you would simply download the code for the web app, host it in your own web server - then you could apply any customizations you want to the app. However, this would be outside the WAB "builder" user experience.

> If I create my own app with my own widgets and theme, I can only register it on Portal, or I can create a template, so other user (if I will share it with in public) can use this template to create their own apps on Portal or AGOL.

You can deploy a web app from WAB (with custom functionality) as a template in AGOL or Portal for ArcGIS - but these templates would need to be hosted on your own web server, following a similar pattern as deploying a custom JavaScript-based template. See this help topic: Add the template to ArcGIS Online

> Will my own widgets available within the template in AGOL or Portal?

Technically, the widgets would "live" inside the custom template that is hosted on your own web server - as part of the web app. The individual widgets would not be accessible in the embedded version of WAB. The template would be accessible to AGOL and Portal for ArcGIS end users, as a template option in the map viewer.

Hope this helps,

[VHolubec]

Hi Dereck,

it is clear now for me, thank you so much for clarification!

Thank you!

Vladimir

[MoSaket]

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[DerekLaw]

Hi @MoSaket,

> here is my problem, I follow the steps in this LINK but I'm stuck at step 5 which I don't know how to copy the custom widget folder to the web server 

The web server is the 3rd party software you're using to deploy resources to the internet. For example, IIS, OS X Server, and Apache. This is separate from your ArcGIS Enterprise installation. 

For example, in most Windows OS with IIS, the default location is c:\inetpub\wwwroot 

Hope this helps,

[NickCameron2]

Hi Derek,

Ok no worries, understood.

Are you aware of any plans to support this in the future?

Seems like a natural and powerful extensibility point for Portal at the least.

Thanks,

Nick

[NicholasMcNamara]

I would also like to know if this support will be added in the future. Not everyone wants to build something from scratch, but simple use widgets that others have created, and a method like that utilized in the Viewer for Flex would be a popular addition.

[DerekLaw]

Hi Nick and Nicholas,

Apologies for the late reply, I've been very busy the last few weeks with Esri 2015 Dev Summit stuff.

> Deploy Custom Widget to Portal for ArcGIS ... Are you aware of any plans to support this in the future?

> I would also like to know if this support will be added in the future

At this time there are no plans to enable this functionality in Portal for ArcGIS.

Two reasons why (off the top of my head):

1. Custom widgets means custom code. It would be very challenging to check/ensure that adding the custom code into the Portal for ArcGIS internal software files does not cause any issues/problems with Portal.

2. Upgrading Portal for ArcGIS to future releases. When we apply the Portal for ArcGIS software to perform an in-place upgrade to the latest release (e.g., from 10.2.x to 10.3), we need to be able to update any potential internal software files for Portal. Having custom code from the custom widget(s) would introduce an unknown into the upgrade process - possibly causing issues.

Hope this helps,