5 Things to Try in Collector’s Aurora Beta

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12-05-2017 08:38 AM
Kylie
by Esri Regular Contributor
Esri Regular Contributor
9 12 7,304

The first beta of Collector’s Aurora project is available on iOS! All of you that expressed interest in iOS should have a TestFlight email and access to the beta. To get you started exploring the app, here are 5 things to try out with this beta:

  1. Open better-looking maps
    Create great looking maps in your portal and open them in Collector. Use vector basemaps, labels (including using Arcade expressions), and advanced symbology. See how they perform and look, even rotated.
  2. Use the new cross-hairs for placing your points
    When editing, the map uses a target to place the point so that your finger doesn’t get in the way of seeing where you are placing it. Use the GPS or move the map to get the cross-hairs over the location for your point.
  3. See the map and attributes together
    You can see both the map and the attributes at the same time. Slide the new panel up and down, seeing more or less of the map, as you need.
  4. Edit attributes inline
    You don’t need to leave the split view to edit your attributes, either: edit them in place.
  5. Quickly access the camera
    In one tap, get to the camera so that you can take a picture of your asset.

These are some places to start your exploration, but dig in to the app and check out all the changes we’ve made! Collect points, lines, and polygons. Use streaming, and GPS averaging. Take your maps, and the maps you’ve wanted to make, and see how they do. Keep in mind that this is the first of a series of betas, so not all the functionality you know and love in Collector today is included. In particular, you won’t find offline workflows, high accuracy GPS, or related records supported yet.

We are ready for your feedback. Come on over to the Early Adopter community and join the discussions.
If you haven’t signed up for the beta yet, email CollectorBeta@esri.com.

12 Comments
ZacharyHart
Occasional Contributor III

This is pretty exciting, but I gotta say we're super disappointed that the Android release is so far behind.

Kylie
by Esri Regular Contributor
Esri Regular Contributor

Hi Zachary --

I'm glad you are excited, and we are working to get Android out there! We want to be sure it has the quality and features that will let you use your workflows and try out the app. In the meantime, we are designing the Android and iOS versions in tandem. If you have an iOS device available, you could see some of the changes we are making and start thinking about how it works for your organization. 

Lynchburg_GISDivision
New Contributor III

Any plan for Windows?

ScottEvans6
New Contributor III

Hi Kylie, how do we sign up to get it? Is it in the app store?

by Anonymous User
Not applicable

Scott, you can request access to the beta by emailing CollectorBeta@esri.com

ScottEvans6
New Contributor III

Great! Thanks!

KaraUtter
Occasional Contributor III

Kylie, I found this string that mentions labeling in Collector for Windows was launched last year, so I assumed it was already working for Windows devices:

Collector - Label features 

KaraUtter
Occasional Contributor III

Sorry, I meant to address that to Lynchburg GIS Division.

DavidForbuss1
Occasional Contributor III

Can't wait until this goes live!  Really excited about the labeling capabilities!

MelissaBrooks
Occasional Contributor

Hi there, will there be snapping? 

Kylie
by Esri Regular Contributor
Esri Regular Contributor

Hi Melissa Brooks‌ - Snapping will be coming to Collector after the initial release of Aurora. It is on our short-term roadmap.

TomBell1
New Contributor III

Hi Kylie,

Thank you for telling us about this.  Snapping is far-and-away the #1 thing we wish for in Collector, so we don't have to spend 2 hours each day back in the office snapping.  

About the Author
Our kids need GIS in their problem-solving toolboxes. I'm working to get digital maps into each K-12 classroom and the hands of each child. A long-time Esri employee, I've previously worked on Esri's mobile apps, focused on documentation and best practices. Out of the office I'm a runner often found on the trails or chasing my children.