MIL-STD symbology in Web Map

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04-22-2021 06:32 AM
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MathewMcMillan
New Contributor

I am using ARC PRO 2.6.2 and I can use the Military Symbol Editor to draw my operational overlay graphics.  However, when I want to publish to the web for further review/dissemination I am unable to see the 2525D symbols in the web map (only "dots" are rendered for the enemy forces).  However, if I share the enemy forces layer as a web layer the proper symbols display but loose the ability to edit in the web map.  Can someone shed some light on what I might try/what I may be doing wrong.

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KerryRobinson
Esri Contributor

HI Mathew,

Right now there are a few different ways to publish overlays using military symbology, primarily dependent on what web application they will be used in.  This is because some Esri web apps are based on our 3.x JavaScript API which does not have dictionary renderer support, and other applications are based on our 4.x JavaScript API, which does support the dictionary renderer.   Esri web apps built on our 3.x API include Web AppBuilder, ArcGIS Dashboards Classic and the Map Viewer Classic ("Classic" versions are what are currently the default in ArcGIS Enterprise up through Enterprise 100.9).   Apps built on our 4.x API include Experience Builder, the new ArcGIS Dashboards and new Map Viewer (these new versions are currently available with ArcGIS Online, and expected to be released with Enterprise 10.9.1). 

If your overlays need to display and support editing in apps built on the 3.x API, then you need to follow the workflow outlined here (Share using ArcGIS Enterprise). This workflow publishes the layer both as a map image service (which can render the military symbology on the 3.x client) and feature service (which allows access to the features and editing from the client).   The Map Viewer Classic will let you add both of these layers (map and feature) to the map and will treat them as one unified layer.

If your overlays need will be used in apps built on 4.x API, you can "Share as Web Layer" to publish your layers as a feature service (from your Enterprise GBD, or hosted) from Pro, but you need to first be sure to choose the web style for 2525D in the Dictionary Renderer.    

I know there are several nuances in what I've described above, so please feel free to reach out to me directly or in this thread with any questions you might have.

Kerry

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arcgispro8
New Contributor II

Hi KerryRobinson!

Can i do the same thing by using ArcGIS Desktop 10.4.1 and ArcGIS server?? Actually i want to  publish  Military Symbol Editor to draw my operational overlay graphics in the web map. I am currently using ArcGIS Java Script 4.x API.

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KerryRobinson
Esri Contributor

Hello,

I am not sure if this workflow would work with that version of ArcGIS Enterprise.  It not supported using ArcMap.

Because the ArcGIS API for JavaScript 4.x includes support for the Dictionary Renderer, you can use ArcGIS Pro to publish the Military Overlay created by the Military Symbol Editor as a feature layer (Share as Web Layer).  Rendering of the features using the dictionary renderer is happening on the client. 

Before you publish, you need to update the dictionary renderer for each layer in the Military Overlay to use the associated web style.  By default, the Military Symbol Editor will use the desktop style for the military symbol dictionaries, which are installed with ArcGIS Pro. 

To choose a web style instead, in the Dictionary Renderer on the Symbology Pane, you can click the More drop-down menu and then click Add custom dictionary to  browse to a web style to add to the dictionary to the list.  If you have a connection to ArcGIS Online, you can search for the style based on the standard name ("MIL-STD-2525B"). 

If you do not have a connection to ArcGIS Online, you can share a desktop style as a web style in ArcGIS Enterprise.  To do that, click the More drop-down menu and then click Add dictionary to project. This will add the currently selected dictionary in the drop-down list to the list of Styles in the Catalog pane. Then you can right-click on the style in the Catalog Pane and choose Share As Web Style, which will create a new portal item for the web style.  At this point,  you should be able to browse to that web style as described in the previous paragraph. 

KerryRobinson_0-1626293514721.png

The other thing you need to do before you publish is remove any group layers from the Table of Contents, since they are not supported in web feature layers.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

-Kerry

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arcgispro8
New Contributor II

Thanks alot KerryRobinson! I don't have Arcgis Pro. I want some Military Line Symbol as a feature layer, but whenever i try to publish, it will downgrade my symbology to simple line.. Can you please help me about this

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KerryRobinson
Esri Contributor

Hi,

The JSAPI 4.x can only work with feature layers published from ArcGIS Pro which reference a dictionary web style.  The only way to publish military symbols from ArcMap that will render correctly in JSAPI 4.x is as a map image service. If you need to support editing workflows, you can still publish a companion feature service to have in your web map in addition to the map image service, just don't turn the feature layer on in the map. 

I hope that helps.  

Kerry

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GillesLavandier
New Contributor III

Hi KerryRobinson,

I encountered quite a similar problem than Mathew, just that it applies to a custom dictionary style I created in ArcGIS Pro for a fire brigade. In fact, the dictionary works as expected in Pro allowing tactical drawings of engines and their actions at complex interventions (fictional example below).

GillesLavandier_0-1642075748847.jpeg

My aim now is to apply these symbols to web maps in order to enable our Portal users to do their own tactical drawings. Concerning our ArcGIS infrastructure, we are on ArcGIS Enterprise Advanced 10.8.1. and the point, line and polygon feature classes supporting the drawings are in an enterprise geodatabase running on SQL Server.

As you indicated, I first published the dictionary style as a web style, then applied it to the feature classes in order to finally publish the map as map image and feature.

The problem now is that, in contrast to what I expected from reading the posts above, no feature gets drawn in Map Viewer Classic.

GillesLavandier_5-1642076203185.png

In Map Viewer Beta and Experience Builder, the feature layers are being drawn, while the map image layer is not rendered. Moreover, the final symbols don’t look as expected when compared to ArcGIS Pro. The wavy form of the red rectangle symbolizing the burning part of the building gets displayed as a straight line and all the text elements that are arranged around the main symbols by applying an OffsetY are collapsed to the point itself.

GillesLavandier_4-1642076150885.png

Do you have any idea on how to resolve these problems in order to prepare a web map that could be integrated in an app built with Web Appbuilder?

Any help would be highly appreciated, since using these symbols in web apps would be super valuable for us.

Best regards,

Gilles

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