Introduction
This article defines how feature layers coming from an ESRI ARC GIS Server can be defined.
Business and SAP Context
ESRI ArcGIS is a world leading comprehensive solution for managing spatial data and it includes many optional features. In the same way that BlueWorx does not support all SAP Plant Maintenance options, neither does it support all ESRI ArcGIS options. Rather its focus is on supporting common-use features.
Important Information
It is the responsibility of the customers organisation to ensure that have the appropriate usage rights, licenses and applied attribution for any maps and layers they configure. No such rights are explicitly provided nor implied as part of the BlueWorx solution/ commercial product.
Contents
Layer List
The following is an illustration of this page/ tab:
The following screen fields and controls are defined, where not documented they are considered self explanatory or are explained elsewhere:
| Field / Button | Description/ Usage | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Add Layer button | Add a new (ESRI ARC GIS) Layer |
Layer Page - Definition Tab
This is accessible on navigation from the Layers list and on Add Layer. It is where the layer and its fields are defined.
The following screen fields and controls are defined, where not documented they are considered self explanatory or are explained elsewhere:
| Field/ Button | Description/ Usage | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Definition Tab | ||
| Layer ID | Externally assigned Unique ID for the Feature Layer | |
| Description | Description for the Feature Layer | |
| Endpoint URL | The URL for the map tile source. At this stage, this is limited to ESRI ARC GIS services | |
| Query String | An optional WHERE clause to be provided to ESRI Arc GIS Feature Servers in order to filter the features returned. The syntax of this request should match the following guide: https://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/latest/map/working-with-layers/sql-reference-for-query-expressions-used-in-arcgis.htm Examples: construction = 'steel' difficulty = 'advanced' It should be noted that in order to get the layer into the cache appropriately, when adding a Query String to an existing layer you should copy the existing layer, add a new Layer ID number, and then add the Query String. The existing layer can be deleted or left to be used as appropriate for your use case. This setting was added with SP12. | |
| Min Zoom | The minimal zoom level at which this layer will be visible where selected. Note that the map service itself can control this setting and the maximum returned number of features | |
| Max Zoom | The maximum zoom level at which this layer will be visible where selected. Note that the map service itself can control this setting and the maximum returned number of features | |
| Tile Level | When using maps offline, the Work Order objects with lat/ long coordinates, are used as the basis to download tiles. The Map Defaults > Max Download Zoom and > Work Download Radius controls this. The tiles are downloaded for each level (i.e. 19, 18, 17, 16, etc) in a 'cone'. Each four tiles at a level are represented by 1 tile at the level above. So 4 tiles at 19 = 1 tile at 18 and 4 tiles at 18 mean 1 tile at 17 - with some optimization in how we process the 'cone'. That ratio is common for map tile images. Having downloaded the map tiles, the Layers, where set as Downloadable, are downloaded at the Tile Level set by this config setting. It does this by querying the map server using the coordinates (x and y) and this map tile level (z). If this level is set very low, like 19 then a call to the map server will be 4 times more than level 18, and 16 time more than 17 and so on. This is a new setting added with SP6. | Calls to the server take time to process (at the map server end) because of the query requirements. So the fewer calls the better. However, this must be tempered by two things: a. If you have a very intensive asset class, like power line connections, and set this level very high in a built-up area, then the return data would be large, and likely larger than needed to do the job; and b. It's common practice to restrict the number of features returned per request to 1000. So, the right setting for this depends on the assets and your user's data needs:
|
| Opacity | Control the opacity of geometric polygons for feature areas so that they don't obliterate the underlying map of other feature layers. Examples: 1 = solid, .5 = 50% opacity | |
| Downloadable | Control whether this feature layer will be downloaded for offline reference. Only set on where absolutely necessary | |
| Hide Label | Set on to hide the Feature Layers defined label. This can be used where labels overwhelm the display and offer no value to their interpretation | |
| Download Concurrent Requests | When the layer can be downloaded, you may control how many concurrent queries will be active at any one time. Defaults to 5 | Depends on the performance and existing load of the mobile device and ARC GIS Server |
| Download Timeout | When the layer can be downloaded, you may control how long in seconds to let a query run for before cancelling it. This prevents the sync from getting stuck waiting for a slow feature service to respond. Defaults to 4 seconds | If you're consistently getting an error response in your User Syncs for a given map layer then it could be that the server/ service you're calling does not have the capacity to respond in within the Download Concurrency/ Download Timeout settings. You can tune this by making the setting for layer ti perform less concurrent requests and providing a greater timeout. For example 3 and 10. Conversely if you have a high performance ESRI ARC GIS server/ service you may be able to up the concurrent requests. |
| Page Footer | ||
| Delete Button | Delete this Layer definition. | |
| Copy Button | Copy this Layer definition. | |
| Save Button | Save this Layer definition. | |
Layer Page - Layer Fields
This configuration is where you specify the pop-up information displayed when you select a feature layer item from a map in BlueWorx.
The following screen fields and controls are defined, where not documented they are considered self explanatory or are explained elsewhere:
| Field/ Button | Description/ Usage | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Header | ||
| Later Field Wizard button | Once you have maintained a Feature Layer URL, using this function will call the ESRI ARC GIS service definition and allow you to select which fields from that service you want to copy back into the Layer Fields List. | See more on this below |
| Add field button | Manually add and maintain a field | Easier in most cases to use the Wizard |
| Field List | ||
| Order | The field display order in the pop-up (Must be unique) | |
| Source Field Name | The service description for the field | |
| Display Field Label | The label to be displayed in the pop-up | |
| Display Field | Display this field in the pop-up | |
| HTTP Link | Switch on to display the value of this field as a URL | |
| Callback | Create a button to call back BlueWorx and open this object's record. See related settings below | |
| HTTP Link Prefix | Optional maintained with HTTP fields to provide the domain prefix address were not fully provided by the field source. For example, you might have a Share Point site in which you store photos for Equipment by its SAP Equipment ID. The HTTP prefix might then be something like this: https://sharepoint.yourcompany.com/photos?equipment=You would use this on a field with the equipment value and its value would be appended to the URL. | |
| Callback Data | Used in conjunction with the activation of the Call Back Link above. Used where the map service has an Equipment or Functional Location reference. Single results will open a dialog with the SAP object reference, multiple results will return a list to select from. The reference SAP Technical objects are limited to: OBJECT: "EQUI" - for EquipmentThe reference fields are limited to: Equipment: EQUIPMENT, TECHID, SORTFIELD, READ_OBJNR, TPLNR, INVENTORY, MANSERNO Functional Location: READ_OBJNR, STRNO, TPLNR, SORTFIELD, MANSERNOExamples 1. You have a your legacy asset id stored in your GIS system in the field 'ASSETID'. You have loaded this into SAP in the Technical ID field of the Equipment. The callback parameters you would maintain are: OBJECT: "EQUI", TECHID: "{ASSETID}"2. You have maintained your SAP Equipment ID your GIS system in the field 'EQUIPMENT'. The callback parameters you would maintain are:OBJECT: "EQUI", EQUIPMENT: "{EQUIPMENT}"3. Tour have maintained your SAP FL Label Field in your GIS System in the Field 'SAPFL'. The callback parameters you would maintain are:OBJECT: "FLOC", STRNO: "{SAPFL}" | |
Layer Field Wizard Dialog
In addition to maintaining layer fields manually, the Layer Field Wizard can be used to quickly generate the required fields. Once a layer's URL has been defined, click the Layer Field Wizard button in the bottom left of the screen. This will open a dialog enabling you to search for and select the fields you want to display:
Layer Page - Groups and Profile Tabs
The Groups and Profile Tabs shows which Groups and Profiles this layer has been associated with and allows relationship deletion.