ArcGIS Online

Saving Feature Layers in Map Viewer

With the June update, Map Viewer now supports the ability to save layer configurations directly to the feature layer. When saving a layer, the layer’s properties such as styling, pop-ups, effects, labels (and more!) are stored with the layer.

The ability to save configurations to the layer is a powerful tool for customizing your layers so that they are immediately ready for use in web maps. It has been a core part of Map Viewer Classic and one of the remaining parity features that was not yet available in Map Viewer. The latest release introduces the ability to save feature layers (and tables and route layers too) in Map Viewer as well as a new and improved visualization experience on item pages for viewing and configuring feature layers.

In addition to saving properties to existing layers (hosted feature layers you’ve published for instance), Map Viewer also supports saving as new feature layer items, enabling you to create multiple visualizations using the same source layer.

 

Saving feature layers

If you own (or have the necessary privileges to manage) a layer item, you can save changes to it. Additionally, you have the option to save a feature layer as a new layer. This will create a new layer item that references the same source layer as the original layer.  The layer’s property configuration, including any modifications you’ve made, are saved with the new layer. The current map will now use the newly created layer as the source for the layer in your map.

Both Save and Save as are available from the Properties pane on the light toolbar for feature layers, tables, and route layers.

Saving feature layers
The option to Save and Save as is available from the properties pane on the light toolbar.
Saving feature layers
Save and Save as are also available from the layer options menu on the dark toolbar.

 

Enhanced Visualization

The item page for feature layers now offers an upgraded visualization experience. The Visualization tab provides a focused viewing and configuration environment for feature layers. Similar to saving feature layers in Map Viewer, you can configure and save pop-ups, effects, charts, multi-class labels and more from the Visualization tab.

Visualization tab
Access the visualization tab from the item page for feature layers.

In addition to the overall Save option found above the map on the Visualization tab, each layer includes the ability to save changes to the existing layer. The ability to save layers individually is useful when the feature layer contains multiple layers; each layer can be saved individually or use the overall Save option to save everything at once. Additionally, you can use the Save as option to create multiple visualizations of the same source layer.

 

 

Saving layers in the Visualization tab
Save and Save as are available from each layer as well as the overall Save option to save changes to all layers.

Don’t see the updated Visualization tab? Update your primary map viewer settings to use Map Viewer instead of Map Viewer Classic. 

 

Considerations

There are a few considerations for saving feature layers:

 

Other resources

About the author

Chris is a product engineer for ArcGIS Online.

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