Tutorial: Create an offline-enabled web map

Learn how to use the Map ViewerMap Viewer is a browser-based mapping tool that can view, create, and save web maps. It can also perform mapping, visualization, and spatial analysis operations.Learn more to create an offline-enabled web mapA web map is a map stored as a JSON object that defines properties such as the basemap layer, data layers, layer styles, and pop-up styles. Its JSON structure is defined by the web map specification.Learn more for your offline appAn offline application, also known as offline app, is an application that runs on a phone, tablet, laptop or desktop device with limited or no network connection. Offline applications are built with ArcGIS Maps SDKs for Native Apps.Learn more.

An offline-enabledOffline-enabled is a setting in a web map or hosted layer item that allows it to be downloaded and used by offline apps.Learn more web mapA web map is a map stored as a JSON object that defines properties such as the basemap layer, data layers, layer styles, and pop-up styles. Its JSON structure is defined by the web map specification.Learn more is a web mapA web map is a map stored as a JSON object that defines properties such as the basemap layer, data layers, layer styles, and pop-up styles. Its JSON structure is defined by the web map specification.Learn more created with the Map ViewerMap Viewer is a browser-based mapping tool that can view, create, and save web maps. It can also perform mapping, visualization, and spatial analysis operations.Learn more, stored in ArcGIS, and then enabled for offline use in offline appsAn offline application, also known as offline app, is an application that runs on a phone, tablet, laptop or desktop device with limited or no network connection. Offline applications are built with ArcGIS Maps SDKs for Native Apps.Learn more. The Map Viewer allows you to interactively style and configure maps by setting the basemap layer, data layers, layer styles, pop-up settings, and layer visibility ranges. To use the web map in an offline application, you can either download an offline map area from the offline map (ahead-of-time method) or request an area within the web map to be packaged as an offline map (on-demand method).

In this tutorial, you use the Map Viewer to create and save a web map using the Santa Monica parcels hosted feature layer. You will then use the ArcGIS portalArcGIS portal, also known as a portal, is a website with applications and tools that can be used to create, manage, access, and share geospatial content and data. It supports security and authentication, developer credentials, content and data service management, user and group management, and site administration. A portal can be hosted in Esri's infrastructure or your own infrastructure.Learn more to enable it for offline use.

Prerequisites

Steps

Set the basemap layer

To create a web mapA web map is a map stored as a JSON object that defines properties such as the basemap layer, data layers, layer styles, and pop-up styles. Its JSON structure is defined by the web map specification.Learn more with the Map ViewerMap Viewer is a browser-based mapping tool that can view, create, and save web maps. It can also perform mapping, visualization, and spatial analysis operations.Learn more, start by setting the basemapA basemap is the foundational layer and data that provides the overall visual and geographic context for a map or scene. It typically includes geographic features and labels for land, water, roads, buildings, cities, places, and administrative boundaries, but can also include raster data such as satellite and areal images.Learn more layer. Use the Navigation vector tile basemap layer.

1. Open the Map Viewer and sign into your ArcGIS account.

2. In the left-panel, click Layers > Add.

   • Click the My content dropdown and select ArcGIS Online.
   • In the search box, type World Navigation Map (for Developers).
   • Click on the resulting Tile Layer owned by esri_vector, then click Use as basemap.

3. In the left-panel, click Layers to close the window.

Set focus to an area of interest

To specify the viewpointA viewpoint is a set of parameters used to define a geographic area visible in a map or scene.Learn more of the map to an area of interest, use the magnifier icon and set the map properties to preserve map scale.

1. In the bottom right panel, click the magnifier icon.

2. Type in Santa Monica in the search field and hit enter. This will set your map focus to an area of interest, which, in this case, is the city of Santa Monica, California.

3. In the left panel, click Map properties.

4. Under Map view, toggle on the Preserve map scale. This will ensure that the map focus stays on the city of Santa Monica, California, even after you close the web map.

Add data layer

To display data in your web mapA web map is a map stored as a JSON object that defines properties such as the basemap layer, data layers, layer styles, and pop-up styles. Its JSON structure is defined by the web map specification.Learn more, you can add the Santa Monica parcels feature layer hosted in your portal that has been offline-enabled. If you choose to use your own hosted data layer, make sure you enable the layer for offline use.

1. In the left panel, click + Add > Add layer from URL.
2. Copy and paste the URL https://services3.arcgis.com/GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi/arcgis/rest/services/Santa_Monica_public_parcels/FeatureServer.
3. Click Add to map.

Save the web map

Now that you have a web map, you need to save it to your portal.

1. In the left panel, click Save > Save as. At minimum, you need to provide a title and tags for your web map.

By default, your web map sharing level is set to Owner. To access the offline map in your application, you need an access tokenAn access token is an authorization string that provides access to secure ArcGIS content, data, and services. Its capabilities are determined by the privileges it supports. It is obtained by implementing API key authentication, User authentication, or App authentication.Learn more with the appropriate privileges.

Enable web map for offline use

1. In your web browser, find the item IDAn item ID is a unique identifier representing a single item stored, managed, and accessed in a portal, such as a web map, hosted layer, or file.Learn more at the end of the URL for the web map you just saved.

   • For example: 8ab76e9c5352400d87ca3315db9ba08e

2. In a new browser tab, copy and paste the following URL and insert your item ID. This will return the item page for your web map, where you can configure it for offline use.

   • https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=<ITEM_ID>
   • For example: https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=8ab76e9c5352400d87ca3315db9ba08e

3. Click Settings on the top bar of the item page.

4. Scroll down to the Offline menu.

5. If you don't see the Offline enabled label at the top left corner, click Check compatibility and turn on Offline.

6. Optionally, you can also manage advanced offline settings for your web map by clicking Options. These settings allow you to choose what data or updates mobile devices get and use a tile packageA tile package is a tiled layer that has been bundled into a single .tpk/.tpkx file. The file contains a tile cache of the data and metadata about the layer, packaged into a single, portable file.Learn more for your offline basemapA basemap is the foundational layer and data that provides the overall visual and geographic context for a map or scene. It typically includes geographic features and labels for land, water, roads, buildings, cities, places, and administrative boundaries, but can also include raster data such as satellite and areal images.Learn more.

   More info

   

   Under Features and attachments, you can configure download behaviors for both editable and read-only features. Adjusting how attachments and features are delivered can reduce the time it takes to synchronize edits, especially in areas of poor connectivity, as well as the amount of cellular data used.

   Under Tables, you can choose how table rows are included in your offline map areas.

   Under Basemap and tile package, you can choose which basemap you want to use on your map. If you choose to use a local tile package, you will provide the filename of the package on your device.

7. Click Save. Your web map is enabled for offline use now.

What's next?

Learn how to use the offline-enabled web mapA web map is a map stored as a JSON object that defines properties such as the basemap layer, data layers, layer styles, and pop-up styles. Its JSON structure is defined by the web map specification.Learn more to create an offline map area or to use in an offline applicationAn offline application, also known as offline app, is an application that runs on a phone, tablet, laptop or desktop device with limited or no network connection. Offline applications are built with ArcGIS Maps SDKs for Native Apps.Learn more.