There are some key differences and new concepts introduced with Cityworks Server AMS/PLL 2011. A fundamental understanding of how things have changed and what is new is always good to know. To view this information in greater detail, find the white paper at www.MyCityworks.com.
1. What is a clientaccesspolicy.xml? The clientaccesspolicy.xml file controls access to sites using Silverlight on the server where they reside. Provided as part of the Cityworks Server AMS/PLL 2011 install download, the file needs to be copied at the root of the domain, not only on the application server where the Web ADF Runtime 10.0 SP1 is running, but on the server running ArcGIS Server 10.0.
2. Why do I need to populate the REST URL for GIS Services in Designer? The REST URL fields are included to allow the use of online service sources such as ArcGIS.com (formerly, ArcGIS Online), and because this is the preferred way to identify where a GIS resource is located. If populating the REST URL field for any service, Server AMS/PLL 2011 will ignore the host setting and use the service setting as the display label for the GIS service.
3. What are Feature Services and the Silverlight editing tools? A Feature Service, also known as a feature-access via a Map Service, requires the GIS data to be stored in an ArcSDE geodatabase (Esri). A file geodatabase is not sufficient. This access only needs to be enabled on those map services that may be modified using the Silverlight editing tools now available in Server AMS and PLL 2011. If the map service contains data that will not be modified, DO NOT enable this option. Feature access via a Map Service is enabled under the Capabilities tab in the Service properties. This can only be done when a Map Service is first created or if an existing one is stopped per the normal Esri workflow. Server AMS/PLL 2011 continues to only enable editing tools for those users in a Cityworks Domain Group with Geometry (Server Only) editing rights checked. Attribute edit rights still allow editing only through the other edit forms, such as GIS Search, that connect via the Geodata Service.
4. Why does the installer seem to fail on an upgrade and what exactly is it writing? A number of users have come across issues when using the Server AMS/PLL installer to upgrade an existing site and questions about the installer are not confined to and date well before the release of Server AMS/PLL 2011. These issues invariably come back to an iisreset not being run before upgrading to release any hanging connections from a running site; ensuring that all users have logged off is not quite good enough. Performing this process is a best practice that any IT professional should follow when upgrading a web application. The installer does have logic to ensure a successful backup of the existing site and creation of a new site, but the best practice still does apply.
5. Where can I input an address in the map page panel and what does it have to do with the Locate dropdown menu? By default, the Locate dropdown menu (which can be added using the Tools dropdown at the top of the map page panel) presents the user with a Single Line Input field and a Street or Intersection field to enter an address to geocode against. The Street or Intersection is a default provided by Esri. Esri does not have an out-of-the-box geocode UI, just the Geocode Service. Esri does return a standard address, and if the input fields match what are the known fields in the underlying locator, then Cityworks can parse out the pieces. Otherwise, the entire address is used as-is. However, users can create an alias in the underlying locator for the values in the ‘The field containing:’ column in the properties form via ArcCatalog and the Locate dropdown menu will read that. It is important to note that users may want to set the alias values in the underlying locator to differ from the name values to provide more logical input labels.
6. How do the GIS Services now interact in the software? The Geodata Service is still very important in Server AMS/PLL 2011, as all querying and editing of the GIS data outside of the map page panel is still handled via this service. In fact, that is the inherent advantage that the Geodata Service has always given Server AMS/PLL 2011, the ability to query and edit the GIS data outside of the map page panel and limiting the number of potentially “performance-expensive” calls that need to be made.
7. What is the status of MSD support? Server AMS/PLL 2011 now provides full .msd, enhanced map document support. Publishing .mxds is still supported, as well. Please note, ArcGIS Server 10.1 will exclusively support .msd-based services and will be a native 64-bit application.
8. What is the Asset Alias tool and how is it configured? The Asset Alias dropdown menu and the new ASSETALIAS table in the database introduced in Server AMS/PLL 2011 are Cityworks-created tools. When upgrading to Cityworks 2011, Database Manager populates this table with the current asset name and description as defined in Designer. The Esri Silverlight REST services do not expose the actual name of the data source in the map layers. Thus there is no way for Server AMS/PLL 2011 to know that the ‘Water Hydrant’ layer pulls data from the ‘WHYDRANT’ table using Esri’s Editor dropdown menu. The ASSETALIAS table and the programming logic surrounding it were introduced to allow users to associate any map layer name to the actual asset name. Cityworks can then proceed to interrogate the GIS data. Otherwise, Cityworks would require the map layers to be labeled exactly as defined in Designer.
The Asset Alias dropdown menu is only available for Domain Administrators and can be accessed via the Tools dropdown in Server AMS/PLL 2011.
9. How have saved searches and event layers evolved? The following are some basics about saved searches that have persisted since Server AMS/PLL 2010 and are essential to build upon. Saved searches are assigned a unique SearchID and are located in the CwSvrSearchDefinition table. The fields and field values that comprise a saved search are located in the CwSvrSearchField table. When a saved search is added as an event layer, a record is generated in the EventLayer table. It receives a unique LayerID, the SearchID to link it back to the saved search, a LayerName and Description that can be modified through the UI, the UserID to link back to the EMPLOYEE table, an EventType (1 – SR, 2 – WO, 3 – Insp, 5 – Permit), the SearchName (which is the saved search name), Enabled (0 – not checked, 1 – checked and visible), DomainID, SharedWithin (not currently being used by the software) – FILLCOLOR and OUTLINECOLOR (defaults of #66CCFF and #6600FF, respectively), MARKERSYMBOLTYPE (Square, Circle, or Triangle), and the IMAGEURL (if an image is being used for the symbology).
No database views are being used for the event layers in Server AMS/PLL. Instead, the software taps into some extended Esri functionality that allows for the parameters to be read from the tables previously mentioned to build x/y graphics and display them over the map layout on-the-fly. The user who created a saved search may set the level of access to a domain, domain group, or that individual. Logically, the event layer will follow suit.
10. Has the logging functionality been modified? In previous releases, a user would simply add ‘?enablegislog=true’ to the end of the current address when logged into the site to enable logging. Logging is then enabled throughout that user’s session, or one can add ‘?enablegislog=false’ to the end of the current address to disable logging. In order for the log to be written, the impersonate user must have at least Modify rights to the Uploads folder under <server install directory>\WebSite. Another option is to just give the Users group at least Modify rights to this directory, as nothing “sensitive” is written to this particular directory.
By Bryan Chadwick, GIS Support Manager, Azteca Systems, Inc. — Cityworks
How do the GIS Services now interact in the software? The Geodata Service is still very important in Server AMS/PLL 2011, as all querying and editing of the GIS data outside of the map page panel is still handled via this service. In fact, that is the inherent advantage that the Geodata Service has always given Server AMS/PLL 2011, the ability to query and edit the GIS data outside of the map page panel and limiting the number of potentially “performance-expensive” calls that need to be made.
What is the status of MSD support? Server AMS/PLL 2011 now provides full .msd, enhanced map document support. Publishing .mxds is still supported, as well. Please note, ArcGIS Server 10.1 will exclusively support .msd-based services and will be a native 64-bit application.
What is the Asset Alias tool and how is it configured?
The Asset Alias dropdown menu and the new ASSETALIAS table in the database introduced in Server AMS/PLL 2011 are Cityworks-created tools. When upgrading to Cityworks 2011, Database Manager populates this table with the current asset name and description as defined in Designer. The Esri Silverlight REST services do not expose the actual name of the data source in the map layers. Thus there is no way for Server AMS/PLL 2011 to know that the ‘Water Hydrant’ layer pulls data from the ‘WHYDRANT’ table using Esri’s Editor dropdown menu. The ASSETALIAS table and the programming logic surrounding it were introduced to allow users to associate any map layer name to the actual asset name. Cityworks can then proceed to interrogate the GIS data. Otherwise, Cityworks would require the map layers to be labeled exactly as defined in Designer.
The Asset Alias dropdown menu is only available for Domain Administrators and can be accessed via the Tools dropdown in Server AMS/PLL 2011.
How have saved searches and event layers evolved? The following are some basics about saved searches that have persisted since Server AMS/PLL 2010 and are essential to build upon. Saved searches are assigned a unique SearchID and are located in the CwSvrSearchDefinition table. The fields and field values that comprise a saved search are located in the CwSvrSearchField table. When a saved search is added as an event layer, a record is generated in the EventLayer table. It receives a unique LayerID, the SearchID to link it back to the saved search, a LayerName and Description that can be modified through the UI, the UserID to link back to the EMPLOYEE table, an EventType (1 – SR, 2 – WO, 3 – Insp, 5 – Permit), the SearchName (which is the saved search name), Enabled (0 – not checked, 1 – checked and visible), DomainID, SharedWithin (not currently being used by the software) – FILLCOLOR and OUTLINECOLOR (defaults of #66CCFF and #6600FF, respectively), MARKERSYMBOLTYPE (Square, Circle, or Triangle), and the IMAGEURL (if an image is being used for the symbology).
No database views are being used for the event layers in Server AMS/PLL. Instead, the software taps into some extended Esri functionality that allows for the parameters to be read from the tables previously mentioned to build x/y graphics and display them over the map layout on-the-fly. The user who created a saved search may set the level of access to a domain, domain group, or that individual. Logically, the event layer will follow suit.
Has the logging functionality been modified? In previous releases, a user would simply add ‘?enablegislog=true’ to the end of the current address when logged into the site to enable logging. Logging is then enabled throughout that user’s session, or one can add ‘?enablegislog=false’ to the end of the current address to disable logging. In order for the log to be written, the impersonate user must have at least Modify rights to the Uploads folder under <server install directory>\WebSite. Another option is to just give the Users group at least Modify rights to this directory, as nothing “sensitive” is written to this particular directory.
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