Configuration and Data for VertiGIS Studio Products

This article describes the terminology for the work product created with VertiGIS Studio and Geocortex software. It also describes where that work product is stored, to make it easier to back up important data or move on-premises software to a new platform.

We are hoping that providing this common vocabulary for our products simplifies conversations between VertiGIS staff and users.

VertiGIS Studio Web

You create an App using VertiGIS Studio Web Designer. The app configuration is stored as an Item in ArcGIS Online or their Enterprise Portal (a Portal Item). The configuration determines what the App looks like, what options are presented to the user when the App is launched, and so on.

Additional functionality may be added by incorporating Workflows, Print and Report Templates, Search Configuration, etc.

In Designer, you can use the Sharing Permissions panel to get an overview of what other Portal items are referenced in an App configuration.

Deploying an App will create copies of the app configuration. See the documentation under Application Management and Deployment in the user manual for more information about how this works. 

VertiGIS Studio Workflow

You create a Workflow using VertiGIS Studio Workflow Designer. It is represented as JSON content stored in their Portal or ArcGIS Online. 

A Workflow can be exported and then imported into a different designer. This is useful for sharing or troubleshooting its functionality.

VertiGIS Studio Mobile

You create an App using VertiGIS Studio Mobile Designer. It is represented as JSON content and stored as a Portal Item.

To run the App on a mobile device, the end-user runs either VertiGIS Studio Go or a custom-built mobile app that connects to their Portal and loads the configuration.

Additional functionality may be added by incorporating Workflows, Print and Report Templates, etc.

VertiGIS Studio Reporting

You create a Report using VertiGIS Studio Report Designer. It is represented as a combination of a Portal item to allow sharing and JSON content defining the layout stored by the Reporting service. 

Connection details for data sources are stored exclusively in the Reporting service. For an on-premises installation, the Reporting service stores files on disk.

When you run a report, the Reporting service may use data you include when running the report or data it obtains while running the report from the configured data sources or maps.
The output reports are stored by the Reporting service for seven days.

VertiGIS Studio Printing

You create a Print Template or Print Layout using VertiGIS Studio Printing Designer. It is represented as a combination of a Portal item to allow sharing and JSON content defining the layout stored by the Printing service. Print Templates are used by the original Chromium print engine, and Layouts are used by the newer Geoprocessor engine.

When a print is requested, a Web Map representing the current user state is sent to Printing. The Printing service may use data you include or data it obtains when generating the result from configured maps.

The output results are stored by the Printing service for seven days.

VertiGIS Studio Search

You create a Search Configuration with VertiGIS Studio Search Designer. You must also have a VertiGIS Studio Web App that references the Configuration they built, or you may manually connect a viewer using the published API.

VertiGIS Studio Analytics

You install the Analytics hub to an on-premises server, and Analytics Agent to that or other on-premises server(s). You use the Analytics web interface to configure which servers, applications, and resources to monitor. You may also configure the actions taken by Analytics when faults are detected.

The Agent collects data and submits it to the Hub. The hub may evaluate some of the data submitted to send alarms.

The admin web interface also presents the collected data and provides analysis to you.

VertiGIS Studio Access Control

You manage fine-grained access to ArcGIS Server map services by creating rules in VertiGIS Studio Access Control Designer. Access Control sits between the ArcGIS Server Web Adaptor and the back-end ArcGIS Server service. It filters and modifies this network traffic to enforce those rules. 

The rules you configure are stored as files on the file system, by default in C:\ProgramData\Geocortex\Access Control 

Access Control supports MapServer, FeatureServer, and GPServer services only.

VertiGIS Studio Desktop for ArcGIS Pro

You may run Workflows, export a PDF using a print template, or use a selection of value-added functionality with VertiGIS Studio Desktop for ArcGIS Pro.

Workflows are designed with the independent Workflow Designer (either SaaS or on-premises). Users may configure when a Workflow is invoked, using the Entry Point Manager.

Print Layouts can be designed within ArcGIS Pro. Furthermore, users may assemble a Package of multiple Print Layouts that can be generated in a single operation. This Package is stored in their Portal as an independent Portal item.

Since this product integrates with ArcGIS Pro, some of its settings are stored as properties in ArcGIS Pro configuration.

VertiGIS Inline 

You create a View using VertiGIS Studio Inline Designer. It is represented as JSON content and stored as an ArcGIS Online or Portal Item. Inline Views can be added to the Inline component of a VertiGIS Studio Web app.

Geocortex Essentials

You create a Site and a Viewer using Geocortex Essentials Manager. The Site configuration is stored as an XML file on disk. Viewer configuration is stored as a JSON file on disk. App-specific (global) configuration was stored in both XML files on disk and in a component called the Document Store.

The Document Store is used for other user-generated content, such as:

• Search indices, used when Instant Search is enabled
• Saved projects, used by the viewer to represent end-user state
• Configuration and data for Active Operating Picture extension

Geocortex Essentials has many Capabilities that became individual VertiGIS Studio products.

Geocortex Analytics

Follows the pattern for VertiGIS Studio Analytics; the primary difference is that Geocortex Analytics uses the Document Store (same as Essentials) to store user data.