How to avoid missing search indices due to expired tokens on secured resources that have been configured via Web Designer

Background

To take advantage of the out-of-the-box integration between VertiGIS Studio Search and VertiGIS Studio Web, you simply need to change the Search Type for a layer under its Task Settings in the Map component configuration of Web Designer. However, for secured layers, some additional steps are necessary to ensure the newly created search index stays healthy.

When Web Designer creates a new search resource for a secured layer, it provides VertiGIS Studio Search with temporary access to the layer's data so it can be indexed. However, this access expires after some time. Once the access has expired, attempts to reindex the resource will fail since VertiGIS Studio Search no longer has permission to scan the data.

Method

To avoid this, open the resource in Search Designer shortly after creating it in Web Designer. You should see the message "Esri refresh token required to rebuild resource is missing or expired. Please save to update the token in the backend."

Save the resource - no changes are necessary. Once it's saved, it should be able to refresh its own access so it can continue to reindex the resource as necessary.

NOTE: This process needs to be repeated for every new resource that references a secured layer (i.e. every time the Search Type is changed to VertiGIS Studio Search for a secured layer in Web Designer).