1. Administering Oracle Field Service
  2. Add a map layer

Add a map layer

Map layers are layers that are added on top of a map to identify places of interest that are specific to your business. For example, you may add a layer that shows only the airports in a specific area. You can add layers through an external source or internally through APIs. You can use APIs or you can upload a file from your local device to upload shape files for each layer. You can also add a layer for your work zone, which is visible to all users.

Before you start

If you are adding a map layer internally, you must upload the shape file through the metadata API.
Note: Work Zone layers are not displayed on the Map view.

Here's what to do

  1. Click Configuration.
  2. In the General section, click Business Rules.
  3. In the Maps and Geocoding section, click Add new.
    The Add Map Layer dialog box appears.
  4. Select whether you want to create a Work Zone layer or a map layer.
    You can add only one Work Zone layer; after you add it, the Create work zone layer option is grayed out. You can add a maximum of 10 map layers per instance.
  5. Enter the name of the layer in the preferred language.
    The languages displayed here are the languages that you have selected for Company language in the Display page. This option is not available for the Create work zone layer option. The application adds the name ‘Work Zone Layer’ automatically and translates into the required languages.
  6. Add a label for the custom layer in the Label field.
    If you have added a custom layer through the metadata API, the name is suggested as you type it. If you have not added any layer through API and you don't add an external source, you cannot save the layer. This option is not available for the Create work zone layer option. The application adds the name ‘wz_layer’ automatically and translates into the required languages.
  7. Select the status of the layer in the Status drop-down list.
    A layer with the Active status is available and a layer with the Inactive status is not available. This option is not available for the Create work zone layer option.
  8. Select the location from which you want to use the shape for the layer:
    • Upload local file: Select this option to upload a shape file from your local device. You must select a zip file that doesn't exceed 150 MB. If the file is not a valid zip file, or if the zip file exceeds 150 MB, an error message is shown. You must correct the errors and upload again. Oracle Field Service stores this file until you delete the layer with the associated shape file.
    • Upload file using URL: Select this option to upload a shape file that is available on a different computer. These fields are displayed:
      • URL to shape file: Enter the URL to the location where the shape file is available. Use only a secure protocol, that is, a HTTPS URL.
      • Username and Password: Enter the username and password to access the shape file location.
      • SRID: Enter the shape identifier that was generated in the application in which the shape was created.
    • Upload shapefile later via API: Select this option to upload a shape file through API.
    • Use already uploaded shape: Select this option to use a shape that is already uploaded. The list of available shapes is displayed and these details are displayed:
      • Layer label: The label of the layer.
      • Last updated: The date on which the shape file was last updated.
      • Source URL: The URL in which the shape file is uploaded.
    • Use external data source: Select this option to use an external data source to display custom layers. This functionality requires Oracle MapViewer where the layers are created and stored. These fields are displayed:
      • MapViewer URL: Path to MapViewer from where the layer data is obtained.
      • Data source: The source of the map layer data used by MapViewer.
      • Theme: Layer name in MapViewer.

        All the fields are mandatory. If a field is left empty, the window is rejected with the error message: {field_name} is empty.

  9. Click OK and then click Save on Business Rules.
    By default, users of all user types have access to the new custom layer. If the status is Active, the application verifies if:

    • Data for this layer is present in the database.

    • Data is consistent and not corrupted.

    • There are no errors when displaying the layer on map.

    If these conditions are satisfied, the layer is saved and displayed on the team map, activity list, and activity details map pages. You can add a maximum of 10 map layers per instance.

What to do next

Review this information before uploading shape files:

Requirements for the shape file:

  • The shape file must be in a zip archive.

  • Column names in the shape file must contain only alphanumeric characters and underscore ('_').

  • Column names must begin with an alphabet.

Shape file restrictions:

  • When uploading a shape file using HTTPS, these restrictions apply: WebLogic's default certificate validator does not accept certificates with wildcards (including Google Drive certificate).

  • SRID value should be a valid SRID.

  • A maximum of 2 GB is available for extracted shape file data that is uploaded and hosted in Oracle Field Service.

  • If a shape file contains a column with the name "SHAPE_AREA" (case insensitive), it is renamed as “SHAPE_AREA_".

  • If a column name is same as an Oracle Database reserved word, then an underscore ("_") is prefixed to the column name. The full list of Oracle Database reserved words is available at: Oracle Database Reserved Words.

Recommendations:

  • It is recommended that you use shape files with compressed data size less then 50 MB. The shape file data is extracted and stored in the browser memory (when showing to end user), so the size of the file may heavily influence the browser performance, including the inability to show the map layer.

  • It is not recommended to use polylines for work zones.