Spectrum Spatial (SSA/LIM)

​Hello all,

I have recently created an SSA mobile solution for staff to add properties and/or edit attributes during field inspections using a tablet or mobile phone. Previous we have used Trimble Nomad devices with GBM Mobile software which allowed users to also take photos which were associated via attributes with the dataset objects. Is there a way this functionality can be emulated in SSA mobile editing?

------------------------------
David Murphy
GIS Officer
Swan Hill Rural City Council
Swan Hill
------------------------------

Hi @David Murphy,

Yes, it is!

Once created the Custom Template with the Template Designer feature of SS(A) for the layer you want to upload the data and the pictures You might customize the templates files to editing and upload the data. You might also upload the picture and save it on the server. 
For getting this done you need also a Spectrum Data-flow that can save the picture from local/client/device to the server other than save the data edited in the data table.  It works on any device

Please, have a look at the screenshot of one of our SS(A) demo - showing how upload data, pictures included. I might share my custom template sample with you and the community or you might contact us directly for getting support.


​

------------------------------
Monica Di Martino
EMEA LI/GIS Presales Engineer
Pitney Bowes
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-18-2019 01:25
From: David Murphy
Subject: Take and Save Photos with SSA Mobile Device

​Hello all,

I have recently created an SSA mobile solution for staff to add properties and/or edit attributes during field inspections using a tablet or mobile phone. Previous we have used Trimble Nomad devices with GBM Mobile software which allowed users to also take photos which were associated via attributes with the dataset objects. Is there a way this functionality can be emulated in SSA mobile editing?

------------------------------
David Murphy
GIS Officer
Swan Hill Rural City Council
Swan Hill
------------------------------

​Hi Monica,

Thank you for your reply.
I have no problem displaying a photo using an info template in SSA, what I wish to do is connect a field in the edit template to the camera in the mobile device.
Although a text field, this is defined as a photograph field in GBM Mobile.
In the Edit Forms XML the field is defined thus:

Is there a way to emulate this XML code in the SSA Edit Template so that the photograph name and path is automatically inserted into the "PHOTOGRAPH" field?

------------------------------
David Murphy
GIS Officer
Swan Hill Rural City Council
Swan Hill
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-18-2019 05:26
From: Monica Di Martino
Subject: Take and Save Photos with SSA Mobile Device

Hi @David Murphy,

Yes, it is!

Once created the Custom Template with the Template Designer feature of SS(A) for the layer you want to upload the data and the pictures You might customize the templates files to editing and upload the data. You might also upload the picture and save it on the server.
For getting this done you need also a Spectrum Data-flow that can save the picture from local/client/device to the server other than save the data edited in the data table.  It works on any device

Please, have a look at the screenshot of one of our SS(A) demo - showing how upload data, pictures included. I might share my custom template sample with you and the community or you might contact us directly for getting support.

​

------------------------------
Monica Di Martino
EMEA LI/GIS Presales Engineer
Pitney Bowes

Original Message:
Sent: 10-18-2019 01:25
From: David Murphy
Subject: Take and Save Photos with SSA Mobile Device

​Hello all,

I have recently created an SSA mobile solution for staff to add properties and/or edit attributes during field inspections using a tablet or mobile phone. Previous we have used Trimble Nomad devices with GBM Mobile software which allowed users to also take photos which were associated via attributes with the dataset objects. Is there a way this functionality can be emulated in SSA mobile editing?

------------------------------
David Murphy
GIS Officer
Swan Hill Rural City Council
Swan Hill
------------------------------

Hi David

Can you clarify how the data is to be saved and where you are saving it to?

The standard SSA editing functionality, which uses the XML Edit Templates described here https://support.pb.com/help/analyst/2018.2/admin_guide/en/appendix/appendixE.html, would not support customisation or the ability to store photos in a field (as text or blobs)

The extensibility sample Monica has, implements a custom template (written not generated from the template designer) which calls a simple Spectrum dataflow, exposed as a REST service, to save the image. On the server side the dataflow saves the image to the file system and the populates the path of the image into a TAB file. The path is accessible to the web, so when reading the image, the path is used to show the image in the form of the custom template.

• The user flow in SSA would be as follows
• User adds a new record using the SSA functionality to add a new record
• User then clicks the record to see the custom template
• User can populate the fields and add a photo to the form (browse or using device camera on  mobile devices)
• The update button then saves the updated data using the dataflow as described above

We can share this with you if it helps?

Alternatively, if you need to save the image itself in text form (such as base 64) into the data table itself, then you could presumably convert that image to base 64 in the custom template (using typescript/JavaScript) and then save that back to your data source? You would need the custom template to convert and show the base 64 as an image again, but it should be feasible to do this.

------------------------------
Mustafa Ismail
Product Architect
Pitney Bowes
London UK
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-18-2019 01:25
From: David Murphy
Subject: Take and Save Photos with SSA Mobile Device

​Hello all,

I have recently created an SSA mobile solution for staff to add properties and/or edit attributes during field inspections using a tablet or mobile phone. Previous we have used Trimble Nomad devices with GBM Mobile software which allowed users to also take photos which were associated via attributes with the dataset objects. Is there a way this functionality can be emulated in SSA mobile editing?

------------------------------
David Murphy
GIS Officer
Swan Hill Rural City Council
Swan Hill
------------------------------

​Hi Mustafa,

Thank you for your reply, the user flow you have described really looks like the approach I need to use.
If you could make Monica's extensibility sample available I would be most grateful.

In answer to your question re how and where the data is saved, the spatial data will be accessed, edited and saved on the SSA server via a VPN connection. The photographs will be uploaded from the mobile device to a different server to overcome security issues involved in calling a URL from the same server.
So long as the photograph name is saved in an attribute field of the associated object I can perform a Find & Replace on the path.
Is it possible to add a photograph when editing an existing object as well as when adding a new record? This would be very useful but not essential.

Regards,

------------------------------
David Murphy
GIS Officer
Swan Hill Rural City Council
Swan Hill
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-25-2019 09:33
From: Mustafa Ismail
Subject: Take and Save Photos with SSA Mobile Device

Hi David

Can you clarify how the data is to be saved and where you are saving it to?

The standard SSA editing functionality, which uses the XML Edit Templates described here https://support.pb.com/help/analyst/2018.2/admin_guide/en/appendix/appendixE.html, would not support customisation or the ability to store photos in a field (as text or blobs)

The extensibility sample Monica has, implements a custom template (written not generated from the template designer) which calls a simple Spectrum dataflow, exposed as a REST service, to save the image. On the server side the dataflow saves the image to the file system and the populates the path of the image into a TAB file. The path is accessible to the web, so when reading the image, the path is used to show the image in the form of the custom template.

• The user flow in SSA would be as follows
• User adds a new record using the SSA functionality to add a new record
• User then clicks the record to see the custom template
• User can populate the fields and add a photo to the form (browse or using device camera on  mobile devices)
• The update button then saves the updated data using the dataflow as described above

We can share this with you if it helps?

Alternatively, if you need to save the image itself in text form (such as base 64) into the data table itself, then you could presumably convert that image to base 64 in the custom template (using typescript/JavaScript) and then save that back to your data source? You would need the custom template to convert and show the base 64 as an image again, but it should be feasible to do this.

------------------------------
Mustafa Ismail
Product Architect
Pitney Bowes
London UK

Original Message:
Sent: 10-18-2019 01:25
From: David Murphy
Subject: Take and Save Photos with SSA Mobile Device

​Hello all,

I have recently created an SSA mobile solution for staff to add properties and/or edit attributes during field inspections using a tablet or mobile phone. Previous we have used Trimble Nomad devices with GBM Mobile software which allowed users to also take photos which were associated via attributes with the dataset objects. Is there a way this functionality can be emulated in SSA mobile editing?

------------------------------
David Murphy
GIS Officer
Swan Hill Rural City Council
Swan Hill
------------------------------

Hi David - yes  the photo is uploaded when viewing the map information for the record on the left hand panel. So the record would always need to be added first (and is then updated). I have a copy of the flow and template and will deploy to my local SSA and then send it over via email with some notes on how to get it set up

------------------------------
Mustafa Ismail
Product Architect
Pitney Bowes
London UK
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-29-2019 17:42
From: David Murphy
Subject: Take and Save Photos with SSA Mobile Device

​Hi Mustafa,

Thank you for your reply, the user flow you have described really looks like the approach I need to use.
If you could make Monica's extensibility sample available I would be most grateful.

In answer to your question re how and where the data is saved, the spatial data will be accessed, edited and saved on the SSA server via a VPN connection. The photographs will be uploaded from the mobile device to a different server to overcome security issues involved in calling a URL from the same server.
So long as the photograph name is saved in an attribute field of the associated object I can perform a Find & Replace on the path.
Is it possible to add a photograph when editing an existing object as well as when adding a new record? This would be very useful but not essential.

Regards,

------------------------------
David Murphy
GIS Officer
Swan Hill Rural City Council
Swan Hill

Original Message:
Sent: 10-25-2019 09:33
From: Mustafa Ismail
Subject: Take and Save Photos with SSA Mobile Device

Hi David

Can you clarify how the data is to be saved and where you are saving it to?

The standard SSA editing functionality, which uses the XML Edit Templates described here https://support.pb.com/help/analyst/2018.2/admin_guide/en/appendix/appendixE.html, would not support customisation or the ability to store photos in a field (as text or blobs)

The extensibility sample Monica has, implements a custom template (written not generated from the template designer) which calls a simple Spectrum dataflow, exposed as a REST service, to save the image. On the server side the dataflow saves the image to the file system and the populates the path of the image into a TAB file. The path is accessible to the web, so when reading the image, the path is used to show the image in the form of the custom template.

• The user flow in SSA would be as follows
• User adds a new record using the SSA functionality to add a new record
• User then clicks the record to see the custom template
• User can populate the fields and add a photo to the form (browse or using device camera on  mobile devices)
• The update button then saves the updated data using the dataflow as described above

We can share this with you if it helps?

Alternatively, if you need to save the image itself in text form (such as base 64) into the data table itself, then you could presumably convert that image to base 64 in the custom template (using typescript/JavaScript) and then save that back to your data source? You would need the custom template to convert and show the base 64 as an image again, but it should be feasible to do this.

------------------------------
Mustafa Ismail
Product Architect
Pitney Bowes
London UK

Original Message:
Sent: 10-18-2019 01:25
From: David Murphy
Subject: Take and Save Photos with SSA Mobile Device

​Hello all,

I have recently created an SSA mobile solution for staff to add properties and/or edit attributes during field inspections using a tablet or mobile phone. Previous we have used Trimble Nomad devices with GBM Mobile software which allowed users to also take photos which were associated via attributes with the dataset objects. Is there a way this functionality can be emulated in SSA mobile editing?

------------------------------
David Murphy
GIS Officer
Swan Hill Rural City Council
Swan Hill
------------------------------

​Hi Mustafa - sorry about the delay. Thanks for everything you supplied, I'm afraid developing a field solution has been put on the back-burner here at present. I'll keep you informed of  progress when I can recommence the project.

------------------------------
David Murphy
GIS Officer
Swan Hill Rural City Council
Swan Hill
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-01-2019 15:22
From: Mustafa Ismail
Subject: Take and Save Photos with SSA Mobile Device

Hi David - yes  the photo is uploaded when viewing the map information for the record on the left hand panel. So the record would always need to be added first (and is then updated). I have a copy of the flow and template and will deploy to my local SSA and then send it over via email with some notes on how to get it set up

------------------------------
Mustafa Ismail
Product Architect
Pitney Bowes
London UK

Original Message:
Sent: 10-29-2019 17:42
From: David Murphy
Subject: Take and Save Photos with SSA Mobile Device

​Hi Mustafa,

Thank you for your reply, the user flow you have described really looks like the approach I need to use.
If you could make Monica's extensibility sample available I would be most grateful.

In answer to your question re how and where the data is saved, the spatial data will be accessed, edited and saved on the SSA server via a VPN connection. The photographs will be uploaded from the mobile device to a different server to overcome security issues involved in calling a URL from the same server.
So long as the photograph name is saved in an attribute field of the associated object I can perform a Find & Replace on the path.
Is it possible to add a photograph when editing an existing object as well as when adding a new record? This would be very useful but not essential.

Regards,

------------------------------
David Murphy
GIS Officer
Swan Hill Rural City Council
Swan Hill

Original Message:
Sent: 10-25-2019 09:33
From: Mustafa Ismail
Subject: Take and Save Photos with SSA Mobile Device

Hi David

Can you clarify how the data is to be saved and where you are saving it to?

The standard SSA editing functionality, which uses the XML Edit Templates described here https://support.pb.com/help/analyst/2018.2/admin_guide/en/appendix/appendixE.html, would not support customisation or the ability to store photos in a field (as text or blobs)

The extensibility sample Monica has, implements a custom template (written not generated from the template designer) which calls a simple Spectrum dataflow, exposed as a REST service, to save the image. On the server side the dataflow saves the image to the file system and the populates the path of the image into a TAB file. The path is accessible to the web, so when reading the image, the path is used to show the image in the form of the custom template.

• The user flow in SSA would be as follows
• User adds a new record using the SSA functionality to add a new record
• User then clicks the record to see the custom template
• User can populate the fields and add a photo to the form (browse or using device camera on  mobile devices)
• The update button then saves the updated data using the dataflow as described above

We can share this with you if it helps?

Alternatively, if you need to save the image itself in text form (such as base 64) into the data table itself, then you could presumably convert that image to base 64 in the custom template (using typescript/JavaScript) and then save that back to your data source? You would need the custom template to convert and show the base 64 as an image again, but it should be feasible to do this.

------------------------------
Mustafa Ismail
Product Architect
Pitney Bowes
London UK

Original Message:
Sent: 10-18-2019 01:25
From: David Murphy
Subject: Take and Save Photos with SSA Mobile Device

​Hello all,

I have recently created an SSA mobile solution for staff to add properties and/or edit attributes during field inspections using a tablet or mobile phone. Previous we have used Trimble Nomad devices with GBM Mobile software which allowed users to also take photos which were associated via attributes with the dataset objects. Is there a way this functionality can be emulated in SSA mobile editing?

------------------------------
David Murphy
GIS Officer
Swan Hill Rural City Council
Swan Hill
------------------------------