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MassGIS / morisoliver

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Adjust workflow for abutters list tool #248

Open MassGIS opened 8 years ago

MassGIS commented 8 years ago

MassGIS would like to tweak the workflow of the abutters list tool that is currently deployed in the MuniMapper versions of OLIVER. Sample MuniMapper: http://maps.massgis.state.ma.us/map_ol/great_barrington.php
Current documentation for the tool: http://maps.massgis.state.ma.us/map_ol/munimapper_abutters.htm

Currently the user is expected to activate the tool by clicking on the small blue arrow on the right side. which pulls down a menu. The user must enter into the resulting window a radius value and chooses a type of units.

abutters_list_screenshot

Then the user must close this window by clicking elsewhere on the application. Then the user must click or draw a box around 1-3 parcels.

Unfortunately it is possible for the user to misunderstand the necessary dropdown aspect of this tool.
It is possible for the user to click the tool (not use the dropdown) and then click the map and it becomes an identify operation instead of an abutters list tool.

MassGIS suggests a different flow. There are two possible options we can think of:

Option 1. User clicks the tool and then instead of a dropdown, a pop-up window opens in the middle of the map asking for the same radius value and unit type as above. Then, once the user enters that information the window closes (We need a better way to close the window then having the user click somewhere else on the interface. Maybe a “close” button). Then the user next selects the standard 1-3 parcels on the map. It would be helpful to the flow if the user is instructed on the pop up window “next, click close and then draw a box on the map to select features).

Option 2. User clicks the tool and then selects 1-3 parcels on the map. Then the popup window opens asking for the same radius value and unit type as above. (We need a better way to close the window then having the user click somewhere else on the interface. Maybe a “close” button). Once the window is closed the abutters operation starts.

I have some uncertainty about the possibilities around changing the abutters list workflow steps. I remember that the abutter's list mode is a different flavor of identify mode and some code is reused.

I described two possible options to make it better than it is now (it’s potentially confusing to the user and we’re hoping to make it a little more straightforward). Could you consider whether either of these possibly could to be implemented, or whether there is another way to accomplish the goal?

Neil MacGaffey requested this change.

cgalvarino commented 8 years ago

@MassGIS How do I tell oliver.php to talk abutters?

MassGIS commented 8 years ago

The abutters functionality is not in oliver.php, but was put into town-based OLIVERs such as http://maps.massgis.state.ma.us/map_ol_2016/charlton.php It is the tool to the left of the filter. You have to zoom in enough to see purple parcels first before you can use the tool successfully. The tool works on certain datasets that are in the Charlton viewer. You could try to set up your OLIVER, but maybe you want to use charlton.php and toolConfig_charlton.js? In toolConfig_charlton.js it is the identifyBuffer section.

cgalvarino commented 8 years ago

Wow, I get my own viewer. It's about time!

Could you ship that charlton.php to me directly so I can run it here (and any other wiring I might need)?