Configuring project user identity

In ArcGIS for Windows Mobile, project user identity is a point layer, invisible in the map, that you can use to keep a record of the identities of field workers who have signed in to a mobile project. An Identity layer can be used to auto populate fields of other layers.

Tip:

An Identity layer is not compulsory for a mobile project.

To assign a layer as an Identity layer, you must have a point layer in a .mxd file. The point layer must contain two text fields: one for user identity and one for display name. You create a mobile

or mobile cache with the point layer. The service or cache will then be used in the project creation process in Mobile Project Center (MPC).

Note:

It is recommended that you set the user identity field and the display name field as required fields (non-nullable fields). If any of the fields of an identity is null, the field applications will not display the identity (while your field workers can still use other identities).

It's not mandatory that your Identity layer contain a Global ID field, but if the Global ID field is present, you can allow your field workers to add new identities. Additional fields can be included in the Identity layer. This includes support for attachments. Because these additional fields are not used by the out-of-the-box ArcGIS for Windows Mobile field application, don't include these additional properties in your Identity layer unless you have a custom extension to handle them.

Adding and configuring an Identity layer

To configure a point layer as an Identity layer in MPC, complete the following steps:

Steps:

1. Follow the steps in Adding operational map layers to add a mobile service, a feature service or a mobile cache containing a point layer to your project.
   Note:

   If the Identity layer is from a service, your field workers can synchronize and update identity information with each other in the field if there's a data connection. If you use mobile cache, the field crew cannot synchronize and update identity information.

2. Click the icon next to the name of the service or mobile cache to expand the list of map layers.
3. Click the Identity layer, click the Layer tab to select the purpose of the layer, then click Is used for Identifying current user.

   MPC sets the layer as the Identity layer. The check box next to the name of the layer becomes unchecked and the layer becomes invisible from the Map Preview.

4. Click the Identity tab next to the Layer tab to configure the properties of the Identity layer. MPC lists only the text fields of the Identity layer in the list box and hides all other types of fields.
5. Set one text field to be used as User Identity and another as Display Name as shown in the following screen shot::

   MPC has two additional settings to an Identity layer: Allow adding new users and Require sign in when opening project. If these two settings are unchecked and disabled, it indicates that the Identity layer does not have a Global Id field.

6. If you check the Allow adding new users check box, your crew members can add new identities using the field applications; otherwise, you must predefine identities before deploying the project so that your field workers can choose an identity and sign in.
7. The Require sign in when opening project setting makes it mandatory for field crew members to login every time they open a project. If you enable this setting, field workers will need to use an existing identity or create a new identity to sign in to the project. If you do not enable this setting, your field workers can sign in automatically using the identity from the last signed in user (they can still switch to another identity within the client application). In any case, sign in is required as long as there is an Identity layer in the project.
Caution:

Be careful when deciding to use these two settings. For example, if you disable Allow adding new users and there is no data connection in the field (or the Identity layer comes from a mobile cache but the layer has no data), your crew members will not be able to refresh the identity information. If you also enforce Require sign in when opening project and require the workers to re-sign in, they will not be able to sign in or open the project. Consider enabling Allow adding new users and disabling Require sign in when opening project unless you have custom extensions to handle situations like this

After you've added and configured an Identity layer, you can use the identity information to set autopopulation of text fields of other layers. See Configuring map layer fields for more information.

More about project user identity

For more information about project user identity, see Understanding project user identity.