Release notes for 4.0

What's New since 3.x

Lots! Version 4 of the ArcGIS API for JavaScript is a brand new API enabling you to visualize your data in 2D or 3D, easily integrate with your Web GIS, and build a great user experience; all using a simple and consistent API. See the Guide overview for more information, as well as the migration topics.

What's New since 4.0 beta 3

Autocasting

Autocasting is a convenient way to set typed properties without bringing in extra API modules via the require() function. For further detail regarding this, please refer to the Autocasting guide topic.

Support for reading WebMaps

Reading WebMaps is partially supported. This means it relies on capabilities already available in the API. For example, it is possible to read WebMaps if they contain layer types that are not yet implemented (e.g. WMS layers). In these instances, only layer types supported by the API will display. For additional information on this, please refer to the WebMap documentation.

• UnknownLayer
• UnsupportedLayer

Improved FeatureLayer

The FeatureLayer has had significant improvements made to it. For example:

• Features within a FeatureLayer are rendered as graphics inside a LayerView. To access features visible in the view, use the query methods in the FeatureLayerView.
• It is now possible to create a FeatureLayer from an existing PortalItem. For a working sample, please refer to the Create a layer from a PortalItem sample
• It is now possible to create a FeatureLayer from an array of client-side graphics. For a working sample, please refer to the Create a FeatureLayer with an array of graphics sample
• Performance has been improved as drawing is automatically managed by the API
• It is now possible to filter features on the client, via the definitionExpression

Widget improvements

• Simplified getting, setting, and watching widgets to be more simplistic and consistent
• Combined Attribution and logo widgets into new Attribution widget
• Divided the Locate widget into updated Locate widget and new Track widget

Improved PopupTemplate

It is now possible to work with multiple popup elements within the PopupTemplate. You can choose from four types: text, fields, media (such as charts and images), and attachments. These elements can be added individually or combined. More information on working with these various elements can be found in the API reference specific for PopupTemplate.content.

New Widgets

Some new widgets have been added to the API, these include:

• NavigationToggle widget - provides two simple buttons that toggle a SceneView's navigation mode
• Legend widget - supports working with a FeatureLayer and/or StreamLayer

• Track widget - provides geolocation functionality which accesses the geographic location of the tracking device and displays it on the View. An example of this can be seen using the Track widget simulation sample.

SDK improvements

The SDK has been updated by adding:

• More samples and getting started tutorials
• Improved experience for navigating the API reference
• More guide topics, some of these include
  • A Styling topic which discusses how to gain full control of styling widgets.
  • A topic that discusses working with the View UI.

Bug fixes

• BUG-000093402: JavaScript 4.0 beta3 fails to process the request with proxy with SceneView
• BUG-000092521: Unable to draw a SimpleFillSymbol when using SceneView with graphics
• NIM085930: Fixed an issue where the esri.geometry object type property was inconsistent with the geometryType property expected by feature collection

API Updates

The following provides a comprehensive overview of the changes in the API. This includes an all-inclusive list of updates made to the API between 4.0 beta 3 and final. This list is comprised of classes and objects that were added or renamed. In addition to properties, methods, and events that were added, renamed, or removed.

The view container

In beta 3, the view container did not require height and width to be set. At 4.0, height and width are required.

Renamed constant string values

Known string values for constants have all been converted to kebab-case for consistency throughout the API. For example, Symbol.type has many possible type values. Prior to 4.0 final, these values read similar to of these being, simplemarkersymbol, picturemarkersymbol, simplelinesymbol to name a few. These values are now simple-marker, picture-marker, and simple-line

dgrid and dstore upgrade

Version 4.0 of the ArcGIS API for JavaScript uses Dojo 1.10.4, dgrid version 1.0.0, and dstore version 1.1.1.

Classes/Objects that were renamed

• ArcGISDynamicLayer is now called MapImageLayer

• ArcGISElevationLayer is now called ElevationLayer

• ArcGISImageLayer is now called ImageryLayer

• ArcGISTiledLayer is now called TileLayer

• WebTiledLayer is now called WebTileLayer - take note of the removed 'd'.

• Renamed InitialState class to InitialViewProperties, accessible from esri/webscene/InitialViewProperties or esri/webmap/InitialViewProperties

• Removed DynamicLayer class

Properties, methods, and events that were renamed, or removed

Basemap

• esri/Basemap
  • Removed elevationLayers, initialExtent, spatialReference, and visible properties

Color

• esri/Color
  • Renamed toJson() to toJSON()

Map

• esri/Map
  • Removed initialExtent, loaded, loadError, loadStatus and spatialReference properties
  • Removed always(), cancelLoad(), getLayer(), isFulfilled(), isRejected(), isResolved(), load(), otherwise(), and then() methods
  • Removed layer-add, layer-remove, and layer-reorder events.

PopupTemplate

• esri/PopupTemplate
  • Removed showAttachments property

Request

• esri/request
  • Removed setRequestPreCallback() method

WebScene

• esri/WebScene
  • Removed initialExtent and initialState properties
  • Removed getLayer() method
  • Removed layer-add, layer-remove, and layer-reorder events
• esri/webscene/Lighting
  • Renamed the ambientOcclusion property to ambientOcclusionEnabled
  • Renamed the directShadows property to directShadowsEnabled

• esri/core/Collection
  • Removed addItem(), addItems(), clear, getAll(), moveItem(), removeItem(), removeItemAt(), and removeItems() methods

Geometry

• esri/geometry/Extent
  • Removed normalize() and shiftCentralMeridian() methods
• esri/geometry/Point
  • Removed normalize() and offset() methods
• esri/geometry/SpatialReference
  • Removed isWebMercator() method

Layers

• esri/layers/Layer
  • Renamed layer-view-create event to layerview-create and layer-view-destroy event to layerview-destroy
• esri/layers/GraphicsLayer
  • Removed clear method
• esri/layers/GroupLayer
  • Removed getLayer() method
• esri/layers/SceneLayer
  • Removed add(), clear(), and remove() methods
• esri/layers/VectorTileLayer
  • Renamed setStyle() method to loadStyle()
• esri/widgets/Search
  • Event name changes:
    • clear-search is now search-clear
    • search-results is now search-complete
    • suggest-results is now suggest-complete
  • Property name changes:
    • searchingAllEnabled is now searchAllEnabled
    • search-results is now results
    • suggest-results is now suggestions
    • value is now searchTerm
• esri/widgets/Popup
  • action-select event was renamed to trigger-action.
  • selectAction() method was renamed to triggerAction.
• esri/layers/support/ImageParameters
  • Removed dpi, extent, format, height, imageSpatialReference, layerIds, layerOption, transparent, and width properties

Renderers

• esri/renderers/ClassBreaksRenderer
  • Renamed the attributeField property to field
  • Renamed the infos property to classBreakInfos
  • Renamed the addBreak() method to addClassBreakInfo()
  • Renamed the getBreakInfo() method to getClassBreakInfo()
  • Renamed the removeBreak() method to removeClassBreakInfo()
  • Removed getBreakIndex(), getColor(), getOpacity(), getSize(), getSymbol(), getVisualVariablesForType(), and hasVisualVariables() methods
• esri/renderers/UniqueValueRenderer
  • Renamed the attributeField property to field
  • Renamed the attributeField2 property to field2
  • Renamed the attributeField3 property to field3
  • Renamed the infos property to uniqueValueInfos
  • Renamed the addValue() method to addUniqueValueInfo()
  • Renamed the removeValue() method to removeUniqueValueInfo()
  • Renamed colorInfo, opacityInfo, and sizeInfo visual variable types to color, opacity, and size.

Symbols

• esri/symbols/PictureMarkerSymbol
  • Removed size property. Use height and width properties instead.

Tasks

• esri/tasks/support/DirectionsFeatureSet
  • Removed fieldAliases property
• esri/tasks/support/FeaturSet
  • Removed fieldAliases property
• esri/tasks/support/IdentityParameters
  • Removed dynamicLayerInfos property

Views

• esri/view/View, esri/views/MapView and esri/view/SceneView
  • Removed heightResizeMode and widthResizeMode properties. Use heightBreakPoint and widthBreakpoint properties instead.
  • Renamed animateTo() to goTo().
  • Removed createViewPoint(), and getLayerView() methods
  • Renamed the layer-view-create event to layerview-create
  • Renamed the layer-view-destroy event to layerview-destroy

Widgets

• esri/widgets/Popup

  • Renamed the selectAction() method to triggerAction
  • Renamed the action-select event to trigger-action

• esri/widgets/Search

  • Renamed the searchingAllEnabled property to searchAllEnabled
  • Renamed the search-results property to results
  • Renamed the suggest-results property to suggestions
  • Renamed the value property to searchTerm
  • Renamed the clear-search event to search-clear
  • Renamed the search-results event to search-complete
  • Renamed the suggest-results event to to suggest-complete

• esri/widgets/Attribution/AttributionViewModel

  • Removed items and maxWidth properties

• esri/widgets/BaseMapToggle/BasemapToggleViewModel

  • Renamed currentBasemap to activeBasemap.
  • Renamed secondaryBasemap to nextBasemap.
  • Removed items, maxWidth and basemaps properties

• esri/widgets/Compas/CompassViewModel

  • Renamed the resetDirection() method to reset()

• esri/widgets/Home/HomeViewModel

  • Renamed the goHome() method to go()

• esri/widgets/Locate/LocateViewModel

  • Added goToLocationEnabled and graphic properties
  • Removed clearOnTrackingStopEnabled, graphicsLayer, locationSymbol, locationSymbolEnabled, popupTemplate, scale, tracking, trackingEnabled, updateLocationEnabled, and updateScaleEnabled properties
  • Removed clear() method

• esri/widgets/Popup/PopupViewModel

  • Removed alignmentPositions, autoRepositionEnabled, closestFirst, docked, dockOptions, dockPositions, paginationEnabled, selectedIndex, updateLocationEnabled, visible, waitingForResult, zoomFactor, and zoomScale properties
  • Removed animateToCurrentLocation(), selectAction(), andzoomToCurrentLocation() methods
  • Renamed the selectAction() method to triggerAction
  • Renamed the action-select event to trigger-action

• esri/widgets/Search/SearchViewModel

  • Renamed the searchingAllEnabled property to searchAllEnabled
  • Renamed the search-results property to results
  • Renamed the suggest-results property to suggestions
  • Renamed the value property to searchTerm
  • Renamed the clear-search event to search-clear
  • Renamed the search-results event to search-complete
  • Renamed the suggest-results event to to suggest-complete
  • Removed autoNavigate, buttonModeEnabled, expanded, graphicsLayer, highlightEnabled, highlightGraphic, labelEnabled, labelGraphic, labelSymbol, locationToAddressDistance, maxLength, minCharacters, popup, showPopupOnSelect, sourcesMenuEnabled, suggestionsMenuEnabled, and zoomScale properties
  • Removed cancelActiveSuggest(), delayedSuggest(), and select() methods