definition: Add, update, or delete a Feature Layer definition

In arcgislayers: Harness ArcGIS Data Services

Add, update, or delete a Feature Layer definition

Description

Each layer of a feature service is defined by a "definition." The definition describes the service such as its fields, symbology, indexes and more.

Usage

add_layer_definition(x, ..., async = FALSE, token = arc_token())

update_layer_definition(x, ..., async = FALSE, token = arc_token())

delete_layer_definition(x, ..., async = FALSE, token = arc_token())

Arguments

x	A Feature Layer, Table, or Feature Service class object.
...	Additional parameters for the "addToDefinition" or "updateDefinition" body of the request.
async	Default FALSE. If TRUE, support asynchronous processing for the request.
token	an httr2_token as created by auth_code() or similar

Details

• Use add_layer_definition() for adding fields to a feature service or otherwise adding to the definition of a feature layer.

• Use update_layer_definition() to modify existing aspects of the definition properties.

• Use delete_layer_definition() to delete properties from the layer definition.

Examples of properties include the layer name, renderer, or field properties. Named parameters passed to ... must have names matching supported definitions. Parameters are converted to a JSON addToDefinition, updateDefinition, or deleteFromDefinition query parameter using jsonify::to_json().

See the ArcGIS REST API documentation on Administer Hosted Feature Services for more details:

• see the layerDefinition object documentation.

• adding definitions for a FeatureLayer or a FeatureService

• updating definitions for a FeatureLayer or a FeatureService

• deleting definitions for a FeatureLayer or a FeatureService

Value

If async = FALSE, return an updated "FeatureServer" or "FeatureLayer" object with the added, updated, or deleted definitions. If async = TRUE, the input Feature Layer or Feature Server object x is returned as is.

Examples

## Not run: 
if (interactive()) {
# authenticate
set_arc_token(auth_code())

# publish a layer
published <- publish_layer(penguins, "Penguin Test")

penguin_fl <- arc_open(published$services$encodedServiceURL) |>
  get_layer(0)

# Update the name of the layer
update_layer_definition(
  penguin_fl,
  name = "New Layer Name"
)

# add an index on the the layer
add_layer_definition(
  penguin_fl,
  indexes = list(
    name = "index1",
    fields = "species",
    isUnique = FALSE,
    isAscending = FALSE,
    description = "Example index"
  )
)

# refresh the layer to get the updates
penguin_fl <- refresh_layer(penguin_fl)
penguin_fl[["indexes"]]
}

## End(Not run)

arcgislayers documentation built on March 4, 2026, 9:06 a.m.