Koop Provider - Quickbase for ArcGIS

Provider Summary | Usage | How To Implement | Usage | Caveats | Todo

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Quick Start

npm install --save @koopjs/koop-core koop-provider-quickbase

// After creating your Koop project files, update
// your Koop index or server js to add this provider

// register the plugin with koop
const provider = require('koop-provider-quickbase')
koop.register(provider)

// Read docs for URL syntax to use the endpoint(s), such as required url query params

Provider Summary:

Use this provider module with Koop to run a realtime ETL on Quickbase data and access it as a Feature Service meeting the specification to use with ArcGIS and other products or apps.

This is a realtime ETL, allowing you to see changes to the Quickbase data after each app/service reload, or based on a refresh interval!

(Unless caching is used.)

What is Koop? Koop is an open source geospatial data server. It is essentially an Extract-Transform-Load server that lets you pull data from one source and access it as a Geoservice, such as an ArcGIS FeatureLayer or WMS. Clearly your table data must contain geospatial coordinates in a field/column so it can be mapped.

What is Quickbase? Quickbase is a successful low-code PaaS serving both as a cloud-database and app builder. It can be used by developers/testers through the Builder Program if you sign up for an account.

How To Implement:

1. Create a Koop project, aka build an instance.
2. Download the module and place it within your Koop app/instance.
3. Configure Koop to register this provider as a plugin.
4. Set up your .env file with token.
5. Deploy your Koop app with the module.
6. Access the Feature Service endpoint and add to your GIS software.

Usage:

Anatomy of the URL

This applies when using a FeatureLayer URL. WMS is not documented or test yet

• URL Path: From the URL root, the provider lives under the /quickbase directory, but uses conventional Feature Service directory names for the most part.
• Quickbase Realm: The provider needs to know the name of your realm to access the data. Place the name right after /services in the path.
• App ID & Table ID: The IDs of the app where the table lives, and the ID of the Table itself, must be concatenated using a -. E.g. ../services/qb-realm/abc123-abc456/...
• Service Type: The URL contains a type, such as /FeatureServer, and must also contain the layer ID, such as 0 or 1 when accessing data, such as /FeatureServer/0. In most cases the ID will be 0 since there is one layer (advances could create a more sophisticated system using layer IDs, but does it make sense?).
• Query Parameters: (only one is required)
  • coords_fid (required): Identify and append the Field ID from Quickbase of the field containing GCS coordinates. e.g. ?coords_fid=9
  • Others: Many parameters can be appended if they meet the spec, such as &inSR=4326&outSR=3857 to ensure your web app puts your points at the right location.

Full Example:

https://domain.host/quickbase/rest/services/quickbase-realm-name/appId-tableId/FeatureServer/0/query?coordinates=9&inSR=4326&outSR=3857

This corresponds to a Quickbase URL of:

https://{quickbase-realm-name}.quickbase.com/nav/app/{appId}/table/{tableId}/

Add Service To An App

Basic Example Using Esri Leaflet

import {featureLayer} from 'esri-leaflet'

const layer = featureLayer({
    url: 'https://localhost:8443/quickbase/rest/services/builderprogram-username/bty227quq-bfy86afhg/FeatureServer/0?coords_fid=9&inSR=4326&outSR=3857',
    //                                                         ^ QB Realm Name     ^ App ID    ^ Table ID                      ^ Coordinates FID
    useCors: true,
    fields: ['*'],
    fetchAllFeatures: true,
    pointToLayer(feature, latlng) {
        return L.circleMarker(latlng, {
            radius: 8,
            color: 'dodgerblue',
            weight: 1,
            fillColor: 'dodgerblue',
            fillOpacity: 0.3,
        })
    },
}).addTo(map)

// View your Quickbase data in realtime on the map!

Caveats:

• As of the latest testing, the updated Map Viewer in ArcGIS Online is too fickle to accept data from most Koop Providers, including this one.
• Currently only works with Point Geometry!
• You must provide a QB_TOKEN in your .env file generated by your Quickbase user. In the future, a work-around could implemement the ability to access public Quickbase data without a token.
• Some apps will require that your endpoint uses SSL, so for local testing, in those cases, you must run Koop using SSL or proxy the app.

Todo:

1. Low priority: Ingest lines or polygons. You would have to accurately store long strings in a Quickbase table.
2. Fine tune compatibility with a range of apps, including the new AGOL Map Viewer.
3. Test WMS and other service outputs. See List Here
4. Implement blocks to catch failures, such as when the spatial data is not a point, for example an array of points.