Copy features from one layer to another using the Smart Editor widget in ArcGIS Web AppBuilder

Summary

The Smart Editor widget in ArcGIS Web AppBuilder allows editing features and related records. It allows creating new features, edit existing features and their attributes. This widget can also be configured to allow creating new feature(s) from existing feature(s). 

If the feature being copied has a field that already exists in the target layer, there is the option to keep the default values in the target field or overwrite them with the existing values from the copied feature. 

Procedure

Before beginning, it is necessary to configure the Smart Editor widget. On the General Settings tab, under Copy and Append Features, enable the option to Allow creating new feature(s) from existing feature(s). By default, this setting allows copying features from one layer to another layer with the same geometry type (point, polygon, or line). Additionally, there are the options to Allow copy polygon to point and/or Allow copy line to point.

When copying a polygon to a point, a centroid point is generated and added to the point layer. When using copy line to point option, specify whether to add the point to the start or the end of the line. These options are shown in the image below.

To copy a feature from one layer to another as a new feature

1. Open the Smart Editor widget.
2. Select a template from the target layer to copy the feature to. This can be the same layer as the source layer where the feature currently exists. Choose a copy tool, for example, Copy by rectangle.
3. Select a feature from the source layer to copy. Press and hold the copy tool to draw a shape to select the features.
4. If multiple features are selected, you can refine the selection.
5. Optionally, click Apply Field Matching to pass the attributes from the selected feature.
6. Once done, click Create Feature.
7. This copies the selected feature to the exact same location in the target layer.
8. Edit the attributes if needed and click Save.

Copy a polygon as a point to a point layer
These same steps can be applied to copying a line to a point layer.

1. Open the Smart Editor widget.
2. Select a template from the point layer.
3. Choose a copy tool, for example, Copy by rectangle.
4. Select a polygon to copy.
5. If multiple polygons are selected, you can refine the selection.
6. Optionally, click Apply Field Matching to pass the attributes from the polygon to the point.
7. Once done, click Create Feature.
8. This converts the selected polygon to a centroid point.
9. Edit the attributes if needed, and click Save.