ArcGIS Pro Connector (EXPERIMENTAL)

The VAMS Connector for ArcGIS Pro is a .NET add-in that integrates Esri ArcGIS Pro with VAMS for visual asset management. It enables GIS professionals to browse, explore, manage, and reference VAMS databases, assets, and files directly from within ArcGIS Pro.

Experimental

This integration is in experimental status and may still have issues. Verify with your organization before deploying to any production environment.

Features

• Hierarchical Database Browser -- Navigate VAMS databases, assets, and files in a tree view with folder structure support
• File Reference System -- Link VAMS files to GIS feature classes and table rows with automatic field creation and rich metadata storage
• Image Preview -- Advanced image viewer with pan, zoom, and download capabilities
• Table Integration -- Right-click context menu in attribute tables to open VAMS file links from selected rows
• File Downloads -- Download individual files or entire assets with progress tracking and folder structure preservation
• Dual Authentication -- Cognito username/password login and token override authentication (IDP JWT tokens and VAMS API keys)

Prerequisites

• Esri ArcGIS Pro 3.5+
• .NET 8.0 targeting Windows
• VAMS CLI installed and configured

VAMS CLI setup

Install the VAMS CLI:

pip install -e /path/to/vams/tools/VamsCLI

Configure a profile with your VAMS API Gateway URL:

vamscli setup https://your-api-gateway-url.amazonaws.com

Verify the CLI is working:

vamscli auth login -u your-email@example.com
vamscli database list --json-output

Installation

1. Download the latest .esriAddinX file
2. Close ArcGIS Pro if it is running
3. Double-click the .esriAddinX file to install
4. Launch ArcGIS Pro and open any project
5. Find the VAMS tab in the ribbon or locate "Database Explorer" in the Add-In tab

Authentication

The connector supports two authentication methods, automatically detected from the VAMS CLI profile configuration.

Cognito authentication

For VAMS deployments using AWS Cognito as the identity provider. Enter your VAMS username (email) and password in the login dialog.

CLI equivalent:

vamscli auth login -u user@example.com -p yourpassword

Token override authentication

For VAMS deployments using an external identity provider, or when authenticating with a VAMS API key. Enter your user ID and the token or API key in the login dialog.

• VAMS API keys are prefixed with vams_ (e.g., vams_abc123...)
• IDP JWT tokens are standard JWT strings from your external identity provider

CLI equivalent:

vamscli auth login --user-id user@example.com --token-override "vams_your-api-key"
vamscli auth login --user-id user@example.com --token-override "eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIs..."

Usage

Browsing VAMS content

1. Open the VAMS Database Explorer from the Add-In tab
2. Click the login button and authenticate
3. Navigate through databases, assets, and files in the hierarchical tree view

Adding file references to GIS data

1. Select a target layer or table in the Contents pane
2. Navigate to the desired file in the VAMS Database Explorer
3. Right-click on the file and choose "Add Reference to Feature Class/Table..."
4. If VAMS reference fields do not exist, the system prompts to create them automatically
5. Select features or rows to associate with the file and confirm

Accessing referenced files

1. Open the attribute table for a layer with VAMS references
2. Select rows containing VAMS file references (populated Vams_FileLink fields)
3. Right-click and choose "Open VAMS Links" from the context menu

Downloading files

• From Database Explorer (single file) -- Right-click a file and select "Download File"
• From Database Explorer (all asset files) -- Right-click an asset and select "Download All Files"
• From Image Preview -- Click the Download button in the preview window footer

VAMS reference field schema

The connector automatically creates the following fields when adding VAMS references to a feature class or table:

Field Name	Type	Length	Purpose
Vams_FileName	String	255	VAMS file display name
Vams_DatabaseId	String	255	VAMS database identifier
Vams_DatabaseName	String	255	VAMS database display name
Vams_AssetId	String	255	VAMS asset identifier
Vams_AssetName	String	255	VAMS asset display name
Vams_FileLink	String	1000	Clickable hyperlink URL
Vams_FileExtension	String	10	File extension (e.g., .jpg, .pdf)
Vams_AddedDate	Date	--	Timestamp of reference creation

Architecture

arcgispro-connector-for-vams/
├── Commands/                    # UI commands (add reference, open link)
├── Handlers/                    # URL and event handlers
├── Helpers/                     # Tree view item models
├── Models/                      # Data transfer objects for CLI JSON output
├── Services/
│   ├── VamsCliService.cs        # VAMS CLI subprocess wrapper
│   ├── AwsCliService.cs         # AWS S3 operations
│   └── VamsReferenceService.cs  # GIS field creation and data population
├── Config.daml                  # ArcGIS Pro extension configuration
└── *.xaml                       # UI definitions (WPF)

Component	File	Purpose
CLI Service	VamsCliService.cs	Wraps vamscli commands via Process, parses JSON output
Reference Service	VamsReferenceService.cs	Manages VAMS field creation and population in GIS layers
Tree View Items	Helpers/	Hierarchical data models for databases, assets, folders, and files
Data Models	VamsModels.cs	C# DTOs matching VAMS CLI JSON output structures

Technical Details

Component	Details
Framework	.NET 8.0 targeting Windows (net8.0-windows)
UI Framework	WPF with ArcGIS Pro SDK integration
Architecture	MVVM pattern with command binding
External Dependencies	YamlDotNet for CLI output parsing

File Deep Link URL Format

VAMS file reference URLs point directly to the file viewer in the VAMS web application using the HashRouter format:

https://<VAMS_WEBSITE>/#/databases/<databaseId>/assets/<assetId>/file/<encodedFilePath>

The file path is URL-encoded using encodeURIComponent(). Optional query parameters for versioning:

• ?version=<fileVersionId> — view a specific file version
• ?assetVersion=<assetVersionId> — view the file at a specific asset version (takes priority over version)

Example:

https://vams.example.com/#/databases/building/assets/x7150f39c-abc123/file/images%2Fphoto.jpg

Development

Building from Source

1. Clone the repository

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd tools/ExternalIntegrations/arcgispro-connector-for-vams

2. Restore dependencies

   dotnet restore

3. Build the solution

   dotnet build

4. Debug in ArcGIS Pro

   • Open VamsConnector.sln in Visual Studio 2022
   • Set ArcGIS Pro as the startup application
   • Press F5 to launch with debugger attached

Development Environment

• Visual Studio 2022 (recommended)
• ArcGIS Pro SDK for .NET (3.5+)
• Git for version control

Code Style

• MVVM Pattern: ViewModels inherit from DockPane and use SetProperty
• Command Pattern: RelayCommand for UI interactions
• Async/Await: Proper async patterns with QueuedTask.Run()
• Error Handling: Comprehensive try-catch with user feedback

Debug Information

• Console Output: Check ArcGIS Pro console for debug messages
• Field Verification: Verify field creation in layer's attribute table
• URL Validation: Ensure Vams_FileLink field contains valid URLs
• Selection State: Confirm table rows are selected before using context menu

Source Location

tools/ExternalIntegrations/arcgispro-connector-for-vams/

Trademarks

ArcGIS, ArcGIS Pro, and the ArcGIS logo are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of Esri in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. This project is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Esri.

Related Pages

• External Tool Integrations Overview -- All available integrations
• CLI Installation -- Installing the VAMS CLI
• API Keys -- Creating VAMS API keys for non-interactive authentication