As of FME 2024.0, support for Esri ArcGIS Online (AGOL), ArcGIS Enterprise Portal, and ArcGIS Server Feature Service formats has transitioned to a unified approach using the new Esri ArcGIS Feature Service (Format). This format replaces the legacy reader/writer formats for each of the three services.
Starting in FME 2026.1, the legacy formats will be hidden in the Quick Add menu. Instead, equivalent functionality is now provided by the downloadable Esri ArcGIS Connector package, available on FME Hub. The package also includes new web services and key transformers such as the ArcGISOnlineConnector, ArcGISAttachmentConnector, and ArcGISBranchVersionManager. The package can be installed directly through the Quick Add menu in FME Workbench. Once installed, the new Esri Feature Service format will appear in the Gallery as a unified method for interacting with all three types of Esri ArcGIS Feature Services.
For details on this transition, including guidance on updating existing workspaces, please refer to the article: Working with Esri ArcGIS Feature Services in FME.
Introduction
ArcGIS Online supports OAuth 2.0 authentication. This article explains how to set up an ArcGIS Online Web Application and an FME Web Connection for FME to connect using OAuth 2.0.
If you are trying to create an ArcGIS Enterprise Portal Web Connection, please use this article instead: How to Create an ArcGIS Enterprise Portal Web Connection (OAuth 2.0)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Part 1: FME Form
1. Create an Application in ArcGIS Online
Let's start by creating an ArcGIS Online application that will be used in the FME Web Connection.
Log into ArcGIS Online and go to the Content view. Click on New item.
Choose ‘Application'
From the list of Application types, choose Other application. Click Next.
Finally, enter a Title and Tags (optional). Click Save to create the application.
After saving, the new application landing page will open. (You can also find it on your contents page if you need to access it in the future.)
Click on Settings in the menu. This page has the details you need to configure the FME ArcGIS Online Web Service, which is used to create a Web Connection.
On the Settings page, scroll down to Redirect URLs and enter http://localhost
If you have enabled FME Flow Connection Storage in FME Form, then enter http://<yourFMEFlowURL>/fmeoauth instead.
Click Save.
Keep this page open, as you will need to copy and paste the credentials into FME.
If ArcGIS Online will not let you save without entering an Application URL, enter any HTTPS URL; for example: https://www.arcgis.com/, and try again. FME does not use this URL, but ArcGIS Online may require a value before saving.
2. Create a Web Service in FME Form
For instructions on how to use the Esri ArcGIS Connection Package for FME 2024.0+ please see the article Working with Esri ArcGIS Feature Services in FME and download the new package from FME Hub
In FME Workbench, open the drop-down Tools/Utilities menu and select FME Options. Navigate to Web Connections, then click Manage Services.
Click on the "+" drop-down menu in the bottom left corner (1) and then Create From (2) > Esri ArcGIS Online OAuth (safe.esri-agol) (3).
Add the web service information from the ArcGIS Online Application Settings page:
- Web Service Name: Give the Web Service a name. It’s good practice to include the service, “ArcGIS Online”, in the name as well as the app name in ArcGIS Online.
- Client ID: <copy from ArcGIS Online Application Settings page>
- Client Secret: <copy from ArcGIS Online Application Settings page>
- Redirect Strategy: This setting is only available for FME 2025.2 and later. Choose Loopback Interface Redirect. To learn more about redirect strategies, please read external browser authentication. For versions of FME before 2025.2, the internal FME browser is used.
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Redirect URI: The Redirect URI must match the one entered in the ArcGIS Online application (created in the first step). Enter
http://localhostor, if you are using FME Flow Connection Storage, enterhttp://<yourFMEFlowURL>/fmeoauth.
Click Apply, then Close.
3. Create a Web Connection in FME Form
After closing the Web Services page, you should return to the Web Connection page. If you didn't, go to Tools/Utilities > FME Options > Web Connections to reopen it. Click on the “+” button to add a new connection.
Select the Web Service created in Step 2 and give your web connection a name. Click OK to authenticate.
- Web Service: Esri ArcGIS Online OAuth (FME OAuth)
- Connection Name: <your Esri ArcGIS connection>
You will be redirected to your browser to enter your ArcGIS Online Credentials and authorize the web connection. Enter your ArcGIS Online Account credentials, or click your account if using SAML (single sign-on), and click Sign In.
After successfully signing in, return to FME and confirm the authorization was successful. Click OK.
Your ArcGIS Online Web Connection is ready to use!
If you received an error and you aren't sure how to resolve it, please see ArcGIS Online Web Connection Troubleshooting
4. Test the Web Connection
Add an Esri ArcGIS Feature Service Reader to the canvas.
Configure the Esri ArcGIS Feature Service Reader as follows.
- Format: Esri ArcGIS Feature Service
-
Parameters:
- Source Type: ArcGIS Online
- Web Connection: <your Esri ArcGIS connection>
- Feature Service: <choose your feature service>
- Layers: <choose your layer>
Note: The legacy Esri ArcGIS Online (AGOL) Feature Service format will not work with the new connection. Please read the article Working with Esri ArcGIS Feature Services in FME for detailed information.
If you are on a version of FME before 2024.0 and need to use the legacy format, refer to the prior steps to create a new web service and connection, and substitute the Esri ArcGIS Online web service for the Esri ArcGIS Online OAuth (safe.esri-agol) web service. Follow the configuration below to test.
Set the Format to Esri ArcGIS Online (AGOL) Feature Service (1), then click Parameters (2).
In Parameters, select your new ArcGIS Online Web Connection (3). Click the ellipsis (...) to choose the feature service (4) and layer(s) (5) you want to read. Click OK to save the parameters, then click OK again to create the reader.
- Format: Esri ArcGIS Online (AGOL) Feature Service
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Parameters:
- ArcGIS Online Connection: <your Esri ArcGIS connection>
- Feature Service: <choose your feature service>
- Layers: <choose your layer>
Run to test that the reader works!
If you are also using FME Flow, keep the workspace open, as we will use it to configure FME Flow in the next part.
This connection can also be used in the ArcGISOnlineConnector. To learn more, please see How to Use the ArcGISOnlineConnector
Part 2: FME Flow
We will go through a few extra steps to get this working in FME Flow.
If you created the connection in Part 1 and have FME Flow Connection Storage enabled in FME Form, then the connection will already be available on FME Flow, and you can skip this part.
1. Add a Redirect URI to the ArcGIS Online Application
Go back to your ArcGIS Online Application and click Manage next to Credentials (you can also click Settings from the top menu bar).
Under Redirect URLs, click Add (1) and enter your FME Flow OAuth URL in the form of: http://<yourFMEFlowURL>/fmeoauth (2).
Click Save.
2. Upload the Web Connection and Web Service to FME Flow
Back in FME Workbench, let’s publish the workspace to FME Flow to upload the Web Connection and associated Web Service. Click the Publish button in the top right.
In the Publish to FME Flow window, select a valid FME Flow Connection and choose a Repository to upload the workspace to (or create a new one). Click Next.
Ensure that the ArcGIS Online web connection is selected, then click Next.
We only require the Job Submitter service for this exercise. Ensure it is selected, then click Publish.
3. Add the Redirect URI
Log in to FME Flow. Click on Connections & Parameters in the menu, then click the Web Connections tab. Click Manage Web Services
Find the web service that you created and click on it.
In the Redirect URI field, enter the same FME Flow OAuth URL that you added to the ArcGIS Online Application in Step 1. Click OK.
Return to the Web Connections page and click on the Web Connection.
Click Authorize. When prompted, enter your ArcGIS Online credentials or click your account if using SAML (single sign-on), and click Sign In. After successfully authorizing your connection, you should see a green checkmark next to the web connection name. Click OK.
4. Run the Workspace on FME Flow
Finally, let’s run the workspace to confirm the connection is working on FME Flow.
From the side menu, click Run Workspace. Find the workspace that was just uploaded. Then, click Run to run the workspace. The workspace should run successfully, demonstrating that the connection works.