Pass parameters to FME Server App via URL

Hi all,

We're currently working on features related to this Idea such as allowing Flow App authors to configure pre-populated parameter defaults and choice options, including something like a “cascading choices” feature. I’m not sure we’ll capture all the use cases listed in the comments here with this iteration, but I think what we’re building will enable the spirit of the OPs scenario, and perhaps more.

If you'd be interested in testing these features upon their beta release, please contact me at nathan.hildebrand@safe.com for further details.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement with this Idea and in our community at large!

@nathanatsafe 
I second others on the need for this function. This is a needed functionality, commonly known as Deep linking - Wikipedia. 

Use case: 

1. Access a feature on a ESRI based webmap (ether WAB or ExB). The layer has a dynamic field configured using arcade. The field essentially creates URL with parameters to be passed to FME Server App. The field will be exposed as a hyperlink in a pop-up or attribute table).
2. Once a user clicks the hyperlink, they will be directed to the FME App with the parameters populated with the feature attributes. The app can be also built-in into an Experience Builder page. The parameters can even remain hidden in the app interface and the uer will be only prompted with “Do you want to update this feature?” and a button to trigger the job.
3. The user only needs to click OK to trigger the process without modifying any parameters.

This will address following problems:

• Make an edit that is not possible within the webmap environment. For Example:
  • Make this feature exactly 5x larger.
  • Update values based on intersection with another layer after a feature was moved.
  • Recalculate coordinates after a feature was moved.
• Generate a report for the feature.
• Faster processing by filtering data processed in translation as FME will only process one feature (or limited number of features).

Hardcoding values into user parameters into server app will not work in this scenario, since we only want FME to work with the feature selected in the map and with its attributes. 

I am aware this can be achieved via the FME API, but this function will offer simpler development. 

Hi @nathanatsafe ,

For example, I have my FME app that works well on it’s own:
(example URL) https://fmesvc.my_org.ca/fmeserver/apps/my_process

When clicking on the link, the app appears in my browser with the default parameters filled in.

Let’s say, in this app I have a few published parameters that are required. (example) choice 1, choice 2, choice 3.

Question: Is there a way to set up my URL address to prepopulate those variables?

For example: https://fmesvc.my_org.ca/fmeserver/apps/my_process?choice_1=123&choice_2=456&choice_3=789

This way, when someone clicks the link, the app would appear in the browser tab with the parameters pre-populated?

This would be a great enhancement, as it would save users the hassle of entering in those parameters manually.

Thanks,

AB

​@LizAtSafe - absolutely delighted to see that this is moved to In Development.  For all of the use cases spelled out in this thread (and many more), I think that this could be an incredible enhancement!

Any rough idea as to when this may be released?  Chomping at the bit to put this into play!

Thanks,

Mike

Ps - It seems that multiple AI agents believe that this is already functional, and will gladly provide instructions on the syntax of the query parameters in the URL.  🙄

​@mpittinger thanks for your comment and interest! This is already available in FME Flow 2025.2 betas (can download now from our website), and we are aiming to include it with the official 2025.2 release later this fall. 

Please take a look if you can, and I’d be happy to field any feedback or answer any questions you may have. 

Cheers,
Nathan

Thanks, ​@nathanatsafe!  This is great news!!

Hi ​@LizAtSafe, please, have you considered in Safe to support dynamic parameter values also for Automation App?

Hi ​@lazarlubomir. Thanks for the question! Dynamic Parameters for Automation Apps would be a significant and separate piece of work, and we don’t yet have anything planned for extending this functionality there.

It would be really helpful if you could post this as its own Idea here in the community, including as much detail as possible, like your use cases and the value it would bring to your workflows. That way, others can discover and vote on it, which in turn helps us gauge the level of interest and prioritize accordingly.

​@nathanatsafe yeah, thank you so much - it could be such a powerful funcionality! I´m gonna put it to Idea page.