ArcMobile 10 Newbie

[KennethCheng]

Hi All,

I'm new to ArcGIS mobile 10 and been trying to figure out how to create my first project.

I've installed ArcView 10 on my desktop pc and ArcMobile 10 on a windows tablet pc.

In Arcview 10 I've created a map document ("mxd") with several different shapefiles stored locally on my desktop pc.

What tool do I use in ArcToolbox to export my mxd file to arc mobile format to use as a "basemap" or "operational" layer?  I don't have ArcServer yet, so I'm trying to do this via ArcView --> Arc Mobile.  (I'd like to export to an arc mobile format that I can save on my tablet pc via a usb memory stick)

I looked around the forums without any specific details.  Any guidance would be much appreciated.

[DeniseKing]

Hi Kenneth,

Your data will need to be in File Geodatabase format and have GlobalID field to be editable in the field.  A great resource for ArcGIS Mobile 10 users is ArcGIS Resource Center and ArcGIS Mobile videos. I recommend the first 3 in the list, http://resources.arcgis.com/gallery/video/arcgis-mobile.
  Using ArcGIS Mobile with ArcGIS Desktop
  How to Create a Mobile Project
  What is Mobile Project Center

A helpful document is the 'How to design and create mobile maps using ArcGIS Desktop' which should help you get started in this process, http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgismobile/10.0/help/index.html#/How_to_design_and_create_mobile_maps_us....

Thanks,
Denise

[KennethCheng]

Thanks Denise,

I couldn't quite understand the presenter in "Using ArcGIS Mobile with ArcGIS Desktop" as she was moving thru the slides quite quickly and it didn't help she had an accent as well.

Anyhow, I'll convert to a file geodatbase and then add the global ids...and try again.

To anyone who's trying this for the first time like me....you will need to install a global id patch for arcview desktop.  (http://resources.arcgis.com/content/patches-and-service-packs?fa=viewPatch&PID=17&MetaID=1654)

Ken

[KennethCheng]

Finally got an operational layer working....

1) Converted shapefiles to a file geodatabase and added global ids
2) Design mxd file using file geodatabase
3)) Use Mobile Tools > Create Mobile Map  (make sure you close your mxd file before selecting and create the mobile map)  Create Mobile Map appears to error if you have the mxd file open.
4) Copy mobile cache to mobile device.

Now got to figure out how to create a base map? 

Any suggestions anyone?

[KennethCheng]

Okay..I'm having trouble with creating a mobile base map.

I don't have arcserver 10 running...so I need to create and load the basemap using arcview or arcinfo...via a usb memory stick.

Is there anything in ArcTools that creates a mobile basemap layer to use in Arcmobile 10?

I've read several different forum posts on this issue and it appears I'm not alone.

Anyone?

[MatthewProkuda]

Did you successfully deploy a mobile app to a device?  If so, which location on the device did you copy the files to (assuming you did it with ActiveSync) and which files did you copy over?

Keen to hear any success stories from people using ArcGIS Mobile v10 with ArcGIS desktop.

[JulianWard]

This may be a bit of a junkie way of going about it, but its how I finally got some maps going on a HP iPAQ 212 mobile device using ArcGIS Mobile from the desktop

On the Desktop:

- Set up your datasets in a File Geodatabase and enable GUI's on the datasets you plan to edit (you only need GUI's on the datasets you are editing as they are used for the edit checking process)

- Create your ArcMap document (.mxd) with the symbols you want to use (keep it simple, especially with labelling)

- Using the "Create Mobile Map" tool under "Mobile Tools" in ArcToolbox, create a "MobileCache" (a directory containing all of the spatial data in a compressed format)

- Set up your "Mobile Project" using the "Mobile Project Center" and save the project file (.wmpk)

- Using Microsofts Activesync, transfer the project file to the Mobile Device (try and put it onto the main memory under "My Documents" > "ArcGIS Mobile")

On the Mobile Device:

- Doubleclick on the project file (this should launch ArcGIS mobile on the device, as long as it's installed of course, and start loading the project)

- If an option on where to store

- The loading SHOULD fail with a cannot access MobileCache error, however it should create the folders required for the project including an empty MobileCache directory

-Exit ArcGIS Mobile

On the Desktop:

- Copy and replace the MobileCache on the mobile device with the MapCache created from the .mxd

On the Mobile Device:

- Re-Launch ArcGIS Mobile, it should now open the project correctly with the data as supplied in the MobileCache


As I said this is a junkie way of doing it, but hopefully it helps,

Jules

[AnthonyFarndon]

This may be a bit of a junkie way of going about it, but its how I finally got some maps going on a HP iPAQ 212 mobile device using ArcGIS Mobile from the desktop

An alternative flow:

On the Desktop:

- Set up your datasets in a File Geodatabase and enable GUI's on the datasets you plan to edit (you only need GUI's on the datasets you are editing as they are used for the edit checking process)

- Create your ArcMap document (.mxd) with the symbols you want to use (keep it simple, especially with labelling)

- Using the "Create Mobile Map" tool under "Mobile Tools" in ArcToolbox, this will create a "MobileCache" (a directory containing all of the spatial data in a compressed format) and .amp project file

- Using Microsofts Activesync, transfer the folder/contents from above containing the .amp project file and MobileCache to the Mobile Device (try and put it onto the main memory under "My Documents" > "ArcGIS Mobile")

You should then have two required items on your device
-- \My Documents\ArcGIS Mobile\MySampleProject\MobileCache\
-- \My Documents\ArcGIS Mobile\MySampleProject\MySampleProject.amp

On the Mobile Device:

- Doubleclick on the .amp project file (this should launch ArcGIS mobile on the device, as long as it's installed of course, and start loading the project)


This works for me, and negates having to do anything via Mobile Project Centre (it does however give less control (you cannot then use MPC to further specify which layers are editable, which fields show, which fields are identifiable etc) but you can achieve this by setting up the layer properties correctly in ArcMap.

Is there anything in ArcTools that creates a mobile basemap layer to use in Arcmobile 10?

I've read several different forum posts on this issue and it appears I'm not alone.

Anyone?

Ability to create basemaps from static raster datasets is a real miss, I have searched and searched and cannot find a solution in 10, it seems the only options are either a streamed in ArcGISOnline basemap (which is not always suitable for field applications in rural areas and/or with non connected devices like a Juno SC) or getting hold of Server to create a basemap cache. 😞

[AlexProtyagov]

Also, the GlobalID column can be created with python script call to

arcpy.AddGlobalIDs_management(layerName)

[AnthonyFarndon]

An alternative flow:
Ability to create basemaps from static raster datasets is a real miss, I have searched and searched and cannot find a solution in 10, it seems the only options are either a streamed in ArcGISOnline basemap (which is not always suitable for field applications in rural areas and/or with non connected devices like a Juno SC) or getting hold of Server to create a basemap cache. 😞

I have found a solution for rasters without server now. You can add individual raster tiles to the mxd and they will come through into the mobilecache as an operational layer.

However, a word of warning, if you have 1000 tiles, they come through as 1000 operational layers in mobile, there is no way to group them or bring them through as one catalog. If you have the time and space then creating a super tile for your area of interest works.

Also, to solve this whole .wmpk extract workaround issue, another solution I have found is to copy the .wmpk and mobile cache folder onto the device into an empty folder eg \my documents\arcgismobile\newfolder\

When the .wmpk extracts it sees the mobile cache folder already there and doesn't create a blank one instead