ArcExplorer vs ArcReader

[NatalieBuchwald]

Hello,
I work for a city that operates with an Enterprise license and I am trying to share data with a customer who only has access to ArcReader. It seems as though to share the data I need to share with my customer who only has access to ArcReader I need to publish my data as PMF files. I would like to avoid that extra step and decided to look into ArcExplorer. Can you help me understand the difference between ArcReader and ArcExplorer?

[RichardBunten]

You have pretty much answered your own question.  ArcExplorer will allow the user to add layers, web services, feature classes, alter symbology and run some minor analysis.
 
ArcReader is meant to be a reader for a specific map created in ArcGIS.  The user of ArcReader can only view the contents of a published ArcMap .pmf.  The user cannot alter the appearance of the data within a .pmf, they can only zoom, pan, identify features, and print a predefined map.  You can create a map in ArcMap and then create an ArcReader package that contains the .pmf and all the data needed for the ArcReader .pmf. 

We use ArcReader for our employees that work in the field and don't have an internet connection.  We create a map package for them on a quarterly basis.  It works well.

If you have ArcGIS Server and the Web Services with the data the user needs and the user has internet access then you would want to use ArcExplorer.  You could also use ArcExplorer and ship the data in a file geodatabase (don't think .mdbs are compatible) to the user and then he could use ArcExplorer off-line to view the data.

[GeorgeHaskett]

There are tricks to manipulating ArcReader when use use joined tables and dbf files.

We use to publish maps and allow endusers to provide their own dbf files that feed predefined event layers and layers with joined tables.

This would allow the enduser to basically refresh the map on a daily basis with an updated dbf file.

Worked great for years in multiple locations.

I haven't done it in a while, I would imagine now that Microsoft nolonger allows you to save a spreadsheet as a dbf file you would want to try the csv route.  In theory it should still work.

I could send a canned map to an engineer and he would be able to monitor the changes of a road construction project or to a security guy who would then monitor the locations of attacks or criminal activities.

It works create in an environment when you don't have good network activity.  The enduser would have all the base data, all they have to do is update their daily dbfs.

haskett