MobileGIS - Defining your map

A mobile map is composed of two primary types of map layers—basemap layers and operational layers.

Basemap Layers

Basemap layers provide reference information used for visualization and/or map navigation purposes (aerial imagery, streets, land parcel boundaries, and so on). Basemap layers are often maintained by other departments within the enterprise or are acquired or purchased from an external source. There is no need to synchronize basemap layers so they can be provisioned on mobile devices independent of a specific field project.

Basemap layers can come from one of four sources:

StreetMap is a dataset that is part of ArcGIS Mobile and is available for your field projects. StreetMap will need to be copied to your mobile device but, as a local basemap data source, can operate from separate media called StreetMap for Mobile. The media contains data content and an application for extracting the extent of data that fits your location. Using the extractor and StreetMap dataset, you can create a basemap that includes street centerlines and additional points of interest for your field projects. StreetMap will need to be copied to your mobile device but, as a local basemap data source, can operate whether you are connected or disconnected from the network while in the field.

In addition to a local street map, you can take advantage of the maps that you have published using ArcGIS Server. A local tiled map cache is a cached map service that you have created for Web applications. With ArcGIS Mobile, you can copy the cache folder itself to your mobile device and view it as a basemap layer in your mobile project. The advantage of this approach is that you can construct high-quality cartographic maps or purchase tiled map caches from data providers (including ESRI) and leverage them directly on your mobile device. ArcGIS Desktop includes tools that you can use to clip the extent and levels that you are most interested in for your applications.

You can also connect to your hosted map services and display them on your mobile device when connected in the field. The advantage of using connected map services is that when the data source is updated, you will be able to receive those updates. With the ability to connect to your own hosted services, you can publish map services in the projection that makes sense for your use and include the content that is useful for your applications.

If you do not have your own basemap datasets or are interested in using the connected services from ArcGIS Online, you can connect and use those as well. You will be limited to the services that ESRI provides, and the tile levels are based on the availability and resolution of the datasets hosted.

Operational map layers

Operational map layers contain the transactional content of your mobile map. They are the layers in your field map that you need to receive more frequent updates for, query, and perhaps edit or collect features for in the field.

With ArcGIS Mobile, operational map layer content is stored inside a mobile cache and originates from a map document that you author for the purpose of providing operational content to a mobile device.

Using Mobile Project Center, you can add operational map layers to your project and configure the properties to suit your field workflow needs. See Choosing Operational Map Layers for details on how to add operational map layers to your project.

6/15/2011