Common problems and solutions

This topic lists questions or issues that you may face when working with ArcGIS Server and suggests possible solutions. If you don't find the problem you are looking for, you can also search for articles on the Esri Support Center.

Publishing

Subscribing

Synchronizing

Why do I get the error message "Server object instance creation failed on all SOC machines" when I publish an ArcPad project?

This is a generic ArcGIS Server error message. Any of the following may be the cause (but the cause is not limited to this list):

  • ArcGIS Server is not configured correctly for web access. To check, ensure http://(myserverwebsite)/arcgis/services?wsdl displays a meaningful XML page.
  • The SOC account does not have read and write file permission for the folder where the .mxd is saved.
  • The SOM and SOC accounts do not have access to the ArcGIS Server output folder, \\myserver\arcgisserver\arcpadpublications.
  • You have attempted to publish a service into a subfolder on ArcGIS Server (ArcPad publications can only be made to the root level of ArcGIS Server).

Why can I not see my raster layers in my ArcPad publications?

Rasters are not included in an ArcPad publication. If you want to use rasters along with your published data, you must copy these to your mobile device separately. You can then add these layers to your ArcPad map (.apm) saved on your mobile device.

I don't get an error message, but data still won't publish. What else should I check?

The following is a list of essential requirements to publish data for ArcPad. Check that your data conforms to these requirements:

  • Only ArcSDE layers can be published.
  • Each ArcSDE feature layer must have a GlobalID.
  • Each ArcSDE feature dataset has been registered as versioned.

What actually happens when I subscribe to an ArcPad project?

When you choose Add Data from Server in ArcPad, the following actions take place:

  1. ArcPad downloads the project zip file from the Server (ordinarily the path of this file is hidden from, and not required by the user. For troubleshooting, this zip file is located in the server folder \\myserver\arcgisserver\arcpadpublications\GetDataFromArcPad\myproject )
  2. The file is unzipped locally and overwrites any existing copy of the same project in the ArcPad Data Path
  3. An automatic Synchronise Data with ArcGIS Server is scheduled in order to collect any new, updated or deleted features made since the publication of the project
  4. The APM download as part of the project, is opened in ArcPad

I can successfully publish my ArcPad project, and if I manually copy the publication to my mobile device, I can synchronize edits successfully, but why can I not subscribe to my publication directly from ArcPad?

ArcPad looks for the folder DataForArcPad on your web server to retrieve a copy of your ArcPad publication. If this folder cannot be found, your ArcPad publication is not listed in ArcPad. For systems running Microsoft's IIS web server technology, at the time of installing the ArcPad extension for ArcGIS Server, a virtual directory is created for this folder on your web server. If you are using different web server technology, you need to manually create a virtual directory for the folder \\arcgisserver\arcpadpublications\DataForArcPad.

What actually happens when I tap Synchronize Data with ArcGIS Server in ArcPad?

  1. Any local new, updated and deleted features created in ArcPad are uploaded to the geodatabase via the ArcPad Extension for ArcGIS Server
  2. Only if there are new, updated or deleted features, a second Synchronise Data with ArcGIS Server will be scheduled to occur in 60 seconds time (this is a nominal amount of time chosen to best match the time it takes for geodatabase replication to complete)
  3. Any new, updated or deleted features from the publication AXF are downloaded to ArcPad
    NoteNote:

    If no new, updated or deleted features are made locally, and the user expecting to see new, updated or deleted features made with ArcGIS, the user must manually tap Synchronise Data with ArcGIS Server a second time, at least 60 seconds later.

  4. The Replicate Job is scheduled to start on the server
  5. A record of uploaded and downloaded new, updated and deleted features are displayed in a toast message
NoteNote:

Downloaded features will not appear in ArcPad until after the Replicate Job and subsequent Synchronise Data with ArcGIS Server occurs

What is the Replicate Job?

The Replicate Job is an activity that runs on the ArcGIS Server and is hidden from the user. This job moves any new, updated or deleted features between the geodatabase and the publication AXF. This job takes approximately 60 seconds to complete. The Replicate Job:

  1. Enacts a geodatabase 1 way replicate. That is, moves changes from the geodatabase to an XML gram to the personal geodatabase. This personal geodatabase is stored in the folder \\myserver\arcgisserver\arcpadpublications\myproject
  2. Additionally copies the XML gram content to the publication AXF (which is also stored in same folder as the personal geodatabase)

How do I make my ArcPad edits visible in ArcGIS?

In order for ArcPad edits to be visible in ArcMap you must,

  1. Tap Synchronise Data with ArcGIS Server in ArcPad
  2. Wait at least 60 seconds before refreshing the database connection in ArcCatalog, then refreshing the map in ArcMap

How do I make my ArcMap edits visible in ArcPad?

In order for ArcMap edits to be visible in ArcPad you must,

  1. Tap Synchronise Data with ArcGIS Server in ArcPad. If there are no edits in ArcPad to upload also, you must wait 60 seconds and tap Synchronise Data with ArcGIS Server a second time
  2. Wait at least 60 seconds before refreshing the map in ArcPad

Can I keep a record of synchronisation transactions for troubleshooting or future reference?

You can force the ArcPad Extension for ArcGIS Server to save synchronization transaction records by creating a text file called KeepFiles.txt in the folder \\myserver\arcgisserver\arcpadpublications\myproject. When this file exists, each time the user taps the Synchronise Data with ArcGIS Server in ArcPad a separate log file will be created. The log file will following the naming convention {AXFfilename}{PID}-replicate.log, where AXFfilename is the name of the AXF that you are synchronising, PID is the identifier of the ReplicateAXF.exe process and -replicate.log appends all files.

My data won't synchronize. How can I confirm that I have network connectivity suitable for ArcPad synchronization?

To make sure you are able to connect to the network from ArcPad on your mobile device, you can use any web browser. Add ?wsdl to the URL and enter it into Internet Explorer, (for example, http://myserver/AGS/services/MapServer/ArcPad?wsdl). If successful, you should see a web page with XML (SOAP) displayed on it; if not, check your Internet settings on your PC and/or device.

Why won't edits made to background layers synchronize?

Background layers are specifically designed for viewing only. Only features that are not to be edited should be created as background layers. Refer to Get Data for ArcPad for more information on background layers.


2/6/2013