Creating customization files

ArcPad Studio allows you to create and edit the following types of customization files:

• Applet files (.apa)
• Default configuration files (ArcPad.apx)
• Layer definition files (.apl)
• VBScript source code files (.vbs)
• JScript source code files (.js)
• Python source code files (.py)

ArcPad Studio also allows you to view and query ArcPad .axf files, as well as edit and create layer definitions for layers in ArcPad .axf files.

Creating an applet file

Steps:

1. Start ArcPad Studio.
2. Click the New Applet button on the standard toolbar.
3. Double-click the <APPLET> element in the Tree View.
4. Set the desired applet properties and click OK.
5. Optionally, add a .js, .vbs, or .py file, custom form, toolbar, or system object event handler.

Creating a default configuration file

Steps:

1. Start ArcPad Studio.
2. Click the New Configuration button on the standard toolbar.
3. Double-click the <CONFIG> element in the Tree View.
4. Set the desired configuration properties and click OK.
5. Optionally, add a .js, .vbs, or .py file, custom form, toolbar, or system object event handler.

Note:

Although you can create multiple configuration files and give them any names you choose, ArcPad only uses one default configuration each time it's started. This file must be named ArcPad.apx and located in the ArcPad System directory.

Creating a layer definition file for a shapefile

Steps:

1. Start ArcPad Studio.
2. Click the New Layer Definition button on the standard toolbar.
3. Navigate to the location of the shapefile for which you want to create the new layer definition file.
4. Select the desired shapefile and click Open.

   If the shapefile you select already has an existing layer definition file, the existing file will be loaded.

5. Double-click the <LAYER> element in the Tree View.
6. Set the desired layer definition properties and click OK.
7. Optionally, add a .js, .vbs, or .py file, custom form, or system object event handler.

Creating a layer definition for an ArcPad .axf layer

Steps:

1. Open an ArcPad AXF file in ArcPad Studio.
2. Double-click the layer in the Feature Layers branch of the Tree View.

   • The layer definition opens in a new window.
   • If the AXF layer you select already has an existing layer definition, it will be displayed in the new window.

3. In the new window, double-click the <LAYER> element in the Tree View.
4. Set the desired layer definition properties and click OK.
5. Optionally, add a .js, .vbs, or .py file, custom form, or system object event handler.

Creating a VBScript source code file

Steps:

1. Start ArcPad Studio.
2. Click the New VBScript button on the standard toolbar.
3. Type or paste VBScript code into the Script Editor.

Adding a new VBScript source code file to a customization file

Steps:

1. Start ArcPad Studio.
2. Open or create a customization file (applet, default configuration, or layer definition).
3. Click the Edit Script button on the standard toolbar.

   If the customization file already has an associated script file, it will open when you click the Edit Script button.

Creating a JScript source code file

Steps:

1. Start ArcPad Studio.
2. Click the New JScript button on the standard toolbar.
3. Type or paste JScript code into the Script Editor.

Adding a new JScript source code file to a customization file

Steps:

1. Start ArcPad Studio.
2. Open or create a customization file (applet, default configuration, or layer definition).
3. Click the Edit Script button on the standard toolbar.

   If the customization file already has an associated script file, it will open when you click the Edit Script button.

Creating a Python source code file

Steps:

1. Start ArcPad Studio.
2. Click the New Python button on the standard toolbar.
3. Type or paste Python code into the Script Editor.

Adding a new Python source code file to a customization file

Steps:

1. Start ArcPad Studio.
2. Open or create a customization file (applet, default configuration, or layer definition).
3. Click the Edit Script button on the standard toolbar.

   If the customization file already has an associated script file, it will open when you click the Edit Script button.