Introduction to ArcPad XML

The ArcPad XML format is designed as a protocol for automation and customization of ArcPad. It is based on the XML 1.0 specification and uses the same syntax as ArcXML wherever possible (especially for symbology). ArcPad XML files can be ANSI, UTF-8, Unicode, or Unicode Big Endian encoded.

All of ArcPad's customization files are stored in ArcPad XML format. For example, an ArcPad map file (*.apm) would look similar to the following:

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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> <ArcPad> <MAP> <PROPERTIES> <ENVELOPE minx="6264104.7120553 miny="1833478.51106768" maxx="6287102.4790919" maxy="1853139.34106041" /> <COORDSYS string="PROJCS["Custom",GEOGCS["GCS_North_American_1983",DATUM["D_North_American_1983",SPHEROID["GRS_1980",6378137,298.257222101]],PRIMEM["Greenwich",0],UNIT["Degree",0.0174532925199433]],PROJECTION["Lambert_Conformal_Conic"],PARAMETER["False_Easting",6561666.66666667],PARAMETER["False_Northing",1640416.66666667],PARAMETER["Central_Meridian",-116.25],PARAMETER["Standard_Parallel_1",32.7833333333333],PARAMETER["Standard_Parallel_2",33.8833333333333],PARAMETER["Latitude_Of_Origin",32.1666666666667],UNIT["Foot_US",0.304800609601219]]"" /> </PROPERTIES> <BOOKMARKS> <BOOKMARK name="Balboa Park Hotel" minx="6281769.77337846" miny="1845844.51286283" maxx="6282135.61603585" maxy="1846157.27246797"/> </BOOKMARKS> <LAYER name="Points of Interest" identify="true"> <DATASET name="C:\San Diego Data\sd_pointsofinterest.shp" /> <METADATA> <COMMENTS>Prepared by CG</COMMENTS> </METADATA> <SYMBOLOGY> <SIMPLERENDERER> <SIMPLEMARKERSYMBOL color="192,192,192" width="3" type="circle" outline="0,0,0" /> </SIMPLERENDERER> <SIMPLELABELRENDERER field="NAME" visible="true"> <TEXTSYMBOL fontcolor="0,0,0" blockout="255,255,255" font="Tahoma" fontstyle="regular" fontsize="8"/> </SIMPLELABELRENDERER> </SYMBOLOGY> </LAYER> <LAYER name="Aerial Photo"> <DATASET name="C:\San Diego Data\sd_aerial30.sid" /> </LAYER> <STATUSBAR visible="true" /> <SCALEBAR visible="true" /> </MAP> </ArcPad>

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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<ArcPad> 
  <MAP>
    <PROPERTIES>
      <ENVELOPE minx="6264104.7120553 miny="1833478.51106768" maxx="6287102.4790919" maxy="1853139.34106041" />
      <COORDSYS string="PROJCS[&quot;Custom&quot;,GEOGCS[&quot;GCS_North_American_1983&quot;,DATUM[&quot;D_North_American_1983&quot;,SPHEROID[&quot;GRS_1980&quot;,6378137,298.257222101]],PRIMEM[&quot;Greenwich&quot;,0],UNIT[&quot;Degree&quot;,0.0174532925199433]],PROJECTION[&quot;Lambert_Conformal_Conic&quot;],PARAMETER[&quot;False_Easting&quot;,6561666.66666667],PARAMETER[&quot;False_Northing&quot;,1640416.66666667],PARAMETER[&quot;Central_Meridian&quot;,-116.25],PARAMETER[&quot;Standard_Parallel_1&quot;,32.7833333333333],PARAMETER[&quot;Standard_Parallel_2&quot;,33.8833333333333],PARAMETER[&quot;Latitude_Of_Origin&quot;,32.1666666666667],UNIT[&quot;Foot_US&quot;,0.304800609601219]]"" />
    </PROPERTIES>
    <BOOKMARKS>
      <BOOKMARK name="Balboa Park Hotel" minx="6281769.77337846" miny="1845844.51286283" maxx="6282135.61603585" maxy="1846157.27246797"/>
    </BOOKMARKS>
    <LAYER name="Points of Interest" identify="true">
      <DATASET name="C:\San Diego Data\sd_pointsofinterest.shp" />
      <METADATA>
        <COMMENTS>Prepared by CG</COMMENTS>
      </METADATA>
      <SYMBOLOGY>
        <SIMPLERENDERER>
           <SIMPLEMARKERSYMBOL color="192,192,192" width="3" type="circle" outline="0,0,0" />
        </SIMPLERENDERER>
        <SIMPLELABELRENDERER field="NAME" visible="true">
           <TEXTSYMBOL fontcolor="0,0,0" blockout="255,255,255" font="Tahoma" fontstyle="regular" fontsize="8"/>
        </SIMPLELABELRENDERER>
      </SYMBOLOGY>
    </LAYER>
    <LAYER name="Aerial Photo">
      <DATASET name="C:\San Diego Data\sd_aerial30.sid" />
    </LAYER>
    <STATUSBAR visible="true" />
    <SCALEBAR visible="true" />
  </MAP> 
</ArcPad>

Although ArcPad and ArcPad Studio take care of writing the ArcPad XML code to the customization files, some developers may find it useful to edit the customization files directly, either manually via a text or XML editor, or programmatically within a script.

The sections that follow detail the structure of ArcPad XML for developers who need to read, write, or convert this format.