ArcGIS Explorer Blog : Layer Packages

Creating layer packages part 2 - using group layers

ArcGIS-Explorer-Team — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:51:00 GMT

We covered some basics in an earlier tutorial post on creating layer packages. Here we'll build on that and take a look at how group layers can be used to create a multi-layer package.

We visited the NPS Data Store and downloaded geologic data for the Old Faithful quadrangle in Yellowstone National Park. The data included multiple layers used to create a map of surficial geology, and when we opened the provided ArcMap document here's what we saw:

Because we opened the ArcMap document (.mxd file) the layers were already symbolized as the author intended with scale dependencies applied. We tweaked some of the properties for each layer as described in our earlier tutorial, and made sure we enabled the HTML popup property for each.

The map organized the content as separate layers, and we could have created unique layer packages for each one of them. But the layers were cartographically designed to work together, with scale dependencies applied to show various geologic details. To preserve the cartography the approach we used was to create a group layer, collecting all the individual layers in the group and preserving all the intended cartography. We then used the group layer to create the layer package containing all the layers. Here's how we did it.

First, using ArcMap we created a new group layer:

We named the group layer, selected all the individual layers, then dragged them into the group layer:

Next we right-clicked the group layer and chose Create Layer Package... This put all the sublayers into a single, easily portable package.

Below is the layer package shown in ArcGIS Explorer 900. We've opened the group layer to show all the original sublayers. Cartography, including scale-dependencies, has been preserved in the layer package. We can now view the data in ArcGIS Explorer the same way we viewed it using ArcGIS Desktop, including the popup window contents.

A tutorial for creating good layer packages

ArcGIS-Explorer-Team — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:01:00 GMT

With the release of ArcGIS Desktop 9.3.1 the ability to create layer packages was introduced. Layer packages encapsulate the data, cartography, and other properties of the layer as it's authored in ArcMap (or ArcGlobe) into one easily shareable package.

Layer packages can be shared with other ArcGIS Desktop users, shared on ArcGIS Online (public beta soon), and are also supported in ArcGIS Explorer 900 along with layer files. What's significant for Explorer users is that now the cartographic capabilities of ArcGIS Desktop can be seen using Explorer. In the past only simple rendering options were available in Explorer for local data sources, now these are expanded to include ArcGIS Desktop cartography via layer files and layer packages.

ArcGIS 9.3.1 was released not long ago, and ArcGIS Explorer 900 is currently in Beta. But since you may want to begin to create layer packages now for use in Explorer 900 when it becomes available we thought we'd cover a few basic pointers on how to create good layer packages.

We began by downloading some data and an ArcMap document (.mxd file) from the USGS. The data we downloaded was from an open file report with data from the Engineering aspects of karst map.

We downloaded the data, started ArcMap, opened the provided map document, and this is where we started. Our goal for this post was to take the karst_polys_polygon layer in the map and share it as a layer package with ArcGIS Explorer 900 users.

You can see the data (from a personal geodatabase) is already symbolized so we have a good start. But there's a few things we want to do during the process of authoring the layer package that will ensure those we share the layer package with have the best possible experience and that we present the data in the best possible way. We think authoring is a good way to think about this process, and we'll step you through the basics of what to consider.

Step 1: We opened the layer properties and began with the General tab.

The default name for a layer is the same as the layer source. In this case the layer was named karst_polys_polygon which isn't particularly user friendly. So we changed the name and added a brief description and credits. We gave the layer the same name as the title of the map, and added the description from information we found on the USGS Web site.

Step 2: Symbology tab

In this tab we checked off the all other values option since it's not needed and will appear in the final legend. We also changed the label for the heading of the field that was used for the unique value rendering. The original label was the same as the field name - K_TYPE - and doesn't provide a lot of meaning. So we changed that to Karst Type to make it more user friendly and understandable.

We also noticed in the original map document that some polygons were outlined and some were not. So we changed the symbol properties so that all polygons were represented in a similar way (not outlined).

Step 3: Fields tab

All of the fields were checked on for display, the default for a layer. But most of these fields offered little valuable information. We didn't want the recipient of our layer package to see irrelevant fields like OJBECTID, SHAPE, and others. So here we checked them off except for the two that provided the essential information.

We also changed the not-so-friendly K_TYPE and DESCRIPT to the more user friendly Karst Type and Description by entering aliases for the field names.

Step 4: HTML Popup tab

The HTML popup tool is new at ArcGIS 9.3.1, and this tab controls its properties. For Explorer users this is important because it also controls how the popup looks when the feature is clicked. By default the HTML popup tool is disabled, so first we check it on. We leave the default option on for displaying a table of the visible fields. The Verify... button allows us to preview how the popup looks in ArcMap, and how it will look in Explorer.

Here you can see the two remaining fields we've left checked on (remember we turned off all the ones that didn't make sense in Step 3 and also created field aliases). This is a preview of what the popup will look like, and it has all the essential information we want. At this point we make sure we save all of our changes.

Taking a look at this in ArcMap we see the new HTML Popup tool on our toolbar, highlighted with the red arrow below. The green arrow points to the Identify tool.

And we can compare Identify and the HTML Popup tools below. First we use Identify:

And below is what things look like using the HTML Popup tool:

Note the leader tail to the clicked location, the shadow effect around the popup, and the styled view of our attributes - a much nicer way to view the information.

Step 5: Create the layer package

Now that we've finished making changes we can create the layer package. This will encapsulate the data and capture our cartography and other changes we've made to our layer in one easily shareable package. To create the layer package we right-click the layer and choose Create Layer Package....

It takes just a few seconds, and when finished we see the following message. Note that the layer package has an extension of .lpk.

Now we'll open the layer package in Explorer 900. You can drag and drop the LPK file directly onto Explorer, or use the Add Content and choose ArcGIS Layers...

Below we see the layer package added to ArcGIS Explorer 900.

Things to note are:

the original data source was a personal geodatabase, which has been encapsulated in the LPK file and is now being used by Explorer 900
the layer name is the same as we saved from ArcMap
the data is displayed using the same cartography as authored in ArcMap
the legend is exactly the same as in ArcMap
the popup window is styled as we've defined in Step 4 and is the same style as we saw using ArcMap's HTML Popup tool
the layer packages looks exactly the same in 2D mode and 3D mode

If we shared this on ArcGIS Online (beta to be announced soon) the description we entered would automatically appear with our shared content. Here's a snapshot of the current development site after we shared our layer package. We've searched using the keywords USGS and Karst and can see the description we entered in the layer properties in ArcMap that have been read directly from the layer package when we shared it on ArcGIS Online.

You can now understand how layer packages open up a whole new world for sharing data not only with other ArcGIS users, but also with a much broader audience using ArcGIS Explorer. Using these basic steps you can confidently create layer packages now for use in ArcGIS Explorer 900 soon... And we'll cover this in more detail as we get closer to Explorer 900's public release.

Layer packages, ArcMap, ArcGIS Online, and Explorer 900

ArcGIS-Explorer-Team — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:10:00 GMT

A recent post by Tom Baker on the GIS Education Community blog highlights layer packages. We'll be covering this in more detail here in an upcoming post.

We've mentioned layer packages in the context of Explorer 900 in several past posts. To find them just enter "layer packages" in the search.

ArcGIS Explorer 900 at the 2009 PUG

ArcGIS-Explorer-Team — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:14:00 GMT

Earlier this morning ArcGIS Explorer 900 was showcased at the ESRI Petroleum User Group (PUG) conference in Houston, Texas, marking the second time in a week the forthcoming 900 release has been featured at a major ESRI event. ArcGIS Explorer was also featured during last week's ESRI Federal User Conference covered in a previous post.

At PUG, ESRI director of products Clint Brown set the stage for Explorer by introducing work being done with a variety of new basemap services that will be part of ArcGIS Online. Bern Szukalski demonstrated several of the basemap services via JavaScript applications, and then used the not-yet-public ArcGIS Online sharing to search for and add new basemaps to an existing ArcGIS 9.3.1 (still in beta) map focused on petroleum exploration in Wyoming.

Below is the map showing various petroleum operational layers (PennWell pipeline data, powder river basin, Wyoming oil fields) along with the underlying topographic basemap services from ArcGIS Online.

The Wyoming oil fields layer was saved as a layer package, one of the new capabilities in ArcMap at 9.3.1. Layer packages capture the cartography along with the data (or links in the case of Web-based services) into an easily portable and shareable file. The layer package was shared via ArcGIS Online in one of the groups; data can be shared publicly to anyone or reserved for use within specific communities.

Using ArcGIS Explorer, several features were highlighted including the new ribbon-based UI, the ability to dock and hide the contents in various ways, and the integrated 2D/3D display. The presentation tools were highlighted next, with a demonstration of how they can be used to author and then give a presentation or briefing. The presentation tools include the ability to control layer visibility, popups, and can include rich media content like videos, photos, and other documents.

Here's the opening presentation view that included a popup title. Note how the application is in full-screen mode during a presentation, with tools available in the upper left to advance to the next slide or navigate. Though they can be thought of as slides, each stop in the presentation is "live" and full control of the application can be had at any time.

Next, the Wyoming oil fields layer package was opened by dragging and dropping it onto Explorer, and the data was incorporated into the presentation. Note that since the layer package contained 3D data that it was extruded when viewed in 3D mode, and would be draped flat when viewed in 2D mode. The data shows the Wyoming oil fields shaded and extruded based on potential oil value.

ArcGIS Explorer has always been an ideal way to view ArcGIS Online maps and user-authored map services. Bern emphasized that layer packages make ArcGIS Explorer ideal for providing broad access to all types of GIS data, local content via layer packages as well as GIS services, and would unlock GIS data from "professional only" use. He characterized many of the potential users of ArcGIS Explorer 900 as geographic information users - those that need to use GIS data, but may not be GIS experts or analysts themselves.

ArcGIS Explorer at the 2009 ESRI Federal User Conference

ArcGIS-Explorer-Team — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:00:00 GMT

ArcGIS Explorer 900, the forthcoming release of ArcGIS Explorer, was showcased a few hours ago during the opening plenary presentations at the 2009 ESRI Federal User Conference in Washington, D.C. ArcGIS Explorer was introduced by ESRI president Jack Dangermond with slides, and ArcGIS Explorer product manager Bern Szukalski showcased some of the new features and capabilities of Explorer, and how they're related to other new features that will be delivered with ArcGIS 9.3.1.

The context was set by demonstrating the new ArcGIS Online search that can be used to find GIS data. Bern started off by opening an ArcMap document missing some desired layers, then typing in keywords to search for and find needed data via ArcGIS Online. The data could be previewed, and then added to ArcMap from the search results with a single click. Shown below is the search page (on the right) and the search results (on the left).

The ability to create layer packages was then highlighted, a new feature of ArcGIS 9.3.1. Layer packages encapsulate ArcMap cartography and data (or URLs to services, if a service layer) in an easy-to-share share package. To create a layer package in ArcMap, just right-click a layer and choose Create Layer Package.

Jack Dangermond explained that layer packages can be shared in a variety of ways; they can be E-mailed, published onto CDs or DVDs, or placed on network drives. Bern showed another new way to share - via ArcGIS. He logged in to his ArcGIS Online account, then added his newly created layer package to other items he'd added previously. All ArcGIS users will have their own ArcGIS Online account, and have space available to share their data with others.

Shared data can be of many types, from source data to complete maps and layer packages, and even links to Web maps. These can be organized and shared publicly, or within groups that can be created and managed to allow public access or restricted access within specific user communities. Below are some of example groups that were demonstrated.

The demonstration then moved to ArcGIS Explorer 900, the forthcoming new release of the product. The new ribbon-based user experience was highlighted, as well as other features that improve its ease of use.

One of the shared layer packages was opened in ArcGIS Explorer, and showed how ArcMap cartography is captured in the layer package and can now be displayed in ArcGIS Explorer. ArcGIS Explorer has always been a great way to view and publish GIS services, but now it's also great for providing broad access to GIS data via layer packages created using ArcMap. ArcGIS Explorer 900 has an integrated 2D/3D display, and the layer package was opened in 2D mode.

The display was switched from 2D to 3D. Bern explained that the layer package he had just opened contained 3D content, and when opened in 2D mode it was draped on the map. But when the display was toggled to 3D mode the data was shown as extruded 3D polygons.

Also demonstrated was the new Basemap Gallery. These allow users to quickly switch basemaps without having to change or reorder any other operational layers they may have added. These new basemaps also include Microsoft Virtual Earth streets, imagery, and hybrid maps, which will be available to all ArcGIS users.

The demonstration concluded by showing an ArcGIS Explorer presentation. Explorer 900 includes tools that allow users to create presentations for briefings, meetings, educational use, and more. The full-screen presentation mode allows layer visibility and popups to be toggled, yet allows full control of the application at any time during the presentation. Presentation mode also allows various types of rich media to be incorporated, and the demonstration included streaming videos, live Web cams, and flash animations.