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Sending a large gis data through an email suggest ?

DEAF_PROBERT_68

So I have been thinking about this for some time this morning about how to send someone with a large GIS data.

I have googled on that topic but I was wonder if this would work. In the past, someone from the military base sent me a file geodatabase and then change the extension from .gdb to something else like .xyz or whatever. So, when I got it and then I change it back to .gdb back.

So if you have a really large GIS data and you need to send it to someone... What would you do ?

My thought was is to pull that large GIS data and open in ArcMap and then create it into Map package and send it to some through an email.

1. Will that work if the map package compressed and make it through the email system ? What if the map package has

increase the file size ?

2. Are there any pros or cons when you use it and send it to someone ?

3. Are there others that can I use other than Map package ? I know about ftp, zip, 7zip and upload and download through such as dropbox, or some other cloud storage to share with. I am aware about AGOL that too.

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DanaNolan

Re DOD sites, dropbox and similar sites are verboten, at DOD and a lot of places (I found this out when job searching, since I had a portfolio on one of these systems). There is a secure FTP site that is similar for DOD. Your DOD contacts can give you the URL. The site's limit is 2GB and 20 files. You do not have to have a DOD credential or email to receive files, but you may have to set up an account to send since you don't have the credential.

Re map packaging, I have found the results are often huge, for a lot of reasons. There is a Map Consolidate tool that is cleaner. It just won't keep the file paths working for the recipient the way a map package does. But it is easy enough for a GIS user to work around the broken links.

DEAF_PROBERT_68

Yeah that should work too but what about the shapefiles, CAD, etc so that is a different story.

AbdullahAnter

What about Compact Geodatabase using ArcCatalog!

DEAF_PROBERT_68

Yes, I am aware of that as well. What I am trying to do here is to find out what others are doing with the large gis data to share. The Government doesn't use Dropbox or anything due to with security issues. The only thing they mention is the Cloudvault that allow us to share that with others.

Since I asked about this was because the person send me the data and that person had to break it down to several zip files. I think 7-zip was able to do that in one .

For an email, our MS Outlook can allow us to send up to 10 MB

So, I thank you everyone for sharing and hopefully in the future maybe there will be better technology for that.

Take care all !

JoshuaBixby

progis99‌, I assume you are asking for work and not personal reasons. If so, I encourage you to reach out within your organization to get suggestions that are appropriate within the enterprise. I can say for certain that DropBox and Google Drive are not approved solutions for the organization you work for, but there are similar options available to you.

DEAF_PROBERT_68

Yes, I've used 7-zip to make backup and it is very good to have.

Dhowal

You should also be able to do it with winzip or winrar if you already have those installed.

Lake_Worth_BeachAdmin

If only IT spooks (cause they never there when you need em) would grant admin privileges so I dont need them to install 3rd party tools

Dhowal

Uploading it to a file host like Dropbox or Google Drive is the best idea. But , if you really must send it via an email, maybe consider splitting the ZIP file into parts based on your email attachment limit.

How to Split Large File Using 7-Zip - Linglom.com

JoeBorgione

I've done what Dan (Dan_Patterson) suggests; create a dropbox and share it with those who you want to share the data with. Lately I've gone the xml route that Christopher (cmcclain‌) suggests. Either way it beats the heck out of waiting for your IS guys to set up an FTP site for you or Heaven forbid, increase the email attachment limit.

ChristopherMcClain

In the past I have exported whole Geodatabases to xml right from catalog and have had pretty good results.

Lake_Worth_BeachAdmin

Our work email server has a data cap limit which is very small (uggh) so what we do is host the data in the cloud for a set amount of time give the download link to client and then remove it from the cloud once they have it.

format doesnt matter, its usually whatever the client wants

DanPatterson_Retired

dropbox onedrive ... any of those, and upload a zip making sure that relative paths are set to the project and the data files/folders/gdb's are appropriately arranged. never failed so far, but it depends on the competence of the users on the receiving end and the compiling end

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