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Minimizing .mxd file size

SheenaBerry

I've created a number of maps that I need to e-mail to a co-worker who does not share a network with me. E-mailing is limiting the size of the files that I can send. While majority of the file there is no issue, a few of the files are significantly larger than the others (160,000KB- 260,000KB versus 1-7KB) and is preventing me from sending them even in a compressed folder.

What is strange is that all the maps contain the same layers but are displaying different geographic locations. The scale and resolution is also the same.

I'm wondering if there may be anything else that is causing this difference in file size.

Thanks

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progis99

What about Map Package ? ArcGIS Help (10.2, 10.2.1, and 10.2.2) ?

MikeCusi

I would expect an mxd to be substantially bigger if stored with an image (usually as part of a layout) compared to the actual size of the source image as it is most likely the case that the source image is compressed, whereas when storing it with an mxd it will most likely be stored uncompressed.

jlukins_sfpuc

I too have noticed MXD's expand in size. I noticed that if I have an image saved in an MXD - in this case a logo GIF that is 150KB - it increases the size of the MXD dramatically - way more than the size of the image, compared to saving the image as a link. In this case it increased the size of the MXD by 3Mb. Currently using v 10.3.1.

RebeccaStrauch__GISP

Sheena, I'm glad to hear you figured out the issue. Make sure you mark any responses that may have been helpful and mark an answer correct or the question as assumed answered ( near title in original post ) so the question can be closed out.

SheenaBerry

Incredibly late reply but it turned out that in the maps there was a photo key that on the files that were slow had the images saved as part of the map instead of just the link. Changing this made all the difference.

RebeccaStrauch__GISP

Another trick we have done is to open a new mxd, and then copy and paste everything from the old/bloated mxd, to the new. Then save and close the new one without doing anything additional.

If that doesn't work, then I would check to see if there really is a different in the data layers you are including in the smaller vs. larger mxd's. Maybe they are similar, but not the same exactly?

Edit: by the way, you may want to Moving Content to a more appropriate location like maybe GIS or Mapping . right now it is in the SDK for Android group which will not have see as many users that may have solutions.

SheenaBerry

Sorry I seemed to have spoken too soon. Save a Copy only worked on one of the files. I have opened the "Results" tab but there currently appears to be no results stores which makes sense as I haven't ran an analyis on there maps and only have a period of 1 day to keep results.

SheenaBerry

Ya I was trying to Save As but still had that problem. Save Copy worked though. Thanks

RebeccaStrauch__GISP

A couple things I would suggest:

1) use the "Save as" and/or the "Save a Copy" options. This sometimes clears out temp data that may exist.

2) make sure you clear out any of the items in the "Results" tab. I you have run analysis of any kind in a mxd, the results may be stored and these can not only increase the size of the map doc, but it can also slow down the opening and closing of the map docs.

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