topic Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile in ArcGIS for Windows Mobile Questions

Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

NickHetrick — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 21:21:37 GMT

I am having a really hard time trying to figure out if ESRI has ended development on ArcGIS for Windows Mobile. I don't see a 10.3 version or can I even find the status of this product. We assumed it is being replaced by collector but I am still using it and would like to know the status so we can plan migrating off of it. Maybe someone from ESRI could chime in?

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

JoshuaYoung — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 16:51:26 GMT

This is what I have heard and this is from a post back in July 2014:

"Currently there are no updates planned for the ArcGIS for Windows Mobile program but we encourage you to test out our other mobile applications such as Collector for ArcGIS, Explorer for ArcGIS, and Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS."

Here is a link to the post: ArcGIS for Windows Mobile version and download

I really do not understand why Esri is being so silent on their mobile plans for the Windows platform. I asked about their mobile plans for the Windows platform at the 2013 User Conference and no one from Esri would give me any kind of an answer.

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

NickHetrick — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 17:38:44 GMT

Yea I found that too. Its just surprising that a company provides no info about a project people are actively using. Yet they still have info on there page about purchasing it etc.... Also the constant name changing of products is really getting irritating. We have unfortunetly invested in windows tablets and not having a real solution other than mobile or building out a custom app using the .net api is really a joke. We are leveraging collector as well but we can't just throw out all of our windows hardware and start over. I heard the same thing about the conference they were hiding the info on the future of windows platform mobile solutions.

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

DavidColey — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 16:23:34 GMT

Hi Nick - In talking to customer support yesterday, I was told that ArcGIS for Windows Mobile for 10.3 is due for release in late January. My guess is that I don't think ESRI is trying to force everyone to collector, rather the Windows Mobile team probably didn't know or otherwise couldn't update Mobile until desktop was out - but again I'm just guessing.

In the meantime, after upgrading my desktop to 10.3 I discovered that the CreateMobileCache_mobile desktop tool from the 10.2 mobile install does still function and produces a valid cache. However, the latest python 32-bit idle (2.7.8) will not run the command. I have not tested the SyncronizeMobileCache tool.

I have not tested anything yet with the Mobile Content Server or Mobile Project Center but my guess is they will be unaffected.

Word to the wise- do not re-install or attempt a repair of the mobile 10.2 install after installing desktop 10.3 - you will lose the desktop tool functionality-

David Coley

Sarasota County GIS

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

NickHetrick — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 18:48:53 GMT

Good to know. I would prefer to move to collector which should be pretty easy but I was hoping for one more release of mobile with some maintenance fixes. Such as supporting the windows location api for onboard gps and fixing the screen resolution bug.

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

DavidColey — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 18:54:16 GMT

I completely agree - I have no great love for the mobile project center and the workflows involved, but like you need time to migrate existing projects/workflows/methods to collector

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

JuanLuera — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 15:09:09 GMT

Hola all,

This is Juan of Support Services. I just wanted to pass along, where David is correct in the next step for ArcGIS for Windows Mobile. We will be releasing mobile 10.2.1 which will be compatible with ArcMap 10.3 by the end of January. In regards to the future of the product, within Support Services we have not heard if any further development will be done. This would be up to the Product Engineers and the developers of the product but as you are all discussing, the move for our current users, is to migrate over to
Collector.

Thanks, All!!

Juan

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

DavidColey — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 20:54:43 GMT

Hello Juan-

Do you have a status update as to the release of mobile 10.2.1?

Thanks

David

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

JuanLuera — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 17:00:33 GMT

Hi David,

I reached out to one of our developers yesterday, and they mentioned the timeline has been pushed back a few weeks on the release date. We see this quit often within Support Services, but on the upside. The developers typically put out a blog on the web, when these products have been updated and available to all of our users.

I would say by the end of February, would be a good timeframe for this release of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile 10.2.1.

Gracias, David!

Juan

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

NickHetrick — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 18:38:00 GMT

Thanks for the update.

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

DavidColey — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 23:28:29 GMT

Just a quick update. I've tested mobile cache creation and mobile sync tools on desktop 10.2.2 against a map and mobile service published to ArcServer 10.3 from a 10.2.2 desktop and there are no issues. I have also successfully synced a mobile cache with with it's 10.3 service with no issues.

I will be testing the mobile project center projects against 10.3 mobile content server for any sync issues and report back.

David

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

DavidColey — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 23:28:30 GMT

As noted earlier - I have successfully downloaded a mobile project from ArcServer 10.3 mobile content server and synchronized downloads and uploads from a 10.2 mobile project deployed on Windows 7-64. I am unable to test a Windows Mobile deployment.

By keeping a desktop at one of the 10.2 releases, you can continue to publish a map and mobile service to ArcServer 10.3, create the necessary mobile cache, download projects from the mobile content server, and synchronize data changes back to the server.

As soon as ArcGIS for Windows Mobile 10.2.1 comes out, I can update my remaining desktops.

David

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

JuanLuera — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 17:52:04 GMT

Hi All!

Our developers have released 10.2.1 update to ArcGIS for Windows Mobile. which is compatible with Desktop 10.3.

From My Esri (customers.esri.com) in the following location:

My Organizations tab > Downloads > ArcGIS for Desktop 10.3
Additional Products > ArcGIS 10.2.1 for Windows Mobile (compatible with ArcGIS 10.3)

Gracias, All!

Juan

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

DavidColey — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 23:27:39 GMT

Yep, I got it Juan, thanks. Appears to be working well across python, mpc, sdk

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

JoshuaYoung — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 20:20:52 GMT

Is there a change log for the 10.2.1 release?

On a side note, don't install ArcGIS for Windows Mobile 10.2.1 if you are using Trimble Positions. Trimble Positions currently does not support 10.2.1 (I tried updating before Trimble officially announced the incompatibility) and if you have upgraded to ArcGIS for Desktop 10.3 you have to roll back to ArcGIS for Desktop 10.2.2 to get the mobile tools to activate again. It's things like this that make me look forward to the changes coming in ArcGIS Collector later this year. It has not been much fun trying to keep ArcGIS and Trimble in sync with each other, though I will admit Trimble has gotten better about releasing close to if not before major Esri updates.

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

MauriceJohns — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 18:01:04 GMT

Hi Juan, do you know if the developers have any plans to release any future versions of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile that are compatible with newer versions of ArcGIS for Desktop? We just purchased a Trimble GPS unit and we are trying to figure out the best software to use. I saw on the ESRI product life cycle page that support ends for ArcGIS for Windows Mobile later this year and will end for the latest version of ArcPad in 2019. Will there be anything for users of Windows Mobile devices going forward that use an ArcGIS Desktop workflow instead of ArcGIS online?

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

MaximilianGlas — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 08:10:09 GMT

There are no further plans to release a new version of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile. And as you already realized, ArcPad will be the only product supporting the Windows Mobile plattform for a few more years.

As far as I know there are no plans to bring the ArcGIS Runtime product to Windows Mobile plattform.

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

DavidColey — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 16:31:21 GMT

Also at 10.5 Mobile Data Access is no longer an option for ArcEnterprise. 10.5 Desktop will still support the Create Mobile Cache and Sync Mobile Cache gp tools provided you have previously installed mobile 10.2.1 update utility tools at Desktop 10.4x as ArcServer10.4x supports Mobile Data Access

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

cpmgisuser — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 08:00:22 GMT

Can I just add that I am in a difficult situation regarding the lack of access to the Mobile Toolbox now I am running Desktop v10.4.1

This is mainly due to the workflows we have implemented relying on Trimble Positions Desktop Add-In, part of the Trimble Positions Software Suite.

Esri appear to have forgotten their relationship with Trimble using this Application to provide High Precision Mobile Mapping using these Trimble Tools.

Trimble are happy to keep maintaining their application even though Esri are racing ahead dumping ArcGIS for Windows Mobile?

Without Mobile Toolbox I cannot continue to use this solution with the GPS equipment and software we invested in!

Re: Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

DavidColey — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 18:29:59 GMT

My comment above does still apply to Desktop 10.5.1. That is, as long as you have previously installed the mobile 10.2.1 update utility tools when Desktop at 10.4.x was installed, the tools' functionality still works. I tested last week with creating a mobile cache. Be sure you are disabling background 64-bit gp in Catalog before running the tools