topic Re: TPK Files not working in ArcGIS Survey123 Questions

TPK Files not working

Hernando_CountyProperty_Apprai — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 20:42:23 GMT

I have built a a tile cache using the Manage Tile Cache tool in ArcMap 10.3.1. I use RECREATE_ALL_TILES as the Manage Mode and ARCGISONLINE_SCHEME as the Input Tiling Scheme. I create only the top 6 levels and I use an area of interest for a small area. I then use the Export Tile Cache tool to create a tpk file but when I try to use this in Survey 123 it doesn't show up. It seems like the only way a tpk file works is if I create it using the share as option and create a tile package. But this doesn't allow me to to use an area of interest which results in a huge file that draws so slow you couldn't use it! Can anyone offer any suggestions? I will eventually have to use all 20 levels so the tpk will be even larger and slower.

Re: TPK Files not working

JamesTedrick — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 23:22:13 GMT

Hi there,

I'm able to reproduce the issue you are describing and we'll add it to the issues list. If you have an ArcGIS Server, a TPK generated from a cached Map Service using the 'Export Map Server Cache' tool successfully works and also allows for an area of interest.

Re: TPK Files not working

Hernando_CountyProperty_Apprai — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 15:22:37 GMT

Thank you James. I've also noticed a major problem when I do create a tpk file using the Share As option using all levels. I need to cache down to the building level as we are doing damage assessments and must see the buildings on our aerials. We also need to be able to see our parcels and addresses so the person who is doing the damage assessment can reference them on the map. We need the base map disconnected because we have areas in our county that do not have service ever, and if there was a major disaster, chances are there won't be service in many other areas. My tpk file is 35GB. I was not able to publish my survey if I put this file in the media folder and I can understand that...pushing 35GB over the internet would be an issue.

So I moved the tpk file to my media folder in Survey123 Connect and set my default map for the survey to it. Before publishing, I removed the tpk file. In this way, it published my survey to ArcGISOnline but didn't try to upload the actual tpk file.

When someone downloads the survey, it's still pointing to the tpk file as the default map and I can manually move the tpk into the media folder of the survey.

However, when I use the survey, the map is extremely slow, To the point where it draws one tile, then waits for 10 - 20 seconds, then draws another tile etc. I'm assuming that since it's using a tpk file, it is having to expand it first in memory before it can access each tile that I need. Since the file is so large, this is what is causing the slow down, is it not? I realize that Survey 1-2-3 only works with tpk files but to make this actually work the way it should (which SHOULD be faster than accessing it on the web), are there any plans to have Survey 1-2-3 work with the actual tiles? In this way, I would be able to export the tiles from the tpk once which should make it work a lot faster.

What I would really like to see is that I can have a survey that works both offline and online with both the feature layer and the basemap. ESRI makes it seem like this works because if you ask them if it works offline they will tell you yes it does. And technically speaking, they are right. The feature layer does work offline and I can plot points as needed whether I am connected or not. But practically speaking, it doesn't work because if I have no basemap to use a reference when I'm disconnected, how can I possibly know where I want to put the point? In most cases for a damage assessment, just getting my current lat/long won't work unless I'm standing on the site of the building. That's all well and good, but what if the building is no longer there??? This happened in Louisana where houses just floated away.

Re: TPK Files not working

DougBrowning — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 21:18:04 GMT

I build a lot of these. I have found that the Create Map Tile Package is the only one that works fully. Its slow but works pretty much every time. Make sure to use Mixed.

I have 5 open bugs with Esri on this but they have been open over a year with not fix so far.

If you want lots of detail check out this post https://community.esri.com/people/Yovavzsystematics-co-il-esridist/blog/2014/08/26/cache-and-tpk-without-arcgis-for-server-workflos-for-desktop-users

Re: TPK Files not working

zkovacs — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 09:26:56 GMT

You are not alone with this, we also need to provide tile packages for projects with less than 20 levels (or with more zoom levels than 20). This thread discusses a similar issue - probably affected by the same bug(s). I'm yet to hear back whether the team had any time to look at the samples they requested... Haven't had a chance to test it with the latest build (1.8), but probably wouldn't be any difference. Hopefully it will be fixed soon as it could be a deal-breaker for us.

Re: TPK Files not working

Hernando_CountyProperty_Apprai — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 14:11:09 GMT

This is what finally worked. Taking James' suggestion, I created a map service and created a map tile cache for all levels (down to 1128 - Building). I then used the Export Map Server Cache as suggested to create the tpk file. This also lets you use an area of interest but I didn't do that. The resulting tpk file was 4GB and ran MUCH faster in my surveys.

Why does the Share As Tile Package take 24+ hours to create cache and creates a file that is 35GB when it only takes 1 hour to create the map server cache and the Export Map Server Cache creates a tpk file that is only 4GB? Seems there is a bug in this process. ESRI, please change your tutorial for creating offline maps so that the process is to create map cache and then Export Map Server Cache. I've been working on trying to get this to run faster for 2 weeks now and doing it this way solved my problem.

Re: TPK Files not working

JamesTedrick — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 18:33:10 GMT

Hi, I've tracked down the cause of the issue- there's a mismatch in the name of directory Survey123 expects the tiles to be inside the tpk and the actual name used inside the tpk. Until the issue is addressed, this would be a workaround for using tpk files generated by Export Tile Cache tool; it requires you have 7zip installed:

Generate the tpk file using the Export Tile Cache tool
In Windows Explorer, right-click on the tpk file, select '7zip > Open Archive'
In the 7zip window, double click into the servicedescriptions folder and then double-click into the map server folder
You should see a mapserver.json file; right-click on the file and select 'Open'
Look for the entry "mapName" and copy the value. In the image below, it is 'Map22'
In the 7zip window, proceed up (icon to the left of the adds) until you get back to the root of the tpk file. Double-click into the 'v101' folder.
You should see a directory with a name that is not the same as the mapName value from step 5. Rename it to the mapName value and then close 7zip. The file should now be readable by Survey123.

Re: TPK Files not working

RobertMarros — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 14:51:02 GMT

Is there a file size limit for a .tpk file, which is loaded into the Media folder, that can be published for a survey using Survey123?

Currently I am trying to take a 1.5 GB .tpk file and putting it in my survey's media folder. Then I am just simply trying to publish my survey with Survey123 connect. It seems that the survey keeps getting stuck and spinning when it gets to the Creating form item part of the publishing process.

I know that there are other options for putting a .tpk file on my devices but I would like to avoid having to require my field crew to come back to the office every time I want to load up a new .tpk file.

Thanks

https://community.esri.com/groups/survey123?sr=search&searchId=4d7d9034-0699-4aba-8718-f8dcd1bc60c3&searchIndex=0‌

#survey123‌ #survey123 connect‌ #survey123workflow‌

Re: TPK Files not working

zkovacs — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 09:07:13 GMT

The Media folder is to store audio and video for your forms: http://doc.arcgis.com/en/survey123/desktop/create-surveys/styleyourform.htm#ESRI_SECTION1_C84133E49E7C4D10B32D41D28A23B2ED so I suspect it's something to do with trying to load the content of the tpk in (which won't happen) while loading the form...

The .tpk file should go to the Maps subfolder: http://doc.arcgis.com/en/survey123/desktop/create-surveys/preparebasemaps.htm#ESRI_SECTION1_2AE91E3EDB004B61905B1B7E7D0A6431

Personally I wouldn't want my crew to download 1.5 GB of tile package over WiFi or 4G, I'd rather deploy it offline as it's much quicker. (Alternatively with a device management system you can push the package out when they are connected to the office network.)

Re: TPK Files not working

JamesTedrick — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 17:01:05 GMT

Hi Robert,

It's likely that some factor in interrupted the upload process of the survey (which was also uploading the TPK file) - Andrew Stauffer's comments in https://community.esri.com/thread/56692#comment-275259 outlines a couple of reasons why this might happen. You may want to check with your network IT people to see if they have placed maximum connection times or other limits on the network.

An alternative would be to upload the TPK separately (the Share Package GP tool is recommended) as an item in ArcGIS Online and associate it to the survey following the instructions at Prepare basemaps for offline use—Survey123 for ArcGIS | ArcGIS . When you update the TPK, you can notify the field crews and have them download the updated TPK.

Re: TPK Files not working

JamesTedrick — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 17:02:23 GMT

If including the TPK directly with the survey, the media folder is the appropriate place when publishing from Survey123 Connect. On the device, the Maps folder tis the appropriate location to side-load the TPK.

Re: TPK Files not working

Jean-YvesLandry1 — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 09:05:50 GMT

I tried your methodology but it still does not appear in the geopoint maps. The mapName appears Map then I changed the folder and the .lyr name to Map to no avail. Should I change the name in the v104 folder as well?

Re: TPK Files not working

JamesTedrick — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 16:08:43 GMT

Hi Jean-Yves,

It's much better to change the mapName value than the others- there may be linkages in the other files that we cannot edit that rely on the name of the directories.

Re: TPK Files not working

Jean-YvesLandry1 — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 18:49:59 GMT

The only way I've been able to build a working basemap for survey123 has been with File>ShareAs>Tile Package methodology. However this only works if I use the tile Scheme "Arcgis Online / Bing Maps / Google Maps" for the TPK. The problem is that only creates tiles up to 1:1,128. When I create a custom scheme the tpk is created and works in collector but it does not appear in survey123. Not sure what the issue is, I've tried all the methodology described here. Anyone had luck creating a scale of about 1:500 for their survey123 map?

Re: TPK Files not working

AdamDaily — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 22:39:18 GMT

James,

Is this method still valid? I'm having this same issue with a tpk generated from exporting a tile cache.

I'm running Arc 10.5 and survey123 2.4.6. I need increased zoom extents to scales of about 1:100. I followed these steps using 7zip and renamed the map name in the v101 folder without any issues. I reloaded the tpk to my survey media folder, but when I open survey connect I still cannot see my basemap listed in Map Types in my geopoint. Other tpk files I created the standard way work fine, but don't give me the zoom extent I need for working with this data. My tpk is in WGS_84 and looks fine when loaded into Arcmap or compared to the tpks that do work in survey.

Re: TPK Files not working

DougBrowning — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 22:47:34 GMT

First make sure it is WGS 84 Web Aux not one of the other 4 WGS 84s.

I have a bug in on the Export Tile Cache tool. It messes up the .xml a bit. ArcMap can handle the issue but in my mobile app they do not work. For custom scales this is hard to get around. Maybe that is it?