Download TPK files for basemaps from Portal

[ToddPayne]

What I would like to do is upload my District's base maps as a tile packages to our Portal.  and then have collector app for Android see the .tpk files for download and use as a base map.   We have about 15 Android devices and side loading these .tpk files via a USB connection is just a little too much for the field workers and way too much for me.  We rebuild the tile packages on a weekly basis.  There are three tile packages that total about 2 Gigabytes in size.  If collector could see these tile packages on portal and provide an interface to download them for off line use as base maps it would sure save me a lot of busy work.

I have tried publishing the tile packages as hosted tiled map services. unfortunately I can't seem to figure out how to get our entire district into the work area when taking the map offline.   I can get about 25% of the District but that creates a somewhat disjointed work flow.  Having these three complete tile packages on the device makes everything very easy on the crew.  Updating them is a hassle.

I did notice the collector app for windows allows me to side load .tpk files from our filing system via the app.  Switching to windows would be my first option but the field staff would push back hard on that one.   I was just hoping for a similar work flow using Portal or ArcGIS Online instead.  If I could rebuild the tile packages, add them to portal, share them, and the field workers could download them for use with the collector app, well it would be a beautiful world.  Just a little add button that displays the tile packages available from the portal and downloads them to the proper folder. Dare I ask for a search tool?

I have seen posts about using an external SD card for larger tile packages and other posts asking to interface with third party cloud storage apps like Box or Drop Box for tile packages.   But how about using Portal or ArcGIS Online for cloud storage, staying within one security model,  and getting the tile packages on the devices for off line use from within the app itself.

Ok rant over.  But if anyone has an idea on how to make this a little easier I am all ears.

Thanks

Todd P Payne

Northshore Utility District

[Anonymous User]

You say that you only manage to get 25 percent of the map to the device - I guess the size gets to big. If you publish it in one less detailed scale I guess it would fit on the device. After 10.4 you could zoom in below the minimum scale and that is a really good feature.

If I were you I would look at .vtpk - it could be a better option. Right now it does´t work on every projection - but the future looks great.

I like your Idea of loading down down the .tpk from Portal - but I understand if Esri thinks it should be done using an ordinary map service.

[ToddPayne]

The size of the data does not seem to be the issue.  The collector app simply won't let me choose a bigger work area when I try to download the map to collector.  Changing the base map to one of the standard ESRI basemaps and choosing the tpk I have side loaded The android device displays the entire district but won't zoom out any further.  And the square that is the work area is about 1/4 of the district.   I am going to try and increase the overall extent of the tile package and add one more level of zooming out.  Perhaps if I add an additional zoom level to the web map's base map (my tile packages). I could get the entire district in When I try choosing the work area on the device.   If that works I am happy.

[Anonymous User]

I have noticed that you have to wait until the text "download" changes from grey to white before you could download a bigger extent. I guess you have already noticed that - but in case you missed it.

I guess it says "download" - I have a non English version.