Publish map services by shapefile to ArcGIS for Server

[Chang-HengYang]

Hi All,

Thank your or your time in advanced. I have a question if we could publish the map service by the source data  by athe shapefiles (the shapefiles are in the Registered Folders). I was told that the source data should be referenced from feature classes in the GDB. Could I know why I need to use feature classes in GDB not shapefiles.

Thanks,

Hank

[RandallWilliams · Accepted solution]

Shape files are an acceptable data source for ArcGIS Server if they are in a registered folder. Supported data sources are described here:

http://server.arcgis.com/en/server/10.3/publish-services/linux/supported-functionality-in-map-servic...

[Chang-HengYang]

Hi Randall,

Could you share your opinions why GIS users prefer to use the GDB as the source data than shapefiles?

Thanks,

Hank

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

My thoughts...FGDB are a bit "smarter" than shape files, and have fewer limitations. 

Here is an older (2009) acticle (pdf) from esri as to why to use fgdb in general www.esri.com/news/arcuser/0309/files/9reasons.pdf

And if you do a browser search for   "file gdb vs shapefile"  you will find many forum threads like Shapefile vs. Geodatabase 

edit:  oh...and all the fgdb files are stored in one folder (do not put shapefile files in that folder or you will have trouble...make sure to import/convert them into the fgdb) vs the up-to 6 files of various extensions (for example  .shp, .prj, ..shx, etc) that are for one shapefile.

[RandallWilliams]

I agree with Rebecca. While .shp is ok for desktop GIS, in general they aren't as performant as FGDB. In the enterprise space I almost always use some form of enterprise gdb, so that I can enable feature access. File based data sources tend to not play nice over the network, with anti-virus, and don't really scale very well with multiple users.