Do I really need offline areas to work offline?

[GayleNeufeld]

I'm trying to set up field maps to work offline and I'm having some trouble.  In investigating possible solutions, I've got myself pretty confused on the process.  I created a webmap to use, and have that enabled for offline use, I checked Device will use a tile package it already has, and entered the tile package file name.  The tile package shows up in the basemap list on my iPad, but when I select it, the screen is just a gray area with a grid on it.  I read that you have to be offline and it will automatically select the tile package, so I did that but then couldn't open the map.  Now I'm reading that I have to make offline map areas in ArcGIS Pro.

Do I have to make map areas as well as have my webmap set for offline?  Which leads to the next question - how big can my offline area be?  We cover a huge area (the State of Alaska is 665,400 square miles, and we need to cover most of it).  

I also can't figure out how to make an attribute list for a specific attribute field.  Coded values won't work because we have hundreds of choices.  I need a list to make those hundreds of choices consistent between field workers.  

Thank you

[RhettZufelt]

Did you use iTunes or other method to actually transfer the tpk or tpkx tile package to the IPad?

Checking the box tells it what one to use, but you still need to copy that over to the local storage on the iPad for it to find it (rather than a gray box).

If offline, the only option will be the previously downloaded tile package.  If online, you should see all your basemaps, including the downloaded one (if it is there in the correct location).

Once setup for Offline, you can create designated offline areas that the user downloads in the Field Maps web app, the item details of the web map, OR, you can define/download the offline data from within Field Maps mobile app.

How big can it be???? Good question, and not a lot of answers.  It seems that it depends.  If you are collecting attachments/photos, etc. the offline areas can get really large, but there is an option to only push attachments back to the server on sync, and not to the device.  This helps a bunch.

I find that for offline areas, I create a "vector" tile set for my basemap with the minimal data needed to keep the Offline package smaller, or so it will actually create it.  Sometimes need to play around with creating various size offline areas and test to see what you can get away with.  Also, as you populate the data so it is having to package more, the existing offline areas may stop working, and will need to re-create smaller ones.

Making an attribute list for specific field is exactly what coded value domain is for, which can easily hold hundreds of choices.  Keep in mind, ESRI products tend to play differently with domains, sometimes it shows the Code, other times the Value, and often no consistency.  For years, I make coded value domains where the code is exactly the same as the Value.  That way, it is always "correct" depending on the viewer showing them.

As you probably know, you can add/modify the list in the hosted feature service:

But as you mentioned, you have hundreds of them, so would be pretty tedious to add them all.

But, since you should have the main list ahead of time, I would generate the table in Excel with two columns, one for code, the other description.  Then import that table to a stand alone table, and run the table to domain tool and assign the domain to the appropriate field.  This will add all the options so that when you publish/overwrite the hosted layer online, it will have these already.

R_

[GayleNeufeld]

Thanks Rhett - I do have the tile package sideloaded on the iPad.  All of this is what I successfully did using the original Collector, so I'm surprised I'm having trouble with it here.  We never moved to the newer version of Collector because of the offline map areas.  They just didn't work for us.

The domain is what I used in Collector as well.  But when I was looking at the documentation for Field Maps, it showed doing it the way you showed above.  I didn't realize I could still use the domain to table functionality.  Thank you!

[RhettZufelt]

The table to domain gp tool will need to be done on the feature data before you publish it to a hosted layer, not on the hosted feature layer itself.

As far as the tpk(x), I have never had the issue where I need to publish/share it online.  I generate the tile package locally and never transfer online, just to the device with iTunes.

 However, you mentioned that you sideloaded the tile package for Collector.  Unfortunately, Field Maps app will not be able to see/utilize that tpk unless you copy/move it to the Field Maps folder in the Files app.

Seems Collector and Field Maps, Explorer, etc. all have their own basemaps folder, and are not able to share between them.

Hope this helps,

R_

[GayleNeufeld]

Thanks Rhett,

I'm sorry, I'm not explaining this clearly.  I did reload the tile package into the Field Maps folder via iTunes.  But I am wondering if something went wrong during the process.  It seems that once the tile package is there and showing up as a choice, it should open properly.  

I understand about the domain to table tool.  I used it for Collector.  I just didn't see where I could use it in Field Maps.  Good to know they didn't take that functionality away.

[TravisSizemore]

Gayle,

We use side-loaded tile packages for much of our fieldwork using Prepare Maps for Download. I add all the imagery to a single map in Pro, do some masking, and publish tpk to ArcGIS Online. You can transfer it to your device via iTunes+USB (see Copy a basemap to the device) or download it from your Content page, but regardless of which method you use, make sure you publish a copy of the tpk file to your ArcGIS Online/Enterprise and share it with the group that your web map is shared with (this makes Field Maps recognize it as a real file for some reason). Also make sure you edit your Offline settings within the web map to specify the tpk file. It's a bit of a hassle to do all this, but well worth it to not have to download maps anymore. If you download a tpk that covers all your work areas, you can skip the Offline Area selection since you have all the imagery downloaded anyway.

Travis

[GayleNeufeld]

Hi Travis - thanks for the response.  I do have the tile package sideloaded.  But I didn't know about sharing it with the group that my web map is shared with.  I'll try that and hopefully it will work.  

[RhettZufelt]

OIC.  you may have something wrong with the tpk then.  In Field Maps app, I see "all" the sideloaded basemaps, even if they are not the one specified in the Offline area manager, and any of them will work (as long as everything is in the same spatial reference).

Does the tpk load correctly in Pro?

I would re-create a "small" area tpkx with Pro and test it to make sure it is in the data, not the workflow.

Also, You mention the original collector, so was the tpk created with ArcMap or Pro?

I ask as I used to create them with Map, but now use Pro, and not in the ESRI web Mercator, but in State Plane.  Found out recently that using a tile cache tiling scheme created in ArcMap has issues in Pro.  At least in 2.9 or newer.  If you are creating your own tiling scheme, you may want to re-make it with the Pro GP tool or there can be issues.

Good luck,

R_

[GayleNeufeld]

I was thinking that something might be wrong with the tpk.  It does open in Pro.  It's one that was made several years ago for us before we had the capacity to do it.  I'll check into this though.  Thank you!

[GayleNeufeld]

I got it to work!  I added the tile package to the group I was sharing with, which seemed to do the trick.  Thanks for all of the suggestions!