Customizations in ArcPAD Studio - AXF files

[CamKenny]

Hi all,

I have a PGDB that I have created in ArcMAP for the purpose of field data collection in ArcPAD.  While having related tables and domains setup in the PGDB, I would like to further enhance the user experience by doing some form customizations in Studio.

What I am wondering, is that when creating the customizations in ArcPAD Studio and then getting the data back into the PGDB seems to work ok, but in the event that a new field gets created or there is something that changes within the PGDB, I need to regenerate the axf for ArcPAD, do all my customizations get overwritten that I had created in ArcPAD studio.

This seems counter-productive, but maybe I am just not aware of it - fairly new to the whole axf thing - use to be an APL guy.

[TimHopper · Accepted solution]

Cam,

Just think of an axf file as a glorified apl.

The axf file contains the same layer definition as found within the apl file.  The axf file that you use (as a custom template) when checking out data would simply need to be updated to include your additional field, etc.  Every time you check out, the checkout process looks back to that axf file you altered in studio.

If your feature class schema changes, it would be easiest to check it out (specifying the custom axf along the way) and then open the output axf in studio and make any additional alterations that are necessary.

At that point, the axf which you just altered would become the custom template that you would use from that point forward.

[CamKenny]

Thanks for the quick reply Tim.

So, if I am reading correctly, if I change anything in the PGDB at a later date my customizations in the axf will still hold - even if I have to "re-export" the gdb to an axf?

[TimHopper]

That's correct.

If you think back to your days with apl's, you'll remember that to create one, you first have to specify a shapefile for which it pulls all of the schema from.  Same goes for axf files.

While an axf file can hold all of your data, it can also hold your customizations.  When someone is going to make customizations to an axf file for use each time they check out their data, I normally would recommend that they create that "template" axf file by checking out their data as "schema only".  That way, it pulls the layer definitions (the stuff that is stored in an apl file) from the feature classes but not all of the data.

Any modifications are made within that schema-only axf file and it is then used as a template each time you check out your data.  You would never actually collect any data with that file. 

It's not really the best workflow to check out a single axf, check it back in, and then continue to collect more data within the same file (you can, but you can run into problems if your data is being modified in the office at the same time).  I always recommend that you check out a NEW axf file for every new batch of field work.  Each of these checkouts will pull the customizations from that modified "template" axf file which you have stored somewhere on your computer.

If you need to change the customizations in any way (such as adding a new field or changing the look and feel of the edit form) you can simply make changes to that original schema-only file.  However, in the situation where you add a new field, it is easiest to just check out the feature class again (specifying the original custom form) so that you have a new axf file that has the new field structure, but the old customizations.  That way when you go into ArcPad Studio to add the new field, you can easily select it from the drop down list as it sees it within the schema of the feature class which you've checked out.

I hope that makes sense.