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Differences Between MobileMap 4.x
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and MobileMap 5.x for Configuration and Base Map Download
Configuration steps for MobileMap 4.x
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and 5.x
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are similar. The main difference is the process for selecting a Feature Service and creating an offline geodatabase. In MobileMap 5.x
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Get familiar with the ‘Actions Menu’
Sign into ArcGIS
Download base map
Select Feature Service
Initialize Feature Service
Import settings
Enter User-Specific Settings
Confirm download parameters
Download data (optional)
Once you complete these steps you should be ready to collect field data. If you run into any issues when completing these steps, please contact WSG software support at:
Support Portal: https://woodlandsg.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portals
Support Phone: (720) 712-4334
1. Get familiar with the Actions Menu
The Actions Menu is used for many workflows in MobileMap. It is accessed using the Actions Menu icon, second from right in the top right corner of MobileMap.
...
When the Actions Menu opens, you will see a long list of Actions. The most common actions are at the top of the list and include larger buttons to make selecting them easier. These include ‘Sign in to ArcGIS’, ‘Upload Features’ and ‘Download’. In this initial setup we will use ‘Sign in to ArcGIS’, ‘Download Basemap’, ‘Select Feature Services’, 'Initialize Database' and optionally ‘Download’.
...
2. Sign In to ArcGIS
Signing into ArcGIS is a critical step for accessing secure data within MobileMap. It is needed when configuring MobileMap and whenever you are uploading or downloading data. It is also used when downloading base maps or getting driving directions.
Many users will sign into ArcGIS using their ArcGIS Online username and password. If your organization uses Portal, you will need to sign in using your ArcGIS Portal username and password. Initial setup for Portal users requires a few additional steps. If your organization uses Portal, please read the following page before proceeding MobileMap: Using Portal for ArcGIS
To begin, select ‘Sign in to ArcGIS’ from the Actions Menu
...
Enter your ArcGIS Username
Enter your ArcGIS Online Password
Tap 'Sign In'
You should receive a notice stating that you have successfully signed in to ArcGIS
If you receive an error here, please contact your organizations MobileMap point of contact
...
3. Download Base Map
MobileMap requires one or more base maps stored in Esri’s Tile Package (TPK) format. These may include aerial imagery, road information, topography, etc. If your device was pre-loaded with base map data you should already be seeing a map at this stage of the configuration. If you believe that your device does already have base map(s), but you are not seeing them, you may need to select the ‘map cache’ or project. To do this, open the ‘Select Map Cache’ dialog (4th button from the right in the upper right of MobileMap) and select your preferred map cache from the list. If your device did not come pre-configured with base map data, this section will cover the steps to download a suitable base map to get started using MobileMap.
In some organizations, base maps are created using a PC and ArcGIS Desktop then transferred to mobile devices for field use. This approach may be optimal for organizations that own or manage land and thus have consistent and large areas where they work. For mone information on creating base map TPKs using ArcGIS Desktop please see MobileMap: Base Map Creation for MobileMap.
In other organization, base maps are created directly within MobileMap. This approach is ideal in several scenarios:
Evaluating MobileMap - When assessing if MobileMap is right for your workflows, direct creation of base maps in MobileMap allows you to quickly download a base map and start testing navigation and data collection. This skips the step of ArcGIS Desktop to create a base map, even if you may chose to do so in production use of MobileMap.
No access to ArcGIS Desktop - For organizations that do not have access to ArcGIS Desktop, or where the users who do have access to ArcGIS Desktop are not available to support base map creation, the option to create base maps directly in MobileMap may be a good fit. It is very easy to do, but there are some limitations to be aware of. Base maps created in MobileMap use ArcGIS map services and have limitations on the size of the base maps that can be created. Size limitations are determine by both the extent and the resolution of the basemap, see details below for more information.
Unpredictable work areas - For organizations that don’t own or manage land, there may be limited advance notice of work areas. In these organizations, there is no real benefit of pre-creating large area base maps - simply use MobileMap to create the base maps for the areas you will work for the next day, week, month, etc. The key thing to remember in this scenario is that you will need a good WiFi connection to create a base map in MobileMap, and it may take a while (typically 5 minutes maximum).
Follow the steps below to download a suitable base map for testing:
...
Make sure you signed in to ArcGIS as described in the steps above
...
Open the Actions Menu and select ‘Download Basemap’
...
, this process is more streamlined, and eliminates some steps that were required in MobileMap 4.x (e.g., Initialize Database, Download Parameters). Also, “settings configurations” are used in MobileMap 5.x. This changes how the import settings process works in MobileMap 4.x. More details are included in the appropriate sections.
MobileMap 4.x Basic Configuration Overview
Basic configuration for data collection for MobileMap 4.x includes the following steps. For MobileMap 5.x, skip to the MobileMap 5.x section. Most of these steps require an internet connection. Before proceeding, make sure you are connected to WiFi and have a strong signal.
Get familiar with the ‘Actions Menu’
Sign into ArcGIS
Download base map
Select Feature Service
Initialize Feature Service
Import settings
Enter User-Specific Settings
Confirm download parameters
Download data (optional)
Once you complete these steps you should be ready to collect field data. If you run into any issues when completing these steps, please contact WSG software support at:
Support Portal: https://woodlandsg.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portals
Support Phone: (720) 712-4334
1. Get familiar with the Actions Menu
The Actions Menu is used for many workflows in MobileMap. It is accessed using the Actions Menu icon, second from right in the top right corner of MobileMap.
...
When the Actions Menu opens, you will see a long list of Actions. The most common actions are at the top of the list and include larger buttons to make selecting them easier. These include ‘Sign in to ArcGIS’, ‘Upload Features’ and ‘Download’. In this initial setup we will use ‘Sign in to ArcGIS’, ‘Download Basemap’, ‘Select Feature Services’, 'Initialize Database' and optionally ‘Download’.
...
2. Sign In to ArcGIS
Signing into ArcGIS is a critical step for accessing secure data within MobileMap. It is needed when configuring MobileMap and whenever you are uploading or downloading data. It is also used when downloading base maps or getting driving directions.
Many users will sign into ArcGIS using their ArcGIS Online username and password. If your organization uses Portal, you will need to sign in using your ArcGIS Portal username and password. Initial setup for Portal users requires a few additional steps. If your organization uses Portal, please read the following page before proceeding MobileMap: Using Portal for ArcGIS
To begin, select ‘Sign in to ArcGIS’ from the Actions Menu
...
Enter your ArcGIS Username
Enter your ArcGIS Online Password
Tap 'Sign In'
You should receive a notice stating that you have successfully signed in to ArcGIS
If you receive an error here, please contact your organizations MobileMap point of contact
...
3. Download Base Map
MobileMap requires one or more base maps stored in Esri’s Tile Package (TPK) format. These may include aerial imagery, road information, topography, etc. If your device was pre-loaded with base map data you should already be seeing a map at this stage of the configuration. If you believe that your device does already have base map(s), but you are not seeing them, you may need to select the ‘map cache’ or project. To do this, open the ‘Select Map Cache’ dialog (4th button from the right in the upper right of MobileMap) and select your preferred map cache from the list. If your device did not come pre-configured with base map data, this section will cover the steps to download a suitable base map to get started using MobileMap.
In some organizations, base maps are created using a PC and ArcGIS Desktop then transferred to mobile devices for field use. This approach may be optimal for organizations that own or manage land and thus have consistent and large areas where they work. For more information on creating base map TPKs using ArcGIS Desktop please see MobileMap: Base Map Creation for MobileMap.
In other organization, base maps are created directly within MobileMap. This approach is ideal in several scenarios:
Evaluating MobileMap - When assessing if MobileMap is right for your workflows, direct creation of base maps in MobileMap allows you to quickly download a base map and start testing navigation and data collection. This skips the step of ArcGIS Desktop to create a base map, even if you may chose to do so in production use of MobileMap.
No access to ArcGIS Desktop - For organizations that do not have access to ArcGIS Desktop, or where the users who do have access to ArcGIS Desktop are not available to support base map creation, the option to create base maps directly in MobileMap may be a good fit. It is very easy to do, but there are some limitations to be aware of. Base maps created in MobileMap use ArcGIS map services and have limitations on the size of the base maps that can be created. Size limitations are determine by both the extent and the resolution of the basemap, see details below for more information.
Unpredictable work areas - For organizations that don’t own or manage land, there may be limited advance notice of work areas. In these organizations, there is no real benefit of pre-creating large area base maps - simply use MobileMap to create the base maps for the areas you will work for the next day, week, month, etc. The key thing to remember in this scenario is that you will need a good WiFi connection to create a base map in MobileMap, and it may take a while (typically 5 minutes maximum).
Follow the steps below to download a suitable base map for testing:
Make sure you signed in to ArcGIS as described in the steps above
Open the Actions Menu and select ‘Download Basemap’
Select the desired base map from the list of available Esri base maps
Pan and zoom to an area where you plan to begin using or testing MobileMap
Select the maximum zoom level for the map data
We recommend using the smallest area, lowest resolution map that is practical at this stage. This will reduce the download time.
Once the map extend and zoom level are selected, tap the Download icon to begin the download.
Android version
Android 10 and higher
For Android 10+ devices MobileMap will prompt you for the location to save the file. Select the ‘TPK’ subfolder within desired project folder (or the ‘default’ folder). It is also possible to override the default naming convention but be sure to retain the .tpk suffix
Note that some users of Tab Active 3 devices have reported that a recent update (November 2022) has resulted in files being downloaded with a .tpk.part extension. We are working to implement a workaround for this in MobileMap. If you find that TPKs do not load properly and contain the .tpk.part extension, simply rename the files by removing the .part at the end of the filename.
Android 9 and lower
For Android 9 and lower devices, MobileMap will save base maps to the Downloads folder of your internal storage using a default name based on the image source, resolution and date.
During the download process, you will see a notification with an estimated file size for the TPK file. We have found that files less than 10 MB can be reliably downloaded over most network connections. Files up to 50 MB will work on better network connections. We have seldom seen files greater than 100 MB download successfully. A good starting point is to download an area that is a few hundred acres at zoom level 16. If the initial download is well within the file sizes noted above, try zooming out to increase the map area or select the next higher zoom level (e.g. from L16 to L17) and download again.
Use the ‘X' button to close the Download Basemap’ dialog and return to MobileMap
If using an Android version lower than Android 10, launch your file manager app and copy the TPK file(s) from the Downloads folder on your internal storage to the TPK subfolder of your desired project folder in the MobileMap folder, which will typically be on your MicroSD Card
Once you have a downloaded base map TPK in the TPK subfolder of your desired project folder in the MobileMap folder you should be seeing this base map data in MobileMap. If not, use the 'Select map cache' (4th from right in the upper right corner of MobileMap), to select the map project where you copied/downloaded your base map TPK.
If you still are unable to see map data, contact your organization’s MobileMap point of contact or WSG’s support team at support@woodlandsg.atlassian.net.
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Actions > IMPORT SETTINGS
Tap the ‘Feature service' radio button or ‘Settings File’ radio button depending on your organization’s preference
Verify that the Feature Service you are using is selected in the dropdown list and that several settings rows are displayed with their setting, value and a checkbox to 'overwrite' existing settings
Tap 'IMPORT' to import these settings
You should see a message stating that settings imported successfully
Tap 'X' to finish
If you import settings the MobileMap Settings will automatically open at this point
This is good time to fill in your Authentication Information and Observer Name or Initials (see details below)
Back arrow out of Settings
Actions > DONE (closes the Actions menu if it is still open)
...
ArcGIS Username
Enter your ArcGIS Online username
ArcGIS Password
Enter your ArcGIS Online password
Tap back arrow to return to main settings page
Tap on 'Data Collection and Editing'
Observer Initials or Name
Enter your full name or initials (e.g., John Doe or jbd)
...
Actions > EDIT DOWNLOAD PARAMETERS
For each relevant layer, enter in the query ‘where’ statement. Note that download parameters for timber cruise are typically applied to the Stands, Plots, Trees and Logs (where relevant). Examples include:
Company_ID='XYZ'
Work_Area='Nortwest'
Cruiser_ID='JJD'
Status='Cruised'
Typically metadata tables like Rules and Related_Domains are typically NOT filtered
Sometimes whole tables are removed from the download list. For example, while a user may collect data with Generic Points, Lines and Polygons, they may choose to uncheck these layers to prevent them being downloaded to their MobileMap device.
...
This step is listed as optional on this page because it is not necessary to download any data in order to collect new features. A typical workflow, however, includes downloading features such as stand boundaries and plot locations that will be used in the field for collected or editing attributes.
If downloading data for use in MobileMap, do the following
Ensure you are connected to WiFi and have a strong signal
Actions > DOWNLOAD
Wait for the download process to complete
If you get an error message stating that a token is required, please re-sign in to ArcGIS (Actions > 'Sign in to ArcGIS')
Verify the expected number of features that have been downloaded
...
any data in order to collect new features. A typical workflow, however, includes downloading features such as stand boundaries and plot locations that will be used in the field for collected or editing attributes.
If downloading data for use in MobileMap, do the following
Ensure you are connected to WiFi and have a strong signal
Actions > DOWNLOAD
Wait for the download process to complete
If you get an error message stating that a token is required, please re-sign in to ArcGIS (Actions > 'Sign in to ArcGIS')
Verify the expected number of features that have been downloaded
MobileMap 5.x Basic Configuration Overview
Basic configuration for data collection for MobileMap 5.x includes the following steps. Most of these steps require an internet connection. Before proceeding, make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi and have a strong signal.
Get familiar with the ‘Actions Menu’
Sign into ArcGIS
Download base map (optional)
Generate Offline Geodatabase
Select Feature Service
Configure Offline Geodatabase Parameters (optional)
Generate Database
Import Settings (optional)
Enter User-Specific Settings
Once you complete these steps you should be ready to collect field data. If you run into any issues when completing these steps, please contact WSG software support at:
Support Portal: https://woodlandsg.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portals
Support Phone: (720) 712-4334
1. Get familiar with the Actions Menu
The Actions Menu is used for many workflows in MobileMap. It is accessed using the Actions Menu icon, second from right in the top right corner of MobileMap.
...
When the Actions Menu opens, you will see a long list of Actions. The most common actions are at the top of the list and include larger buttons to make selecting them easier. These include ‘Sign in to ArcGIS’, ‘Upload Features’ and ‘Download’. In this initial setup we will use ‘Sign in to ArcGIS’, ‘Download Basemap’, ‘Select Feature Services’, 'Initialize Database' and optionally ‘Download’.
...
2. Sign In to ArcGIS
Signing into ArcGIS is a critical step for accessing secure data within MobileMap. It is needed when configuring MobileMap and whenever you are uploading or downloading data. It is also used when downloading base maps or getting driving directions.
Many users will sign into ArcGIS using their ArcGIS Online username and password. If your organization uses Portal, you will need to sign in using your ArcGIS Portal username and password. Initial setup for Portal users requires a few additional steps. If your organization uses Portal, please read the following page before proceeding MobileMap: Using Portal for ArcGIS
To begin, select ‘Sign in to ArcGIS’ from the Actions Menu
3. Download Base Map
MobileMap requires one or more base maps stored in Esri’s Tile Package (TPK) format. These may include aerial imagery, road information, topography, etc. If your device was pre-loaded with base map data you should already be seeing a map at this stage of the configuration. If you believe that your device does already have base map(s), but you are not seeing them, you may need to select the ‘map cache’ or project. To do this, open the ‘Select Map Cache’ dialog (4th button from the right in the upper right of MobileMap) and select your preferred map cache from the list. If your device did not come pre-configured with base map data, this section will cover the steps to download a suitable base map to get started using MobileMap.
In some organizations, base maps are created using a PC and ArcGIS Desktop then transferred to mobile devices for field use. This approach may be optimal for organizations that own or manage land and thus have consistent and large areas where they work. For more information on creating base map TPKs using ArcGIS Desktop please see MobileMap: Base Map Creation for MobileMap.
In other organization, base maps are created directly within MobileMap. This approach is ideal in several scenarios:
Evaluating MobileMap - When assessing if MobileMap is right for your workflows, direct creation of base maps in MobileMap allows you to quickly download a base map and start testing navigation and data collection. This skips the step of ArcGIS Desktop to create a base map, even if you may chose to do so in production use of MobileMap.
No access to ArcGIS Desktop - For organizations that do not have access to ArcGIS Desktop, or where the users who do have access to ArcGIS Desktop are not available to support base map creation, the option to create base maps directly in MobileMap may be a good fit. It is very easy to do, but there are some limitations to be aware of. Base maps created in MobileMap use ArcGIS map services and have limitations on the size of the base maps that can be created. Size limitations are determine by both the extent and the resolution of the basemap, see details below for more information.
Unpredictable work areas - For organizations that don’t own or manage land, there may be limited advance notice of work areas. In these organizations, there is no real benefit of pre-creating large area base maps - simply use MobileMap to create the base maps for the areas you will work for the next day, week, month, etc. The key thing to remember in this scenario is that you will need a good WiFi connection to create a base map in MobileMap, and it may take a while (typically 5 minutes maximum).
Note: If your organization uses Portal for ArcGIS, it is necessary to have access to a suitable base map in Portal. See MobileMap: Using Portal for ArcGIS for more information on selecting a base map for use in Portal, and for configuration of MobileMap to use a Portal base map URL.
Follow the steps below to download a suitable base map for testing:
Make sure you signed in to ArcGIS as described in the steps above
Open the Actions Menu and select ‘Download Basemap’
Select the desired base map from the list of available Esri base maps
Pan and zoom to an area where you plan to begin using or testing MobileMap
Select the maximum zoom level for the map data
We recommend using the smallest area, lowest resolution map that is practical at this stage. This will reduce the download time.
Once the map extend and zoom level are selected, tap the Download icon to begin the download.
Android version
Android 10 and higher
For Android 10+ devices MobileMap will prompt you for the location to save the file. Select the ‘TPK’ subfolder within desired project folder (or the ‘default’ folder). It is also possible to override the default naming convention but be sure to retain the .tpk suffix
Note that some users of Tab Active 3 devices have reported that a recent update (November 2022) has resulted in files being downloaded with a .tpk.part extension. We are working to implement a workaround for this in MobileMap. If you find that TPKs do not load properly and contain the .tpk.part extension, simply rename the files by removing the .part at the end of the filename.
Android 9 and lower
For Android 9 and lower devices, MobileMap will save base maps to the Downloads folder of your internal storage using a default name based on the image source, resolution and date.
During the download process, you will see a notification with an estimated file size for the TPK file. We have found that files less than 10 MB can be reliably downloaded over most network connections. Files up to 50 MB will work on better network connections. We have seldom seen files greater than 100 MB download successfully. A good starting point is to download an area that is a few hundred acres at zoom level 16. If the initial download is well within the file sizes noted above, try zooming out to increase the map area or select the next higher zoom level (e.g. from L16 to L17) and download again.
Use the ‘X' button to close the Download Basemap’ dialog and return to MobileMap
If using an Android version lower than Android 10, launch your file manager app and copy the TPK file(s) from the Downloads folder on your internal storage to the TPK subfolder of your desired project folder in the MobileMap folder, which will typically be on your MicroSD Card
Once you have a downloaded base map TPK in the TPK subfolder of your desired project folder in the MobileMap folder you should be seeing this base map data in MobileMap. If not, use the 'Select map cache' (4th from right in the upper right corner of MobileMap), to select the map project where you copied/downloaded your base map TPK.
If you still are unable to see map data, contact your organization’s MobileMap point of contact or WSG’s support team at support@woodlandsg.atlassian.net.
4. Generate Offline Geodatabase
To begin the process, select Generate Offline Geodatabase from the Actions Menu:
...
a. Select Feature Service
Feature Services are shared with users via ArcGIS Groups. Because a user may have access to many services, the first step in the process is to select a relevant group.
Select a Group from the drop down list. The dropdown list includes all of the ArcGIS Groups which you belong to. Each group will have one or more Feature Services associated with it. Select the group that contains the Feature Service you intend to use for data collection.
Select the Feature Service you would like to download
Tap the download icon (vertical line with a down arrow) to proceed.
...
b. Configure the Offline Geodatabase Parameters (optional)
This is an optional step which can be used to subset the data in any layer in the feature service on download. These parameters remain set for the lifespan of the offline geodatabase. ArcGIS Desktop users can think of this as setting a ‘definition query’ on the offline geodatabase. If the parameters must be changed to include different or additional data, the geodatabase will by synced and recreated with the new parameters. This is similar to the process in 4.x where the database needed to be reinitialized when changing download parameters.
For each relevant layer, enter in the query ‘where’ statement. Note that download parameters for timber cruise are typically applied to the Stands, Plots, Trees and Logs (where relevant). Examples include:
Company_ID='XYZ'
Work_Area='Nortwest'
Cruiser_ID='JJD'
Status='Cruised'
For more details on setting offline geodatabase parameters see MobileMap: Download Parameters
Metadata tables like Rules and Related Domains are typically NOT filtered. These tables must be downloaded (cannot be unchecked).
c. Generate
Tap the download icon (vertical line with a down arrow) to proceed with Generation of the Offline Geodatabase.
...
The offline geodatabase will be generated an a Geodatabase Generation Successful window will appear. Tap OK to proceed.
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d. Select Settings Configuration (Optional)
The Select Settings Configuration window opens after successful generation of an offline geodatabase. You may optionally select a settings configuration to apply from the list of available settings configurations that were imported from the feature service or a settings file.
MobileMap is a highly configurable application, and many of the configurations are stored in the application settings. Application settings can be exported as a text file, or imported and applied from a text file, or from the Feature Service itself.
The steps below assume that the data manager has saved the most critical settings for your feature service directly to that feature service.
Actions > SELECT SETTINGS CONFIGURATION
If importing from a settings configuration file, go to the “Manage Settings” screen and select ‘Import Settings Configuration File’ and navigate to an appropriate settings configuration file on your device. You should then see any settings configurations included in your selected file displayed as available settings configurations.
Tap the settings configuration you wish to apply to apply these settings and save them within MobileMap
MobileMap will display a message stating that settings were applied successfully. If an error is displayed contact the data manager, or the person that provided your settings configuration file.
Tap '<-' to finish
Note that there may be times when it is helpful to restore the default MobileMap settings prior to importing settings. This can be useful when a user has edited settings or has imported settings from other Feature Services in the past. To restore default settings, simply tap the “Restore Default Settings” button and confirm you want to restore the default settings. Once the defaults have been restored, you can go back and select a settings configuration using the steps above to ensure all settings on your devices are either the default values or those that are stored on the Feature Service you will be using.
If you selected a settings configuration, the MobileMap Settings will automatically open at this point
This is good time to fill in your Observer Name or Initials (see details below)
If no settings need to be changed, back arrow out of Settings using software or hardware back button
**For more information on settings configurations, checkout this article: https://woodlandsg.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/2/article/2088140803 **
5. Enter User-Specific Settings
To complete the basic configuration users typically modify one key setting, the Observer (e.g., cruiser) ID, which will auto-populate whenever new features are being collected. To update the Observer ID complete the following steps:
Open Settings
...
Tap on 'Data Collection and Editing'
Observer Initials or Name
Enter your full name or initials (e.g., John Doe or jbd)
...
Tap the back arrow on the tablet to return to the main settings page. Tap the back arrow on the tablet to return to the map page.
Next Step MobileMap: Field Navigation
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