2021

Create Basemaps For Offline Use:

(TPKs and GeoTiffs)

S1 Mobile Team
ORWA BLM & R6 USFS
10/5/2021
Create Basemaps For Offline Use: TPKs and GeoTiffs

About Basemaps
Basemaps can be used to display reference information in the S1 Mobile Mapper application. The S1
Mobile app allows users to download or sideload via usb cable; esri or user created basemaps for offline
use. Each basemap can be used in S1 as a “basemap”, or “additional basemap” that sits on top of the
basemap. This strategy allows users to use transparency settings when creating basemaps to allow a
layered approach to display reference information needed while collecting field data or navigating in an
offline environment.

S1 supported basemap file formats include; multi-scale tile packages .tpk, (tpkx; a newer compressed
tile package format), Vector Tile Package (.vtpk - ArcPro only), Mobile Map Package file
(.mmpk - ArcPro only), or geo-referenced GeoTIFF image file. Basemaps can be shared to ArcGIS Online
(AGOL) and downloaded to mobile devices connected to WiFi or a cellular network or connected to a PC
and side-loaded to the mobile device.

NOTE: For ArcGIS Pro users, S1 Mobile now supports Vector Tile Packages (.vtpk). There are several
advantages to using .vtpk files, such as smaller file size and better resolution for devices with high
dpi. This file type is optimized for vector data. Share them the same way you would a TPK file, as
basemaps. This documents does not cover how to create them in ArcPro though.

Assumptions:
• Access to ArcGIS 10.2 or later (this tutorial was made using ArcMap v10.7.1).

About Tile Packages (.tpk) in ArcMap

Tile packages are a bundle of pre-rendered image tiles, generated for a specific area based on a user
defined tiling scheme at multiple scales. The tiles are zipped into a single .tpk file to facilitate sharing.
Unlike a paper map or a single digital image file, which presents a map at a single scale, a tile package
can present reference information at multiple scales and resolutions.
You may need to do extra design work on your map document to set up scale dependencies and symbol
sizes at differing scale levels to get the most out of the .tpk file format.
Below is an example of a tile package presented at different scales to demonstrate the use of scale
dependencies. Showing how adding more detailed information as you zoom in and setting label size and
symbol size appropriately will give a much more refined map product

How to create a tile package (tpk)

A tile package (.tpk) can take a considerable amount of time and resources to create, therefore it is
important to fine-tune the map document (.mxd) prior to publishing the tpk file. Once the tile package is
created, it can be used to quickly render lightweight image files to applications.

Step 1: Preparing the Map Document (.mxd)

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Create Basemaps For Offline Use: TPKs and GeoTiffs

a. It is recommended that you start using a New Map Document, rather than an existing one.

b. Add all the needed layers to the map.

c. Set the minimum and maximum Scales Range for each layer and label visibility under Layer
Properties. For example, small roads may not be visible Out beyond: 1:150,000 minimum scale
and IN beyond: <None> Maximum scale and labels can be “Use the same scale range as the
feature layer”. Some Highway symbols show scale Up to 1:249,000, then another set of symbols
for highways show scale at 1:250,000 and above.

d. To set scale ranges  right click the layer  click properties  General tab for layer scale and
Label tab for the label scale setup.
Display layers at certain scales
https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/mapping/layer-properties/display-layers-at-certain-scales.htm

Right Click
layer 
Properties

e. ArcGIS Runtime Tools must be enabled before creating a TPK. Click Customize ArcMap Option
 Click the Sharing tab  check the box to Enable ArcGIS Runtime Tools, then click OK.

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Create Basemaps For Offline Use: TPKs and GeoTiffs

Step 2: Set the Data frame Coordinate System and Datum Transformation
a. Select View  Data Frame Properties  Coordinate System tab.

b. In the search bar type: WGS 1984 Web Mercator and hit Enter or the search icon.

c. Select WGS 1984 Web Mercator (auxiliary sphere).

d. Click Transformations button.

e. Set applicable transformation. In screenshot below, data is Converting from

GCS_North_American_1983  Into GCS_WGS_1984 transformation, Using:
NAD_1983_To_WGS_1984_5  (NOTE: transformations may be different where you
are) then Click OK to close the transformations window and OK to save changes and close Data
Frame Properties menu. This will take a few second to process.

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Create Basemaps For Offline Use: TPKs and GeoTiffs

Step 3: Set Full Extent Command and Clip to Shape

a. Zoom and pan map to the maximum extent (project area) desired in the output tile package. The
larger the extent, the larger the output file. If a large extent is needed, consider making multiple
TPKs to reduce the file size.

b. Select View  Data Frame Properties  Data Frame Tab.

c. In the Extent Used by Full Extent Command, click the Specify Extent button.

d. Select Current Visible Extent and click OK (do not close the main Data Frame Properties).

e. Back on the Data Frame Properties  Data Frame tab  under the Clip Options  choose Clip to
Shape  then click Specify Shape.

f. Choose Current Visible Extent to clip to the current view, and then click OK then OK to close.

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Create Basemaps For Offline Use: TPKs and GeoTiffs

Note: Alternatively, if you wanted to clip to a specific area (ex: District or Forest boundary), rather
than Current Visible Extent, specify Outline of Features. Then choose the Layer and specify which
features in the layer (set a definition quesrry on the ).

An example
of clipping to

Step 4: Set Map Document Properties

a. Select File  Map Document Properties.

b. Fill in the Summary, Description, Author, Credits, and Tags

sections.

c. Click Make Thumbnail and then OK.

d. Then select File again  Save, to save the map document.

Step 5: Create Tile Package

There are two ways you can create and share a tile package from ArcMap.

• From the file menu method, described below.

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Create Basemaps For Offline Use: TPKs and GeoTiffs
• Or, a second option, especially if you have trouble with publishing from the file menu option is
to use the “Create map tile package” tool in the data management ArcMap toolbox. This option
gives a little more control over the setup of the tile package and also allows you to select the
.tpkx file format as an output option. Which is a compressed format that outputs smaller file
sizes for the same extent and tiling scheme (The toobox method is not in this tutorial, but may
be added later)

For additional information on tile packages for ArcGIS 10.7, see this ESRI help article here:
https://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/10.7/map/working-with-arcmap/about-tile-packages.htm

a. Select File  Share As  Tile Package…

b. Select the Tile Package tab, then specify the location on the network (If you plan to sideload file to
mobile device) or upload package to AGOL account (if users will download to mobile device from
an AGOL group.

c. Next, select the Tile Format tab. Then set the Tiling Scheme to ArcGIS Online/Bing Maps/ Google
Maps.

d. Set the Tiling Format to PNG8.

e. Set Level of Detail by moving the slider bar. The greater level of detail, the larger the tile package
size and the longer it will take to generate the package. It is recommended that a package be no
more than 1gb in size if uploading and sharing via AGOL. Though larger files are allowed, larger

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Create Basemaps For Offline Use: TPKs and GeoTiffs
files impact download times. Saving the file locally and sideloading to the mobile device is a better
option for large files.

f. Select the Item Description tab Populate any fields missing required information in the form.

g. After filling in the Item Description fields Click Analyze on the top right side.

h. A table will appear displaying any Errors or Warnings about your map document.

i. Fix all Errors before proceeding. Most errors can be corrected automatically by double
clicking on the Error Icon. Then click Analyze again to see if the error was corrected.

Pro tip; Large extents with high level tiling schemes can take a long time to create. Set a small map
extent area once you think you have your map set up with scale dependencies and symbol sizes etc.
Then share this small area initially to verify the output file symbology and scale dependencies turn out as
you expected. Once this is verified, go ahead and set the real extent that you want to export the
basemap at and share again.

j. After all red errors are corrected, click on the top right, to create the tile package.
Depending on the level of detail you chose, this tool will run for several minutes to several hours
to complete.

Creating a GeoTiff - Geo-referenced Image File

Unlike tile packages, which present a map at multiple scales, a GeoTIFF is a single image at a single map
scale. These are very quick and easy to generate and share, however, they may not be appropriate for
viewing on the mobile device at all map scales (blurry upon zooming in or too cluttered when zoomed
out). Not recommended for geographic areas larger than a section or two

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Create Basemaps For Offline Use: TPKs and GeoTiffs
Due to certain limitations, GeoTIFF files cannot be added directly to a web map or applications. But
can be added to ArcGIS Online (AGOL) as a shared download only.

Step 1: Open a New Blank Map Document

a. When preparing the Map Document, it is recommended that you start with a New Map
Document, rather than an existing one. Add only the layers needed to create this image.

b. Open ArcMap  Select Blank Map  Click OK.

c. Name and Save the New Map Document.

Step 2: Set Data Frame Coordinate System and Datum Transformation

Note: A Map Document’s Data Frame properties must include:

• Set the Coordinate System to WGS 1984 Web Mercator (auxiliary sphere).

• Apply a datum Transformation if map contains data using another Coordinate Source (ex.
NAD83 data).
• Set the Frame Background color to No Color.

a. Select View  Data Frame Properties  Coordinate System tab.

b. In the Search bar  type: WGS 1984 Web Mercator and click
Enter or click the search icon .

c. Select WGS 1984 Web Mercator (auxiliary sphere)  Click Apply

(do not click OK, yet).

d. You may get a Warning pop-up If so, click the Transformation
button on that pop-up.

e. (If you do not get a Warning pop-up, you will still be on the Data Frame Properties pane  click
on the Transformation button below).

No warning pop-up?  find the

Transformation button at the bottom
of the Data Frame Properties pane.

f. Set applicable transformation. After clicking the Transformation button  Convert from: GCS
North America 1983  Into: GCS WGS 1984  Select  Using: NAD_1983_To_WGS_1984_5

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Create Basemaps For Offline Use: TPKs and GeoTiffs

g. Click OK to close the transformations window and OK to save changes and close Data Frame
Properties menu.

Step 3: Set Export Extent & Export Image

a. Zoom or pan map to the desired extent to be included in export. Do not have a map scale greater
than 1:500,000 when exporting geo-referenced maps. In fact, it is recommended to have a map
scale of 1:100,000 or better (1:50,000, 1:24,000, 1:10,000) to achieve a readable image file.

b. Export Map document. Select File  Export Map.

c. On the General tab, set the Resolution = 250 dpi

d. On the Format tab, set the Color Mode to 24-bit True Color, Compression to None, Background
Color to No Color, and check the box next to Write GeoTIFF Tags.

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Create Basemaps For Offline Use: TPKs and GeoTiffs
e. Give the output file a name  Set the Save as Type 
TIFF or Layout GeoTiff

f. Select where to save your Image file from the upper

window, then click Save to export the current map view
to a geo-referenced map.

Upload & Share Basemaps to ARCGIS ONLINE FOR ORGANIZATIONS

If you created a local copy of a basemap and decide you want to share it to AGOL this section describes
how to do that. To share a package to ArcGIS online, your Esri Account needs to have a minimum role
of “Contributor” in the BLM org, and all Forest Service accounts should work. S1 Supported tile package
file types include: Tile Package (.tpk or .tpkx; a newer compressed tile package), Vector Tile Package
(.vtpk - ArcPro only), Map Package (.mmpk - ArcPro only), or a geo-referenced GeoTIFF image file.

Step 1: Log into your ArcGIS Online (AGOL) for Organization account.

a. Login in to AGOL by going to:

BLM: https://blm-egis.maps.arcgis.com/home/content.html
FS: https://usfs.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html
b. Then  Sign in.

c. Click Content at the top of web page.

d. Then click the My Content selection.

e. Click New Item  then Drag and drop your file in the window or select a file from Your device to
add your geo-referenced image (TIFF) or tile package (.tpk) to the ArcGIS Online for Organizations.

f. Enter at least one Tag to identify your layer and a summary  Then click Save.

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Create Basemaps For Offline Use: TPKs and GeoTiffs

Step 2: Share Content

a. In AGOL, go to My Content, click on the name of your geo-referenced image (TIFF) or tile package
(.tpk) to see its information.

b. Then click the Share button on the content properties screen.

c. Select to be the owner, where only you see the data or choose the Group(s) you wish to share this
layer with.

d. If you are choosing to share with groups in your organization  then select Organization for the
sharing level  then click the Edit group sharing button to select which groups you want to share
it with.

e. After selecting the groups in your organization that you want to share the data with,  Click OK
and Save.

f. Now when using the S1 Mobile Mapper application, users belonging to the Group will be able
to see and download the geo-referenced image (TIFF) or any of the supported tile package
formats as a basemap.
When launching S1 go to Download Data  Map Data  select a Group  select ‘your new
basemap’.

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