How To: Package a Published Map That Has Hyperlinked Files

Summary

The instructions provided describe how to package a published map that has hyperlinked files. When packaging data for a map published using the Publisher extension for ArcGIS for Desktop, the packaging process does not automatically include files on disk that are associated with feature layers through hyperlinks. It is up to the user to include those files in the package. However, since the paths of the hyperlinked files must be specified in the attribute table of layers having hyperlinks, confusion can arise about how to organize the locations of the hyperlinked files so that the Published Map File (PMF) can find the referenced files.

Procedure

Below is an example of a way to organize maps and their hyperlinked files. In this example, the hyperlinked files are .jpg images, and all the .jpg files are stored in a single folder called '\Images'. The map is in a folder called '\Map' at the same directory level as the '\Data' folder where the map's data sources are stored. When the map is published, the PMF is placed in the same folder as the map. For example:

Code:
D:\Temp\1160497\Data\Images\a.jpg
                            b.jpg
                            c.jpg
                            d.jpg
D:\Temp\1160497\Data\FGDB.gdb
D:\Temp\1160497\Map\Test1.mxd
                    Test1.pmf

The hyperlink base is the '..\Data\Images' folder, where the '..\' notation means to travel up the directory tree one level from where the map resides, and then down to the 'Data' folder.

[O-Image] Map Doc Properties

In the attribute table for the layer, the field called 'Image1' contains file names in the format 'a.jpg,' 'b.jpg,' and so forth.

[O-Image] Attribute Table

Follow the steps below to package a published map that has hyperlinked files:

1. In the Layer Properties dialog box, under the Display tab, check the 'Support Hyperlinks using field' check box. Click the drop-down arrow for the Hyperlink field and select Image1. Click the Document radio button.
[O-Image] Layer Display Properites
As a result of setting these options, when the MXD or PMF is opened, the document successfully links to its data sources and hyperlinked files.

2. Run the Create Data Package tool. An output folder is specified, such as D:\Temp\1160497_pkg. In this example, the data format is 'Compressed and Locked File Geodatabase.'

When packaging, the '\data' and '\pmf' folders are created in an output folder. Any other folders or files are automatically removed from the target folder. The output directory looks like this:

A)

Code:
D:\Temp\1160497_pkg\data\dp00.gdb
D:\Temp\1160497_pkg\pmf\Test1.pmf

B)

3. Copy the '\Images' folder to the '\data' folder:

A)

Code:

D:\Temp\1160497_pkg\data\Images\a.jpg
                                b.jpg
                                c.jpg
                                d.jpg
D:\Temp\1160497_pkg\data\dp00.gdb
D:\Temp\1160497_pkg\pmf\Test1.pmf

B)

4. Copy the packaged output folder (in this case, \1160497_pkg) to the intended target location. Open the PMF in the packaged folder. The hyperlinks should be active and reference the corresponding files in the package.

Article ID: 000011814

Software:

ArcMap

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Package a published map that has hyperlinked files

Summary

Procedure

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