Introducing Geographic Information Systems with ArcGIS: A Workbook Approach to Learning GIS, 3rd Edition

Layer Packages

We can go a step further in making a complete unit out of a set of layers.

Another way to get an entire dataset, with its symbology, geographic data, and attribute data put into transferrable form, is the Layer Package. In ArcMap, in addition to Save as Layer File you will also find an option to Create Layer Package. A Layer Package is a powerful way to share a dataset, symbolized the way you want it. It wraps everything up together into a single file that you can move to another computer or to www.arcgis.com. Making a layer package (file extension LPK) is a little involved but well worth learning about if you want to send someone a complete, symbolized dataset or want to post such a dataset on the Internet. I discussed earlier how to put a shapefile on www.arcgis.com so it can be viewed with ArcGIS Explorer Online (at www.arcgis.com/explorer) . You can also put a layer package there. The layer package can be made in ArcMap, ArcScene, or ArcGlobe. (Note: The following instructions are for ArcGIS version 10.1. Version 10.0 operates a little differently, with less stringent requirements, but you should be able to see through the differences easily.)

____ 13. Start ArcMap with a new, blank map. From ___IGIS-Arc_YourInitials\River add as data Boat_SP83.shp, cole_doq64.jpg, cole_dem, Roads (from Lexington.mdb), and ford_vctr\arc. So you have here a map made up of a shapefile, a couple of different rasters, a geodatabase feature class, and a piece of a coverage. This ...