Package Layer (Data Management)

Summary

Packages one or more layers and all referenced data sources to create a single compressed .lpkx file.

Usage

• A warning is issued when this tool encounters an unsupported layer type. The unsupported layer will not be written to the output.

• All input layers must include a description for the tool to run. To add a description, right-click the layer, click Properties, and provide a description.

Note:

Layer packages created in AllSource are not backward compatible with ArcGIS 10 and ArcGIS 9.3.1. Packages created in AllSource can only be used in AllSource.

• When the Convert data to file geodatabase parameter is checked, the following occurs:

  • Each unique data source will have a file geodatabase created in the consolidated folder or package.
  • Compressed raster and vector formats will be converted to a file geodatabase, and compression will be lost.
  • Enterprise geodatabase data will not be consolidated. To convert enterprise geodatabase data to a file geodatabase, check the Include Enterprise Geodatabase data instead of referencing the data parameter.

• When the Convert data to file geodatabase parameter is not checked, the following occurs:

  • The data source format of the input layers will be preserved when possible.
  • ADRG, CADRG/ECRG, CIB, and RPF raster formats will convert to file geodatabase rasters. ArcGIS cannot natively write out these formats. They will be converted to file geodatabase rasters for efficiency.
  • In the output folder structure, file geodatabases will be consolidated in a version-specific folder, and all other formats will be consolidated in the commonData folder.
  • Compressed raster and vector formats will not be clipped even if an extent is specified in the Extent parameter.

• For layers that contain a join or participate in a relationship class, all joined or related data sources will be consolidated into the output folder. By default, joined or related data sources will be consolidated in their entirety or, depending on the Select Related Rows parameter value, based on the extent specified using the Extent parameter.

• For feature layers, the Extent parameter is used to select the features that will be consolidated. For raster layers, the Extent parameter is used to clip the raster datasets.

• Some datasets reference other datasets. For example, you may have a topology dataset that references four feature classes. Other examples of datasets that reference other datasets include geometric networks, networks, and locators. When consolidating or packaging a layer based on these types of datasets, the participating datasets will also be consolidated or packaged.

• If the Schema only parameter is checked, the tool will only consolidate or package the schema of the input data sources. A schema is the structure or design of a feature class or table that consists of field and table definitions, coordinate system properties, symbology, definition queries, and so on. Data or records will not be consolidated or packaged.

• Data sources that do not support schema only will not be consolidated or packaged. If the Schema only parameter is checked and the tool encounters a layer that is not supported for schema only, a warning message appears and that layer will be skipped. If the only layer specified is unsupported for schema only, the tool will fail.

• To unpack a layer package (.lpkx file), browse to the folder containing it in the Catalog window, right-click the package, and click Add to Current Map. Alternatively, you can use the Extract Package tool and specify an output folder.

  By default, Add to Current Map extracts the package into your user profile under C:\Users\<username>\Documents\ArcGIS\Packages. To change the extraction location, update the path under Other Packages and Files on the Share and Download Options dialog box.

Parameters

Dialog

Label	Explanation	Data Type
Input Layer	The layers that will be packaged.	Layer; Table View
Output File	The location and name of the output package file (.lpkx) that will be created.	File
Convert data to file geodatabase (Optional)	Specifies whether input layers will be converted to a file geodatabase or preserved in their original format. Checked—All data will be converted to a file geodatabase. This option does not apply to enterprise geodatabase data sources. To include enterprise geodatabase data, check the Include Enterprise Geodatabase data instead of referencing the data parameter. Unchecked—Data formats will be preserved when possible. This is the default.	Boolean
Include Enterprise Geodatabase data instead of referencing the data (Optional)	Specifies whether input enterprise geodatabase layers will be converted to a file geodatabase or preserved in their original format. Checked—All enterprise geodatabase data sources will be converted to a file geodatabase. This is the default. Unchecked—All enterprise geodatabase data sources will be preserved and will be referenced in the resulting package.	Boolean
Extent (Optional)	Specifies the extent that will be used to select or clip features. Default—The extent will be based on the maximum extent of all participating inputs. This is the default. Union of Inputs—The extent will be based on the maximum extent of all inputs. Intersection of Inputs—The extent will be based on the minimum area common to all inputs. Current Display Extent—The extent is equal to the visible display. The option is not available when there is no active map. As Specified Below—The extent will be based on the minimum and maximum extent values specified. Browse—The extent will be based on an existing dataset.	Extent
Apply Extent only to enterprise geodatabase layers (Optional)	Specifies whether the specified extent will be applied to all layers or to enterprise geodatabase layers only. Unchecked—The extent will be applied to all layers. This is the default. Checked—The extent will be applied to enterprise geodatabase layers only.	Boolean
Schema only (Optional)	Specifies whether only the schema of the input layers will be consolidated or packaged. Unchecked—All features and records for input layers will be included in the consolidated folder or package. This is the default. Checked—Only the schema of the layers will be consolidated or packaged. No features or records will be consolidated or packaged in the output folder.	Boolean
Package version (Optional)	Specifies the version of the geodatabases that will be created in the resulting package. Specifying a version allows packages to be shared with earlier versions of ArcGIS and supports backward compatibility. Note: A package saved to an earlier version may lose properties that are only available in the later version. All versions— The package will contain a geodatabase and layer file compatible with all versions (AllSource 1.2 and later). Current version— The package will contain a geodatabase and layer file compatible with the version of the current AllSource release. 1.2—The package will contain a geodatabase and layer file compatible with AllSource version 1.2 and later. 2.x—The package will contain a geodatabase and layer file compatible with AllSource version 2.0 and later. 3.x—The package will contain a geodatabase and layer file compatible with AllSource version 3.0 and later.	String
Additional Files (Optional)	Adds files to a package. Additional files, such as .doc, .txt, .pdf, and so on, are used to provide more information about the contents and purpose of the package.	File
Summary (Optional)	Adds summary information to the properties of the package.	String
Tags (Optional)	Adds tag information to the properties of the package. Multiple tags can be added or separated by a comma or semicolon.	String
Keep only the rows which are related to features within the extent (Optional)	Specifies whether the specified extent will be applied to related data sources. Unchecked—Related data sources will be consolidated in their entirety. This is the default. Checked—Only related data corresponding to records within the specified extent will be consolidated.	Boolean
Preserve Mobile Geodatabase (Optional)	Specifies whether input mobile geodatabase data will be preserved in the output or written to file geodatabase format. If the input data is a mobile geodatabase network dataset, the output will be a mobile geodatabase. This parameter overrides the Convert data to file geodatabase parameter when the input data is a mobile geodatabase. Unchecked—Mobile geodatabase data will be converted to file geodatabase format. This is the default. Checked—Mobile geodatabase data will be preserved as mobile geodatabase data in the output. The geodatabase will be included in its entirety.	Boolean
Exclude Network Dataset (Optional)	For network analysis layers, specifies whether the network dataset will also be packaged. Unchecked—The network dataset will be included and packaged. This is the default. Checked—The network dataset will not be included. Only the selected network analysis layers will be packaged.	Boolean

Python

arcpy.management.PackageLayer(in_layer, output_file, {convert_data}, {convert_arcsde_data}, {extent}, {apply_extent_to_arcsde}, {schema_only}, {version}, {additional_files}, {summary}, {tags}, {select_related_rows}, {preserve_sqlite}, {exclude_network_dataset})

Name	Explanation	Data Type
in_layer [in_layer,...]	The layers that will be packaged.	Layer; Table View
output_file	The location and name of the output package file (.lpkx) that will be created.	File
convert_data (Optional)	Specifies whether input layers will be converted to a file geodatabase or preserved in their original format. CONVERT— Data will be converted to a file geodatabase. This option does not apply to enterprise geodatabase data sources. To convert enterprise geodatabase data, set the convert_arcsde_data parameter to CONVERT_ARCSDE. PRESERVE—Data formats will be preserved when possible. This is the default.	Boolean
convert_arcsde_data (Optional)	Specifies whether input enterprise geodatabase layers will be converted to a file geodatabase or preserved in their original format. CONVERT_ARCSDE— Enterprise geodatabase data will be converted to a file geodatabase and will be included in the consolidated folder or package. This is the default. PRESERVE_ARCSDE— Enterprise geodatabase data will be preserved and will be referenced in the consolidated folder or package.	Boolean
extent (Optional)	Specifies the extent that will be used to select or clip features. MAXOF—The maximum extent of all inputs will be used. MINOF—The minimum area common to all inputs will be used. DISPLAY—The extent is equal to the visible display. Layer name—The extent of the specified layer will be used. Extent object—The extent of the specified object will be used. Space delimited string of coordinates—The extent of the specified string will be used. Coordinates are expressed in the order of x-min, y-min, x-max, y-max.	Extent
apply_extent_to_arcsde (Optional)	Specifies whether the specified extent will be applied to all layers or to enterprise geodatabase layers only. ALL— The specified extent will be applied to all layers. This is the default. ARCSDE_ONLY—The specified extent will be applied to enterprise geodatabase layers only.	Boolean
schema_only (Optional)	Specifies whether only the schema of the input layers will be consolidated or packaged. ALL— All features and records will be consolidated or packaged. This is the default. SCHEMA_ONLY— Only the schema of the input layers will be consolidated or packaged.	Boolean
version [version,...] (Optional)	Specifies the version of the geodatabases that will be created in the resulting package. Specifying a version allows packages to be shared with earlier versions of ArcGIS and supports backward compatibility. Note: A package saved to an earlier version may lose properties that are only available in the later version. ALL— The package will contain a geodatabase and layer file compatible with all versions (AllSource 1.2 and later). CURRENT— The package will contain a geodatabase and layer file compatible with the version of the current AllSource release. 1.2—The package will contain a geodatabase and layer file compatible with AllSource version 1.2 and later. 2.x—The package will contain a geodatabase and layer file compatible with AllSource version 2.0 and later. 3.x—The package will contain a geodatabase and layer file compatible with AllSource version 3.0 and later.	String
additional_files [additional_files,...] (Optional)	Adds files to a package. Additional files, such as .doc, .txt, .pdf, and so on, are used to provide more information about the contents and purpose of the package.	File
summary (Optional)	Adds summary information to the properties of the package.	String
tags (Optional)	Adds tag information to the properties of the package. Multiple tags can be added or separated by a comma or semicolon.	String
select_related_rows (Optional)	Specifies whether the specified extent will be applied to related data sources. KEEP_ONLY_RELATED_ROWS—Only related data corresponding to records within the specified extent will be consolidated. KEEP_ALL_RELATED_ROWS—Related data sources will be consolidated in their entirety. This is the default.	Boolean
preserve_sqlite (Optional)	Specifies whether mobile geodatabase data will be preserved in the output or written to file geodatabase format. If the input data is a mobile geodatabase network dataset, the output will be a mobile geodatabase. This parameter overrides the convert_data parameter when the input data is a mobile geodatabase. CONVERT_SQLITE—Mobile geodatabase data will be converted to file geodatabase format. This is the default. PRESERVE_SQLITE— Mobile geodatabase data will be preserved in the output. The geodatabase will be included in its entirety.	Boolean
exclude_network_dataset (Optional)	For network analysis layers, specifies whether the network dataset will also be packaged. INCLUDE_NETWORK_DATASET—The network dataset will be included and packaged. This is the default. EXCLUDE_NETWORK_DATASET— The network dataset will not be included. Only the network analysis layers will be packaged.	Boolean

Code sample

PackageLayer example 1 (Python window)

The following Python script demonstrates how to use the PackageLayer function in the Python window.

# In this code, it is assumed that the current project has a map open with a layer named "Streets".
import arcpy
outputFile = "c:/packages/streetsLayer.lpkx"
arcpy.management.PackageLayer("Streets", outputFile, "PRESERVE", 
                              "CONVERT_ARCSDE", "#", "ALL", "ALL", "CURRENT", 
                              "C:/readme.docx", "Summary of package", 
                              "parcel,montgomery")

PackageLayer example 2 (stand-alone script)

Package all feature layers in the first map of a given project to their own individual layer package files.

# Import system modules
import os
import arcpy

prj = arcpy.mp.ArcGISProject(r"\\fileServe\projects\Timbuktu\Timbuktu.aprx")
maps = prj.listMaps()[0]
lyrs = maps.listLayers()
for lyr in lyrs:
    if lyr.isFeatureLayer:
        arcpy.management.PackageLayer(lyr, os.path.join("c:/temp", lyr.name + ".lpkx"))

Environments

Current Workspace, Extent, Parallel Processing Factor

Special cases

Parallel Processing Factor

If the environment is not specified, the tool will use one half of the available cores.