Data files

You can build applications that display maps and scenes, edit features, and analyze data using data files stored locally on your device.

What is a data file?

A data file is a local file stored on a device that contains data that can be displayed by a layer in a map or scene. Some data files also support editing, querying, and analyzing data.

You use data files to build offline applications that:

• Display maps or scenes without a network connection.
• Can access, display, and analyze data sideloaded onto a device.
• Include data with an application install.
• Collect data on devices that never have access to a network connection.
• Share datasets between applications using peer-to-peer technology.

Data files can be created using a number of tools or scripts, or downloaded from the internet.

How a data file works

To use a data file, you sideload or download it onto a device. You can then access the data file directly from local storage. You typically reference it with a layer and add the layer to a map or scene. Some types of data file support editing, while others are read-only.

The following types of data files are supported directly by the ArcGIS Maps SDKs for Native Apps:

Licensing

Files created by ArcGIS (vector tile packages, image tile packages, geodatabases, and scene layer packages) can be used with a free Lite license. Files that require custom parsing code and are used with a Feature Collection Layer can also be used with a free Lite license. Other files require a Standard license.

Steps to display the contents of a data file

The typical high level steps to display the geographic contents of a data file are:

Code examples

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var shapefileTable = new ShapefileFeatureTable("\\path\\to\\shapefile.shp");
var shapefileLayer = new FeatureLayer(shapefileTable);

MainMapView.Map.OperationalLayers.Add(shapefileLayer);

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try
{
    var geoPackage = await GeoPackage.OpenAsync("\\path\\to\\geopackage.gpkg");
    await geoPackage.LoadAsync();

    foreach (var table in geoPackage.GeoPackageFeatureTables)
    {
        var featureLayer = new FeatureLayer(table);
        MainMapView.Map.OperationalLayers.Add(featureLayer);
    }
}
catch(Exception ex)
{
    // Handle error
}

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try
{
    var shapefileTable = await ShapefileFeatureTable.OpenAsync("\\path\\to\\shapefile");

    var queryParameters = new QueryParameters { WhereClause = "height < 12" };
    var queryResult = await shapefileTable.QueryFeaturesAsync(queryParameters);

    foreach(var feature in queryResult)
    {
        double height = (double)feature.Attributes["height"];
        // do something with height value
    }
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    // Handle error
}