Exploring ArcGIS Packages
Overview
I am looking at the package types supported in ArcGIS 10.1. I read the page here but I want a few more details collected in one place so I am writing this page.
File formats
My suspicion is that they are all zip archives but I have only looked at a tile package so far.
Geoprocessing package (.gpk)
Layer package (.lpk)
These are apparently extensions of layer files (.lyr) that have been around forever. The layer package is a container for a layer file and its associated data.
Locator package (.gcpk)
Map package (.mpk)
Tile package (.tpk)
I already wrote some stuff here about ArcGIS and Tiled Maps. A tile package is an ESRI-specific container for a cache of raster tiles.
ESRI Tools
As usual you can make things from ArcMap but there are ways to automate workflow with tools.
There is a package tool set in the standard toolboxes, in Data Management / Package folder.
One has an odd name: Package Result is the one to use to create a geoprocessing package The rest are straightforward: "Package Layer", "Package Map", etc. and the more explicitly named "Create Map Tile Package".
