Side-Load Basemaps &
Mobile Map Packages
ORWA BLM Mobile Team
8/25/2022
Contents
Overview ................................................................................................................................... 1
Side-Loading File Types into S1 Mobile Mapper Application..................................................... 1
Basemaps (User Created) ...................................................................................................... 1
Agency Authored Basemaps.................................................................................................. 1
Mobile Map Packages (MMPK) ............................................................................................. 2
Instructions on Side-Loading Basemaps .................................................................................... 3
Basemaps onto Android Mobile Device ................................................................................ 3
Side-Loading Mobile Map Packages (.mmpk) ........................................................................ 6
Overview
This document provides instructions on how to copy multi-scale Basemap products onto an
Android mobile device for use with the S1 Mobile Mapper application.
While sharing basemaps via ArcGIS Online (AGOL) is often the easiest way to distribute user-
generated basemaps to multiple devices, but if the basemap is very large in file size or network
connectivity is unreliable, it can take a long time to download to a device.
Basemaps often are large files that take considerable time and require adequate network speed
to download over a cellular (4G) or WiFi network. For this reason, it may be faster to copy the
basemap from a network PC to a connected mobile device via USB cable; this process is called
side-loading.
Side-Loading File Types into S1 Mobile Mapper Application
The S1 Mobile Mapper application for Android supports two kinds of side-loading: Basemaps and
Mobile Map Packages (.mmpk).
Basemaps (User Created)
Basemap types that can be side-loaded onto the S1 Mobile Mapper include Tile Packages (.tpk,
.tpkx), Vector Tile Packages (.vtpk), and GeoTiff. While suggested, it is not required to use WGS
1984 Web Mercator (auxiliary sphere) as the coordinate system.
The S1 Mobile Mapper application for Android v5.3 supports multiple basemaps displayed in the
S1 main map view without a constraint that the “map data” must overlap the underlying
basemap; unlike earlier versions. (See Agency User Guide p. 22)
Note: When downloading from AGOL, basemaps are automatically added to the map view when
the download is complete. If the map is side-loaded, the user must manually add it to the map
view using the Manage Map Layers menu. See Managing Downloaded Content in the Agency User
Guide p. 44 for more information.
Agency Authored Basemaps
The Agency Authored Basemaps are a collection of basemap products produced and distributed
by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). S1
Mobile Mapper can store many basemaps on a device at a time (limited only by available storage
How to Side-Load Basemaps & Mobile Map Packages Page |1
space on device) and the user can set the visibility for all downloaded basemaps for their
current viewing needs in S1. (See Agency User Guide p. 26).
The Agency Authored Basemaps can be used as offline basemap downloads in the S1 Mobile
Mapper application. The basemaps are multi-scale cached tile packages (.tpk), which can quickly
display image tiles appropriate for the current map scale and extent.
They can be downloaded to mobile devices over Wi-Fi or cellular networks or can be manually
copied to a mobile device by side-loading.
These basemaps are available for download from two publicly available ArcGIS Online (AGOL)
groups.
• USFS Agency Basemaps:
[Link]
3cb
• BLM Agency Basemaps:
[Link]
[Link]/home/[Link]?id=a809e5714093455d8a7370bd08ffad4e
Mobile Map Packages (MMPK)
Mobile Map Packages (MMPK) An MMPK is a standalone file that contains one or
more map definitions, including the basemap layers, data layers, layer content, layer styles
and pop-up definitions. These files are authored in ArcGIS Pro specifically for downloading and
viewing assets and S1 Mobile Mapper supports some, but not all functionality available with
these files. For example; An MMPK can include data to support geocoding, place search,
and routes and directions, however S1 does not yet support the “esri locators” that can be
included with an mmpk. They also cannot be used for offline data collection as they are not
editable offline. They are essentially just for reference and not all that useful really.
MMPKs are side-loaded into a different folder than basemaps. See MMPK Side-loading
directions below.
MMPKs are listed under Map Data in S1 instead of in the basemaps area, like the basemap file
types listed above. Also, since MMPKs are categorized as Map Data in the S1 Mobile Mapper
app, you have the option to view other downloaded basemap(s) with the MMPK in the main
map view.
How to Side-Load Basemaps & Mobile Map Packages Page |2
Instructions on Side-Loading Basemaps
Below are two sets of instructions, one on where to copy the basemaps onto the mobile device,
two is where to copy Mobile Map Packages (.mmpk) onto the device.
Assumptions:
• Have an Android mobile device.
• S1 Mobile Mapper application installed on the mobile device.
• USB or USB-C cable to connect the mobile device to computer.
• Basemap and/or Mobile Map Package (.mmpk) saved on the desktop computer.
Basemaps onto Android Mobile Device
Follow instructions below to copy basemaps onto the mobile device. Basemap types that can be
side-loaded into the S1 Mobile Mapper application include Tile Packages (.tpk, .tpkx), Vector Tile
Packages (.vtpk), and GeoTiffs.
Note: There are several caveats related to file storage location to be cognizant of:
• If the mobile device is running Android Version 11 Operating system and has an SD card
inserted the Scoped storage location, (essentially where S1 must store files) is not
accessible to view manually with the file explorer application on the mobile device or
when connected via USB cable and windows file explorer. So sideloading (copying) to
this location can be tricky. All other common Android operating system versions
“should” be able to see the sd card scoped storage location for sideloading workflows.
• Here are a few tips:
o It is recommended that you do not use an sd card if your device is running
Android 11 if you plan to do any side-loading of basemaps or grabbing S1
waypoints tracklogs or sketches off the mobile device via usb connection.
o If the device is not running a mobile device management application Maass360
for BLM, MOM for the Forest Service, then you can remove the SD card from the
mobile device and insert into a card reader connected to your computer and
navigate to the folder below and copy your basemaps there, and then reinsert
the SD card in the device, and it should show up in S1 basemap options.
o However, if the device is running an mdm app for mobile device management,
most likely that SD card is encrypted and cannot be used if removed from the
device.
o There is a potential workaround with a third-party mobile app called “X-plore”.
How to Side-Load Basemaps & Mobile Map Packages Page |3
Installing this application will allow you to see and navigate to the scoped storage
location (on the mobile device) that is not visible in the native mobile file explorer
application. So, essentially you can copy the basemap file to a file location on the
mobile device internal storage that you can access and then with the Xplore app,
you can move it to the SD card location shown below. This will allow you to use
the space on your SD card instead of internal storage space which can quickly be
used up depending on the internal storage size.
1. On the desktop computer, open the File Explorer app.
2. Navigate to the file location where the basemap to be copied
to the mobile device is saved.
3. Select the basemap file(s) that will be side-loaded onto the
mobile device. Right click and select Copy.
4. Connect the mobile device to the computer via USB or USB-C
cable. Allow access to the data on your device.
5. Using File Explorer, navigate to one of the following file
locations on the mobile device:
Devices with SD Card:
\Card\Android\data\gov.s1.s1mobile\Reference_Data\Offline_Base_Ma
How to Side-Load Basemaps & Mobile Map Packages Page |4
ps
Devices without SD Card:
\Phone\Android\data\gov.s1.s1mobile\Reference_Data\Offline_Base_M
aps
This is the folder where all downloaded and side-loaded
basemaps must be stored. Basemaps include tile packages
(.tpk or .tpkx), vector tile packages or GeoTIFFs.
6. Double click on the folder Offline_Base_Maps to open it and
paste your basemap files there. This is the directory where
all downloaded and side-loaded Offline Basemaps reside.
7. Right-click in the file window where the basemaps will be
saved and select Paste.
8. Open the S1 Mobile Mapper application. The basemaps that were
added to the Offline_Base_Map folder will be listed on the
basemap page from the Manage Map Layers tool.
9. Toggle on ( ) the basemap side-loaded to the device to
display it in the map view. You could also Zoom to Basemap
How to Side-Load Basemaps & Mobile Map Packages Page |5
via tapping on the vertical ellipses for the basemap options
tools.
Note: Multiple Basemaps can be added to the map view. Basemaps can also be
rearranged in overlay order by long pressing on the basemap title and moving it up or
down on the list in the S1 Mobile Mapper app.
Side-Loading Mobile Map Packages (.mmpk)
There is no limitation of a Mobile Map Packages (.mmpk) file size except for the available storage
space on the device.
1. Follow the same steps, #1-4 listed above, for downloading
Basemaps.
2. Using File Explorer, navigate to one of the following file
locations on the mobile device:
Mobile Device with SD Card:
Card\Android\data\gov.s1.s1mobile\Reference_Data\SideloadMmpk
Mobile device without SD Card:
Internal storage \ Android \ data
\gov.s1.s1mobile\Reference_Data\SideloadMmpk
3. Double click on the folder SideloadMmpk to open it and paste
your MMPK files there.
How to Side-Load Basemaps & Mobile Map Packages Page |6
4. In the S1 Mobile Mapper app, the Mobile Map Package(.mmpk)
added to the SideloadMmpk folder, will be listed on the Map
Data page from the Manage Map Layers tool.
5. Tap the Map Data (Mobile Map Package) side-loaded to the
device to display it in the map view.
S1 Mobile Mapper website
How to Side-Load Basemaps & Mobile Map Packages Page |7
