Thank you all for the input.  I am not looking to just read the files, ArcReader is not the solution in this case. I have and use ArcGIS/ArcView.

The issue with the source files, as I understand it from the creator, is that they represent years of work and unorganized files and directories here, there and everywhere. To purchase ArcPublisher (2500$ list, found on ESRI's web site) is very pricey.  Of course, depending on the amount of time and effort that has gone into creating the maps/mxd (s) I could imagine the cost being viewed as an investment in being able to recover the data to more than a one-off, one person situation.  This will have to be my client's decision.

Because of the disorganiziation of the data, as I understand it, it would virtually impossible to recreate this data in any other way.

MapInfo's workspace packager is a tool that saves so many MapInfo users, so often, that is hard to imagine there isn't something as wonderful for Arc...Or perhaps not...:|


Cinda Graubard
GeoMax

At 01:33 AM 9/15/2006, Mats Elfström wrote:

Hi Cinda!

Mr Thomas is right, the publishing extension he refers to is a good tool to package an ArcGIS 'workspace' for distribution and viewing.
But the free ArcReader is only a reader, and the packaged file cannot be altered. Bear that in mind.
On the other hand, the reader is a much more versatile tool than ProViewer, in my opinion.

Unfortunately, this ArcPublisher is not included in ArcGIS out-of-the-box.
ESRI policy is that only basic GIS functions are available in the core product, and most of the useful tools needs to be purchased separately, as extensions.
As I recall, some of these extensions are pretty costly, some even exceeding the core product.
I cannot give you any numbers since ESRI (and MapInfo) price lists seems more closely guarded than state secrets.

As a side note: If anyone has access to fairly recent retail prices for ESRI and MapInfo products, please share them with this list.
It would be a great asset when deciding investment plans and choice of software in any GIS business.

Hälsning / Best regards Mats.E
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