python and ARCView GIS desktop

[GISDude]

hi all. I am a newbie, so be kind.
I am using ARCView GIS 9.1 and python win. I am trying to develop a
module using the GZIP module in my ARCView map session. What I am
attempting to do (I think) is use the zip mod to zip up all the files
in a .mxd document into one neat little zipped file, ready to copy to
cd or email(if it's small enough(.

I got this idea while using autocad. There is a function in autocad
(E-TRANSMIT) that allows you to press the button on the toolbar and it
will zip up all files(and dependent files too) in the current drawing
and have it in one zip file ready for email.

I thought ESRI would think of this but when I've posted this to the
message boards, there is no response.

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas. Maybe I could use VBA or
something else?
Thanks in advance

 

[Andrew MacIntyre]

hi all. I am a newbie, so be kind.
I am using ARCView GIS 9.1 and python win. I am trying to develop a
module using the GZIP module in my ARCView map session. What I am
attempting to do (I think) is use the zip mod to zip up all the files
in a .mxd document into one neat little zipped file, ready to copy to
cd or email(if it's small enough(.

I got this idea while using autocad. There is a function in autocad
(E-TRANSMIT) that allows you to press the button on the toolbar and it
will zip up all files(and dependent files too) in the current drawing
and have it in one zip file ready for email.

I think that ESRI intended that the Map Publisher (extra cost; outputs
..pmf files as I recall) be used for this purpose. This is at least
partly because map documents can contain all sorts of layers that don't
exist as readily accessible files on your local machine.

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas. Maybe I could use VBA or
something else?

If you are only using shapefiles, what you are after should be doable,
and using VBA is probably the least painful way to do it. One trap that
comes to mind is that dataset filenames are stored in .mxds in absolute
form by default - you will need to change the setting in the normal.mxt
which enables relative paths. There are examples of creating commands in
the ArcObjects developers kit (I can't remember whether this is
installed by default). You also might be able to use the InfoZip DLL
directly from VBA to package everything (after you've figured out what
needs to be packaged).