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Globe cache updates

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When you create a globe cache, you are creating a snapshot, or picture, of your globe at the time you create the cache. When you edit or update the data, two things need to happen before others can see the changes:

  1. You need to update the cache.
  2. People who have used the cache need to delete any outdated tiles that may be stored on their machines. This is called clearing the cache.

Updating your cache

Updating the cache involves re-creating some or all of the tiles in your cache. You can update the cache using the Manage Globe Server Cache Tiles geoprocessing tool. A simple way to access this tool is to right-click your globe service in the Catalog window and choose Manage Cache > Manage Tiles. Once the tool opens, find Update Mode and choose Recreate All Tiles.

If you want to only update tiles in a certain rectangular area of the map, you can change the default Update Extent, which is the extent of the entire service.

If you know that features in only one dataset or one geographic area have changed, you can supply an Area of interest using the path to a feature class or a graphic that you draw in ArcMap or ArcGlobe. With this option, the tool re-creates only the tiles that cover the area of interest. For example, if you have a cache covering the entire United States and you just edited the national park boundaries, you can supply the national parks feature class as the area of interest. Only tiles in the national parks will be re-created.

Filling in empty tiles

If you want to complete a partially created cache or perform a quality check on your cache, run Manage Globe Server Cache Tiles with the Update Modeset to Recreate Empty Tiles. This setting checks the folders of your cache and creates any tiles that are missing. As with the other Update Modes, you can set a rectangular extent or a feature class as boundaries for creating empty tiles.

Scripting update tools

You can run Manage Globe Server Cache Tiles automatically on a regular basis through scripting. This is useful if you have editors that are constantly updating the data.

Learn more about automating cache creation and updates with geoprocessing

Clearing local caches on the client

When displaying globe services, ArcGIS clients store tiles locally so that they don't have to be retrieved again when the user navigates back to the area. Even when you've updated your cache, people who have used your cache before may have some of the tiles stored locally on their machines. They need to clear their cache to see your changes.

If you have not disabled local caching on the client, users of your cache will also be able to choose whether to cache tiles locally or not. They can choose to continually build the local cache, build a new local cache for each application session, or build no local cache at all.

Forbidding local caching by clients

If you frequently update your cache, consider disabling the option for clients to cache tiles locally. On the Caching tab of the Service Editor, uncheck Allow clients to cache tiles locally. This way, you know that those who use your cache will always see the most up-to-date tiles instead of older tiles that may be stored on their machines.

Deleting globe server cache tiles

In some situations, you may want to delete certain areas of tiles or even remove the entire cache.

  • You can delete some or all of the globe sever cache by using the Delete Globe Server Cache geoprocessing tool. A simple way to access this tool is to right-click your globe service in the Catalog window and choose Manage Cache > Delete Cache. All layers of the service are included by default but you can unselect any layer you want to exclude. If a layer is excluded then that layers cache and its tiles will not be deleted.
  • To delete the entire cache, run the Delete Globe Server Cache tool with everything selected, which removes all tiles and folders associated with the cache.