Collapse all Welcome to ArcGIS Desktop Help Copyright information Acknowledgements GIS Dictionary

What's new in ArcGIS

What's new in ArcGIS 9.3 What's new in ArcGIS 9.3.1 Migration guides Migrating from ArcView GIS 3 to ArcView 9 Migrating from ArcInfo Workstation to ArcGIS Desktop

Getting started

Fundamentals of GIS Introducing ArcGIS Desktop What is ArcGIS 9.3 An overview of ArcGIS Desktop Using ArcGIS Desktop Mapping and visualization in ArcMap The geodatabase Workspace and dataset management with ArcCatalog Data compilation and editing Geoprocessing and analysis Tips and tricks within ArcGIS Tutorials Tutorials 3D Analyst Tutorial Animation in ArcMap Tutorial ArcCatalog Tutorial ArcMap Tutorial ArcGIS Publisher Tutorial ArcReader Tutorial ArcScan Tutorial Building a Geodatabase Tutorial Database Servers Tutorial Data Interoperability Tutorial Editing Geodatabases Tutorial Editing GIS Features Tutorial Geocoding Tutorial Geoprocessing Tutorial Geostatistical Analyst Tutorial Getting Started with ArcGIS Tutorial Linear Referencing Tutorial Maplex Tutorial Network Analyst Tutorial Representations Tutorial Schematics Tutorial Spatial Analyst Tutorial StreetMap Tutorial Survey Analyst Tutorial Tracking Analyst Tutorial Toolbars Getting more help

Map projections and coordinate systems

Mapping and visualization

An overview of mapping and visualization Using ArcMap Layers, data frames, and the table of contents Starting ArcMap Creating a new map Opening a map Using the table of contents About coordinate systems and map projections Specifying a coordinate system Referencing data in the map Working with data frames Pausing the map's drawing Saving a map and exiting ArcMap Saving to previous versions of ArcGIS Keyboard shortcuts in ArcMap Working with layers Navigating and interacting with maps Navigating maps and layout pages Interacting with maps Adding graphics and text to maps Working with graphics Working with text Symbolizing data Animation Getting started with animation Animation concepts Building animations Playing animations Editing animations Saving, exporting, and loading animations Common animation work flows Using cartographic representations Getting started with representations Representation concepts Working with representations Editing feature representations Page layout and map composition Getting started with laying out and printing maps Map elements Grids and graticules Rulers and guides Working with data frames in layout view Creating interactive and paperless maps Map output Map series Designing maps for optimal performance Working with graphs and reports Working with web maps in ArcGIS An overview of GIS Web map layers Working with ArcGIS Server in ArcGIS Desktop Using services from ArcGIS Server Using services from ArcIMS Using OGC Services Using KML Using ArcGIS Online Using image service layers Working with service layers in the table of contents Printing and exporting maps containing service layers Publishing optimized map services in ArcGIS Publishing optimized map services Drawing differences between ArcMap and optimized map services Map Service Publication Toolbar error messages Map Service Publication Toolbar warning messages Map Service Publishing Toolbar information messages

Editing and data compilation

An overview of editing and data compilation Getting started with editing Common editing tasks Creating new features About creating new features Creating point features and vertices Creating lines and polygons Creating segments using angles and lengths Creating segments using angles from existing segments Creating segments that are circular arc curves Creating segments by tracing features Creating buffers Mirroring features Combining features from different layers Intersecting features Merging and separating features Copying parallel line features Creating a fillet curve between two lines Creating cul-de-sac lines Creating lines with the Traverse window Creating lines with the 2-Point Line window Creating lines with the Offset Line window Editing existing features Editing attributes Editing attributes Copying and pasting attributes Deleting attributes Editing with default values and attribute domains About updating data using SQL Editing annotation Editing dimension features Using a digitizer About digitizing An overview of preparing to digitize Registering the paper map Digitizing features on a paper map Spatial adjustment An overview of spatial adjustment Adding the Spatial Adjustment toolbar Setting up the spatial adjustment Working with links Working with link files and control point files Previewing and performing the adjustment Transferring attributes between features Editing topology Editing relationships and related objects About editing relationships and related objects Editing relationships and related objects COGO

Tables and attribute information

Understanding tables and attribute information Creating tables and managing attribute information Creating new tables About ObjectID fields Adding and deleting fields Editing values in a table Making field calculations Working with date fields Reloading the table cache Exporting records About joining and relating tables Joining tables Relating tables Joining the attributes of features by location Creating spatial data from tables Working with Microsoft Excel files in ArcGIS Working with Microsoft Access files in ArcGIS Displaying tables and attribute information

Geoprocessing

Geoprocessing tool reference

Geodatabases and ArcSDE

An overview of the geodatabase Architecture of a geodatabase Architecture of a geodatabase Geodatabase storage is based on relational principles Where does the application logic belong? The geodatabase is object-relational Geodatabase storage in relational databases Geodatabase transaction management Geodatabase XML Designing a geodatabase Building a geodatabase Creating a geodatabase Defining the properties of a geodatabase Adding datasets and other geodatabase elements Working with geodatabase datasets Data management workflows, transactions, and versioning Geodatabase data storage and schema Administering ArcSDE geodatabases Administering File and Personal geodatabases An overview of administering file and personal geodatabases File geodatabases: compressing vs. compacting Compacting file and personal geodatabases About compressing file geodatabase data Upgrading file and personal geodatabases File geodatabases and Windows Explorer File geodatabase size and name limits File geodatabases and locking Working with geodatabases using SQL An overview of working with ST_Geometry storage using SQL Spatial relationships Spatial operations Geometry properties SQL implementation differences for the ST_Geometry type Using spatial types with SQL SQL functions reference

Data management with ArcCatalog

An overview of ArcCatalog About workspaces Getting started with ArcCatalog Building the Catalog About folders and file types Managing folder connections Creating and accessing geodatabases Creating spatial database connections Adding OLE DB connections About database server connections About GIS servers and services Connecting to GIS servers Working with database connections Hiding folders and items Altering the data formats read by ArcCatalog Working with file types Accessing delimited text file data Managing the Catalog's contents Exploring an item's geography Searching for items About search results Finding items using the Search tool Searching with geographic criteria Searching with temporal criteria Searching with keywords Working with search results Working with metadata About metadata Metadata standards and the ArcGIS metadata format ArcGIS support for the ISO 19139 metadata standard Exploring an item's metadata Changing the default stylesheet Printing metadata Creating and updating metadata Metadata synchronization Writing metadata documentation Importing and exporting metadata with ArcCatalog Importing and exporting metadata Editing metadata Using the FGDC metadata editor Using the ISO metadata editor Managing enclosures Requirements for publishing metadata to an ArcIMS Metadata Service Adding information required by the ArcIMS Metadata Service Publishing metadata to an ArcIMS Metadata Service Managing published metadata documents Changing a published document's properties Adding custom places to a Gazetteer Metadata Service Customizing metadata

Image and raster data management

Understanding raster data What is raster data? Raster bands Cell size of raster data Representing features in a raster dataset Discrete and continuous data Raster dataset zones and regions Raster dataset attribute tables Raster data organization Gathering basic raster dataset information Supported raster data Properties of raster data Designing a raster database Building and managing a raster database Raster display and visualization Displaying rasters Adding a raster dataset to a map Adding a raster catalog to a map Saving a raster dataset or catalog layer file About setting default raster display options Choosing which raster formats can be viewed Setting the default bands to display multiband rasters Displaying the raster's spatial resolution Georeferencing a raster dataset Georeferencing video sample Orthorectifying a raster dataset About projecting raster datasets on the fly Improving the display of raster data Color correcting using raster data Working with the histogram when displaying raster data Changing the appearance of background values Symbolizing values of NoData in raster datasets Interactively viewing pixel values using the Pixel Inspector Interactively reveal rasters using the Swipe Layer tool Panchromatic sharpening Performance tuning for displaying raster data Raster analysis and geoprocessing About analyzing raster data Making selections using the geodatabase raster catalog Raster conversion Core geoprocessing tools for raster data About environment settings for raster data Specifying raster storage environment settings Specifying raster analysis environment settings Specifying the snap raster environment setting Serving raster data Serving raster data

Data support in ArcGIS

An overview of data support in ArcGIS Data formats supported in ArcGIS CAD data The composition of a CAD drawing Working with CAD data in ArcGIS Displaying CAD features Georeferencing CAD data CAD feature attributes and queries CAD data translation Geoprocessing tools for CAD translation Common CAD data workflows Coverages What is a coverage Summary of coverage feature classes Coverage resolution (precision) How coverages are stored Creating a new coverage Understanding and maintaining attributes in a coverage About fields (items) in coverage attribute tables Creating a new INFO table About the coverage extent Coverage tics Defining a coverage's coordinate system Coverage topology Coverage tolerances Coverage relationships and relationship classes Coverage data limitations Importing an ArcInfo interchange file (E00) NetCDF: multidimensional, time series data Shapefiles About shapefiles, dBASE tables, and file types Shapefile file extensions Creating new shapefiles and dBASE tables Adding and deleting fields in shapefiles Creating and updating indexes in shapefiles Defining a shapefile's coordinate system How to salvage a corrupt shapefile Terrains An overview of terrain datasets FAQs for terrain datasets Terrain dataset troubleshooting Known limitations of terrain datasets Understanding terrain datasets Properties of terrain datasets Building terrain datasets Managing terrain datasets Terrain analysis Terrain visualization

Extensions

About ArcGIS Desktop extensions Evaluating ArcGIS Desktop extensions 3D Analyst Getting started with 3D Analyst 3D Analyst concepts Creating 3D views 3D surfaces TIN surfaces Raster surfaces Terrain surfaces 3D features 3D navigation 3D navigation tools Displaying rasters, terrains, and TINs Displaying features in 3D 3D symbology Displaying 3D graphics Interactive 3D analysis tools Geoprocesing with 3D Analyst Data Interoperability ArcGIS for AutoCAD What is ArcGIS for AutoCAD? Who should use ArcGIS for AutoCAD Installation What is ArcGIS Online? Map service layers Feature class layers Coordinate systems Customization Tutorial Troubleshooting ArcGIS Publisher ArcScan ArcSketch A whirlwind tour of ArcSketch Getting started with ArcSketch Creating and modifying features Managing Symbols Business Analyst Geostatistical Analyst Getting started with Geostatistical Analyst The principles of Geostatistical Analyst Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) Deterministic methods Creating a surface with geostatistical techniques Using analytical tools when generating surfaces Displaying and managing geostatistical layers Additional geostatistical analysis tools Geostatistical simulations JTX Maplex Getting started with Maplex Label Positions for Points Label Positions for Lines Label Positions for Polygons Label fitting strategies Resolving label conflicts Common labeling tasks Military Analyst Getting started with Military Analyst What's new in Military Analyst Data Management Coordinate tool Terrain Analysis tools Geodesy tools The conversion tools Selection and Web Link tools MA catalog wireframe symbology Military Analyst in ArcGlobe Military Analyst tools reference Military Overlay Editor Network Analyst PLTS Schematics Working with ArcGIS Schematics Schematics Designer Spatial Analyst Survey Analyst Tracking Analyst

Geocoding and address management

Linear referencing

Getting started with linear referencing Creating route feature classes Displaying and querying route feature classes Displaying and querying route events An overview of displaying and querying route events Dynamic segmentation Adding route events Editing routes Creating and editing event data Working with route event data An overview of working with route event data About overlaying event data Overlaying events About aggregating event data Aggregating route events About transforming event measures Transforming event measures Accessing the Route Events Geoprocessing wizard

Network analysis

Using the Network Analyst extension Analyzing geometric networks What is a geometric network? Creating and managing geometric networks Editing geometric networks Analyzing geometric networks

Mobile GIS

An overview of Mobile GIS ArcGIS Mobile integration GPS Tablet PC ArcPad integration

Interoperability and standards support

Customizing and developing with ArcGIS

An overview of customizing ArcGIS Customizing the user interface Writing macros using VBA Getting started with VBA Creating, editing, and running macros Creating custom commands with VBA and UI Controls Adding custom commands and toolbars from .dlls Updating the ArcID module Locking documents and templates Changing VBA security Sample VBA code Extending ArcGIS desktop applications About extending ArcGIS

Guide to data that comes with ArcGIS

Licensing and desktop administration

Administering the ArcGIS License Manager Setting up license managers for ArcGIS 93 concurrent use products Checking license availability Viewing and changing the license manager Common license manager problems and how to solve them Setting the software product Registering ArcView or ArcEditor and extensions Evaluating an ArcGIS Desktop extension Error reporting for ArcGIS software crash data Frequently asked questions about error reporting

GIS Servers and services