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 Tutorials Toolbars Core ArcMap toolbars ArcCatalog toolbars Extension toolbars ArcScene toolbars ArcGlobe toolbars ArcReader toolbars Getting more help Using this Help system Getting help within the applications ArcGIS Desktop Resource Center ArcGIS Desktop Documentation Library Accessing ESRI Software Training Using the GIS Dictionary Contacting Technical Support Support for users located outside the United States Contacting ESRI

Map projections and coordinate systems

Getting started with map projections An overview of map projections Projection basics the GIS professional needs to know About the geoid, ellipsoid, spheroid and datum, and how they are related Identifying an unknown coordinate system Converting Degrees Minutes Seconds values to Decimal Degree values Geographic coordinate systems Projected coordinate systems About projected coordinate systems About map projections Projection types Planar projections Conic projections Cylindrical projections Other projections Projection parameters Geographic transformations Supported map projections List of supported map projections Aitoff Alaska Grid Alaska Series E Albers Equal Area Conic Azimuthal Equidistant Behrmann Equal Area Cylindrical Bipolar Oblique Conformal Conic Bonne Cassini-Soldner Chamberlin Trimetric Craster Parabolic Cube Cylindrical Equal Area Double Stereographic Eckert I Eckert II Eckert III Eckert IV Eckert V Eckert VI Equidistant Conic Equidistant Cylindrical Equirectangular Fuller Gall's Stereographic Gauss-Krüger Geocentric Coordinate System Geographic Coordinate System Gnomonic Goodes Homolosine Great Britain National Grid Hammer-Aitoff Hotine Oblique Mercator Krovak Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area Lambert Conformal Conic Local Cartesian Projection Loximuthal McBryde-Thomas Flat-Polar Quartic Mercator Miller Cylindrical Mollweide New Zealand National Grid Orthographic Perspective Plate Carrée Polar Stereographic Polyconic Quartic Authalic Rectified Skewed Orthomorphic Robinson Simple Conic Sinusoidal Space Oblique Mercator State Plane Coordinate System Stereographic Times projection Transverse Mercator Two-Point Equidistant Universal Polar Stereographic Universal Transverse Mercator Van der Grinten I Vertical Near-Side Perspective Winkel I Winkel II Winkel Tripel Vertical coordinate systems About vertical coordinate systems Vertical datums Geoid

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 Adding graphics and text to maps Symbolizing data Animation Using cartographic representations Getting started with representations Representation concepts Working with representations Editing feature representations Page layout and map composition Working with graphs and reports Working with web maps in ArcGIS 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 About editing your geodatabase in ArcMap Adding the data you want to edit Editing ArcSDE geodatabases The structure of vector datasets Adding the editing toolbars Starting and stopping an edit session The sketch construction tools Using the snapping environment About setting distance units Setting direction measuring systems and units Editing features that have z-values Shortcut keys for editing in ArcMap Frequently asked questions about 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 An overview of editing annotation Creating new annotation features Creating and editing annotation that follows features Editing the size and position of annotation features Editing annotation in the Attributes dialog box Editing the appearance of annotation features Editing feature-linked 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 About topology Topology rules Topology error fixes Basic topology tasks Creating a map topology Editing features in a topology Editing shared geometry Topology validation Topology errors and exceptions Correcting topology errors Finding features with shared topology elements Clearing selected topology elements Changing the symbology for topology features Making new features with topology tools Editing relationships and related objects COGO An overview of COGO Common COGO workflows About COGO descriptions Adding COGO fields to a feature class Traverse file format Offset points file format Applying a ground to grid correction Reporting COGO descriptions Using the Curve Calculator command Using the COGO Area command Splitting features into COGO lines

Tables and attribute information

Geoprocessing

What is geoprocessing? A whirlwind tour of geoprocessing Geoprocessing tools Geoprocessing framework Frequently Asked Questions about geoprocessing Fundamental tool concepts An introduction to the fundamental tools Overlay analysis Proximity analysis Table analysis and management Surface creation and analysis Statistical analysis Extracting data Using geoprocessing tools Automating your work with models An overview of models Opening ModelBuilder Creating a simple model Saving a model Model concepts and terms Using ModelBuilder Controlling the flow of processing Model Iteration Automating your work with scripts An overview of writing geoprocessing scripts Getting started with writing geoprocessing scripts Accessing tools within a geoprocessing script Creating script tools Batch processing with geoprocessing scripts Data properties and access when scripting Working with AMLs Scripting object: Properties and Methods Geoprocessing environments Documenting tools and toolboxes Sharing tools and toolboxes An overview of sharing tools and toolboxes Methods for distributing tools Pathnames explained: Absolute, relative, UNC, and URL A structure for sharing tools Sharing and connecting to UNC pathnames Accessing ArcSDE data in tools Techniques for sharing Python scripts Managing intermediate data in shared models Sharing stylesheets Checklist for sharing tools and toolboxes Geoprocessing with ArcGIS Server Keeping track of geoprocessing history Advanced modeling through simulations

Geoprocessing tool reference

Geodatabases and ArcSDE

An overview of the geodatabase An overview of the geodatabase Essential readings about the geodatabase Table basics Feature class basics Raster basics Types of geodatabases Client and geodatabase compatibility Common geodatabase tasks Architecture of a geodatabase Designing a geodatabase An overview of geodatabase design Geodatabase design steps Using ArcGIS Data Model designs Documenting your geodatabase design Modeling feature classes A note about the use of UML for geodatabase design Design Tips Building a geodatabase Data management workflows, transactions, and versioning Getting started with editing and maintaining data Working with non-versioned data Working with versioned data Managing Distributed Data Archiving data Geodatabase data storage and schema A short history lesson on simple features How geodatabases are stored in a DBMS Feature geometry and raster data storage Inside a geodatabase in DB2 Inside a geodatabase in Informix Inside a geodatabase in Oracle Inside a geodatabase in PostgreSQL Inside a geodatabase in SQL Server Administering ArcSDE geodatabases An overview of ArcSDE geodatabase administration What is ArcSDE? Administering ArcSDE for DB2 Administering ArcSDE for Informix Administering ArcSDE for Oracle Administering ArcSDE for PostgreSQL Administering ArcSDE for SQL Server Administering a database server Installing and upgrading the ArcSDE component Configuring an ArcSDE geodatabase Creating and administering user accounts Connecting to an ArcSDE geodatabase Maintaining a geodatabase Tuning an ArcSDE geodatabase Scaling and moving your geodatabase 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

Image and raster data management

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 Data Interoperability ArcGIS for AutoCAD ArcGIS Publisher Getting started with Publisher Creating data packages Creating custom applications ArcReader ArcScan ArcSketch Business Analyst About ArcGIS Business Analyst Business Analyst toolbar Projects and Data Organization Study Areas Adding data to Business Analyst Trade Areas - no customer data required Trade Areas - customer data required Trade Areas - monitor and manage Analysis Modeling Tools Tools - Geoprocessing in Business Analyst Business Analyst Preferences Working with maps Reports - general Reports - point and ranking based Documentation - USA Data Documentation - Canada Data Business Analyst Server Territory Design Geostatistical Analyst 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 Getting started with Network Analyst Network dataset concepts Designing the network dataset Building and editing the network dataset Performing network analysis Migrating to ArcGIS Network Analyst Network Analyst tools reference PLTS Schematics Working with ArcGIS Schematics Schematics Designer Spatial Analyst Getting started with Spatial Analyst Solving spatial problems Performing analysis in Spatial Analyst The Raster Calculator Analysis concepts Spatial Analyst functional reference Survey Analyst Tracking Analyst

Geocoding and address management

Linear referencing

Getting started with linear referencing An overview of linear referencing Common tasks in linear referencing Some linear referencing scenarios Linear referencing datasets in ArcGIS Designing a linear referencing system in your geodatabase Creating route feature classes An overview of creating route feature classes Creating route feature classes Defining the measure properties of your m coordinates Using existing linear features to create routes Creating routes from existing lines About calibrating route measures using points Calibrating routes with points Migrating route features to a geodatabase Accessing the Create Routes wizard Accessing the Calibrate Routes wizard Displaying and querying route feature classes An overview of displaying and querying route feature classes Working with route feature classes in ArcMap Setting the route identifier field Querying route feature classes Displaying route measure anomalies About hatching route feature classes Hatching options Displaying hatches Manipulating the text on hatches Working with hatch styles Displaying and querying route events Editing routes Creating and editing event data Working with route event data

Network analysis

Mobile GIS

Interoperability and standards support

Overview of interoperability Overview of OGC and ISO support ESRI protocols and programming interfaces GML support in ArcGIS WFS support in ArcGIS WCS support in ArcGIS WMS support in ArcGIS KML support in ArcGIS

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

GIS Servers and services

An overview of GIS servers used with ArcGIS Using ArcIMS with ArcGIS Desktop Using ArcGIS Server with ArcGIS Desktop Authoring and publishing services for ArcGIS Server An overview of authoring and publishing services Data access considerations for ArcGIS Server Publishing resources Administering ArcGIS Server with ArcCatalog Overview of ArcGIS Server administration in ArcCatalog Connecting to a GIS server Running ArcCatalog under a different operating system account Adding a server object container Adding a new service Adding multiple services at once Removing a service Starting, stopping, and pausing services Displaying server statistics Creating a server directory Specifying the log file location Using a proxy server to connect to the Internet Setting the capacity of a server object container Creating a map cache Publishing a resource to ArcGIS Server Creating a globe cache Adding and removing folders Creating and publishing web maps for ArcGIS Server