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Welcome to ArcGIS Desktop Help
Copyright information
Acknowledgements
GIS Dictionary
What's new in ArcGIS
Getting started
Fundamentals of GIS

Three views of GIS

How maps convey geographic information

Georeferencing and coordinate systems

Elements of geographic information

How GIS represents and organizes geographic information

How ArcGIS users work with geographic information

Users work with many data types and data formats in ArcGIS

Comparing Geoprocessing and Spatial Analysis
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

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
Geographic coordinate systems

About geographic coordinate systems

Spheroids and spheres

Datums

North American datums

What happens to features at +/-180 (dateline)?

GCS_Assumed_Geographic_1
Projected coordinate systems
Geographic transformations

Geographic transformation methods

Equation-based methods

Grid-based methods
Supported map projections
Vertical coordinate systems
Mapping and visualization
Editing and data compilation
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

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
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
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
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

About the Data Interoperability help system

An overview of Data Interoperability

Key concepts of the Data Interoperability extension

Using the Data Interoperability tools
Common tasks using Data Interoperability
Using the Data Interopability tools
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
Getting started with ArcScan
Interactive vectorization
Automatic vectorization
Cell selection
Raster cleanup
Vectorization options and settings
ArcSketch
A whirlwind tour of ArcSketch
Getting started with ArcSketch
Creating and modifying features
Managing Symbols
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
Military Overlay Editor
Network Analyst
PLTS
Schematics
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

An overview of Survey Analyst
Cadastral Editor
Survey Editor
Tracking Analyst
Geocoding and address management
Getting started with geocoding

An overview of geocoding

Definition of the address locator
Understanding geocoding

What is an address?

The geocoding work flow

The geocoding framework

The process of geocoding

Customization of the address locator

Common geocoding tasks
Preparing for geocoding
Building an address locator

Defining the address locator components

Creating an address locator

Modifying an address locator's settings

Managing address locators in ArcMap

Managing address locators in ArcCatalog

Migrating address locators created with ArcGIS prior to version 9.2
Locating addresses
Additional geocoding techniques
Keeping an address locator current
Distributing your address locator
Adjusting your address locator file
About StreetMap data
Linear referencing
Network analysis
Mobile GIS
Interoperability and standards support
Customizing and developing with 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