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

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 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

Getting started with map projections 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 Geographic transformation methods Equation-based methods Grid-based methods Supported map projections Vertical coordinate systems About vertical coordinate systems Vertical datums Geoid

Mapping and visualization

An overview of mapping and visualization An overview of ArcMap Data frames Map layers Symbols and styles Text on maps Cartographic representations Map layouts and map printing Graphs, reports, and animations Common tasks within ArcMap Keyboard shortcuts for use within ArcMap ArcMap application patterns 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 Adding layers to a map Adding a layer package to your map Adding x,y coordinate data as a layer Changing a layer's drawing order Changing a layer's text description Setting layer properties Managing group layers Saving a layer to disk Copying layers Displaying layers at certain scales Displaying a subset of features in a layer Repairing broken data links Viewing a layer's metadata in ArcMap Setting HTML pop-up properties for feature layers Navigating and 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 Working with graphs and reports Working with web maps in ArcGIS Publishing optimized map services in ArcGIS

Editing and data compilation

An overview of editing and data compilation Getting started with editing Common editing tasks Creating new features 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 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 An overview of using tools Using the tool dialog Managing toolboxes Managing tools and toolsets Batch processing Using tools in the command line Tool layers 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 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 An overview of geoprocessing with ArcGIS Server Key concepts for geoprocessing services Guide to related geoprocessing with server topics Input and output data types Creating models for geoprocessing services Preparing map documents containing tool layers Defining output symbology for geoprocessing tasks Defining symbology for input feature sets Publishing geoprocessing services Managing the jobs directory Deploying services on multiple computers - LocalJobsDirectory Data access considerations for geoprocessing tasks Creating tasks for the UNIX/Linux environment Creating script tools for geoprocessing tasks Using geoprocessing tasks in Python scripts Spatial reference considerations for geoprocessing services Performance tips for geoprocessing services Checklist for authoring and publishing geoprocessing services Python scripts to zip and unzip data Geoprocessing service examples Keeping track of geoprocessing history Advanced modeling through simulations

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 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 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

An overview of ArcCatalog About workspaces Getting started with ArcCatalog Starting ArcCatalog Browsing through the Catalog What's in the Catalog Repositioning the Catalog tree Stopping 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 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

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 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

Geocoding and address management

Linear referencing

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 An overview of Tablet PC technology Adding the Tablet toolbar Pen tool Highlighter tool Eraser tool Commands on the Tablet toolbar ArcPad integration An overview of ArcPad Adding the ArcPad toolbar About managing data in ArcPad Getting data for ArcPad Checking in edits from ArcPad Undoing a checkout for editing

Interoperability and standards support

Overview of interoperability Overview of OGC and ISO support ESRI protocols and programming interfaces GML support in ArcGIS An overview of GML support in ArcGIS How to work with GML in ArcGIS Using the GML simple features profile Using supported GML profiles Adding new GML profiles Working with WFS within ArcGIS WFS support in ArcGIS An overview of WFS support in ArcGIS Adding support for WFS in ArcGIS Desktop How to work with WFS using ArcGIS Desktop WCS support in ArcGIS WMS support in ArcGIS KML support in ArcGIS

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

An overview of GIS servers used with ArcGIS Using ArcIMS with ArcGIS Desktop An overview to using ArcIMS with ArcGIS Desktop Types of ArcIMS services Publishing GIS contents for use with ArcIMS 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 An overview of Web GIS A framework for deploying Web GIS Web GIS concepts for GIS users Types of GIS map applications Steps for implementing GIS map applications How to build online base maps Building operational map layers Managing the performance of GIS mapping services Distributing maps, globes, and layers on the Web