Saving a map and exiting ArcMap
Release 9.2 Last modified November 7, 2007	Print all topics in : "Using ArcMap"

About saving maps and exiting ArcMap

After you finish working on a map, you can save it and exit ArcMap. You save a map as a document and store it on your hard disk. If you haven't saved the map before, you'll need to name it, preferably with a name that adequately describes its contents. ArcMap automatically appends a file extension (.mxd) to your map document name. You can also save your map as a map template (.mxt).

The data displayed on a map is not saved with it. Map layers reference the data sources in your GIS database. This helps keep map documents relatively small in size. So if you plan to distribute your map to others, they'll need access to both the map document and the data your map references.

It's always a good idea to save your map periodically while editing it.

Learn more about map templates

How to save a map and exit ArcMap

Saving your map

1. Click the Save button on the Standard toolbar.
   

If you haven't saved the map before, you'll need to name it.

Tip

You can save your map to show thumbnail images in ArcCatalog. To save thumbnails, click File in ArcMap and click Document Properties. Check the Save thumbnail image with map box, then save the map. Learn more about the ArcCatalog Contents tab

Saving a map as a new map

1. Click the File menu and click Save As.
   
2. Navigate to the location where you want to save the map document.
   
3. Type a file name.
   
4. Click the Save as type drop-down arrow and click ArcMap Documents.
   
5. Click Save.
   

Tip

The Save As command allows you to save your document with a new name, file location, or format (such as a map template or map document). When you use the Save As command, the new Save As document is loaded as the current document in the application. With the Save A Copy command, though, you are saving a copy of the document to disk and the document is not reloaded in the application. In addition, the Save A Copy command can also be used to save a document so it can be opened in a previous version of ArcGIS.

Saving a map as a map template

1. Click the File menu and click Save As.
   
2. Navigate to the location where you want to save the map template.
   
3. Type a file name.
   
4. Click the Save as type drop-down arrow and click ArcMap Template.
   
5. Click Save.
   

Tips

You can only save a map as a template if your map was built using Normal.mxt as the base template. If it wasn't, click the Edit menu and click Select All Elements while in layout view and copy and paste the elements into a new empty map. You can then save the new map as a template. You can differentiate a map template from a map document by looking at the file extension. Map templates have a .mxt file extension; map documents have a .mxd file extension. The Save As command allows you to save your document with a new name, file location, or format (such as a map template or map document). When you use the Save As command, the new Save As document is loaded as the current document in the application. With the Save A Copy command, though, you are saving a copy of the document to disk and the document is not reloaded in the application. In addition, the Save A Copy command can also be used to save a document so it can be opened in a previous version of ArcGIS.

Exiting ArcMap

1. Click the File menu and click Exit.
   
2. Click Yes to save any changes, No to discard any changes, or Cancel to continue working on your map.
   

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