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Welcome to ArcGIS Desktop Help
Copyright information
GIS Dictionary
What's new in ArcGIS
Getting started
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
Geographic transformations
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

Cartographic representations

Map layouts and map printing

Graphs, reports, and animations

Common tasks within ArcMap

Shortcuts for common tasks within ArcMap
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 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
GIS service layers
Navigating and interacting with maps
Adding graphics and text to maps
Symbolizing data
Animation
Using cartographic representations
Page layout and map composition
Getting started with laying out and printing maps

About laying out and printing maps

Basics of making maps

Setting up the page

Working with map templates
Map elements

Adding north arrows, scale bars, and other map elements

Working with titles

Working with legend patch shapes

Working with graphic elements, pictures, and neatlines
Grids and graticules
Rulers and guides
Working with data frames in layout view
Creating interactive and paperless maps
Map output

Printing a map

Printing with the ArcPress printer engine

Exporting a map
Working with graphs and reports
Editing and data compilation
Geoprocessing

What is geoprocessing?

A whirlwind tour of geoprocessing

Geoprocessing tools

Geoprocessing framework

Frequently Asked Questions about geoprocessing
Fundamental tool concepts
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

Creating a simple model
Model concepts and terms
Using ModelBuilder
Controlling the flow of processing
Model Iteration
Automating your work with scripts
Geoprocessing environments

An overview of geoprocessing environments

Environment levels and hierarchy

Script environments

Specifying application environment settings

Specifying tool environment settings

Specifying model environment settings

Specifying model process environment settings
Environment categories
Documenting tools and toolboxes
Sharing tools and toolboxes
Keeping track of geoprocessing history

An overview of geoprocessing history

History logging and the History toolbox

Managing history

Geoprocessing history in metadata
Advanced modeling through simulations
Geoprocessing tool reference

An overview of commonly used tools

Geoprocessing commands quick reference guide

Licensing for geoprocessing tools

Data types for geoprocessing tool parameters
3D Analyst toolbox

An overview of the 3D Analyst toolbox

Understanding 3D data

Concepts of surface analysis

Working with TIN surfaces

Working with raster surfaces

3D visualization
3D Analyst Conversion toolset
Functional Surface toolset
Raster Interpolation toolset
Raster Math toolset
Raster Reclass toolset
Raster Surface toolset

An overview of the Raster Surface toolset

Creating contours in 3D Analyst

Calculating slope in 3D Analyst

Determining aspect in 3D Analyst

Producing a hillshade in 3D Analyst

Understanding cut/fill volumetric analysis in 3D Analyst

Performing a viewshed analysis in 3D Analyst
Tools
Terrain toolset
TIN Creation toolset
TIN Surface toolset
Analysis toolbox
Business Analyst toolbox
Cartography toolbox
Conversion toolbox
Coverage toolbox
Data Interoperability toolbox

An overview of the Data Interoperability toolbox
Tools

Quick Export (Data Interoperability)

Quick Import (Data Interoperability)
Data Management toolbox

An overview of the Data Management toolbox
Data Comparison toolset

An overview of the Data Comparison toolset
Tools
Database toolset
Disconnected Editing toolset
Distributed Geodatabase toolset
Domains toolset
Feature Class toolset

An overview of the Feature Class toolset

Working with feature classes

Calculating default values

Integrating data

Annotation and feature class tools
Tools
Features toolset
Fields toolset
File Geodatabase toolset
General toolset
Generalization toolset
Indexes toolset
Joins toolset
Layers and Table Views toolset
Projections and Transformations toolset
Raster toolset
Relationship Classes toolset
Subtypes toolset

An overview of the Subtypes toolset

Applying subtypes
Tools
Table toolset
Topology toolset
Versions toolset

An overview of the Versions toolset

Versioning: basic concepts

Why versions perform well
Tools
Workspace toolset
Geocoding toolbox

An overview of the Geocoding toolbox

Understanding geocoding

Preparing for geocoding

Building an address locator

Locating addresses

Keeping an address locator current

Distributing your address locator

Geocoding toolbox sample applications
Tools
Geostatistical Analyst toolbox
Linear Referencing toolbox

An overview of the Linear Referencing toolbox

Understanding linear referencing

Creating route data

Creating and editing event data

Linear Referencing sample applications
Tools
Multidimensional toolbox

An overview of the Multidimension toolbox
Tools
Military Analyst toolbox
Military Overlay Editor toolbox
Network Analyst toolbox

An overview of the Network Analyst toolbox
Analysis toolset
Network Dataset toolset
Turn Feature Class toolset
Server toolbox

An overview of the Server toolbox
Caching toolset
Spatial Analyst toolbox
Spatial Statistics toolbox

An overview of the Spatial Statistics toolbox

Modeling spatial relationships

Spatial Statistics toolbox sample applications
Analyzing Patterns toolset
Mapping Clusters toolset

An overview of the Mapping Clusters toolset
Tools
Measuring Geographic Distributions toolset
Utilities toolset

An overview of the Utilities toolset
Tools
Samples toolbox
Tracking Analyst toolbox
Environment Settings

Environment settings
General settings
Cartography settings
Coverage settings
Geodatabase settings

Output CONFIG keyword

Output Spatial Grid 1, 2, 3

Output XY domain

Output M domain

Output Z domain
Raster Analysis settings
Raster Storage settings

Pyramid

Raster statistics

Compression

Tile size
Geodatabases and ArcSDE
An overview of the Geodatabase
Architecture of a geodatabase
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
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

How geodatabases are stored in a DBMS
Feature geometry and raster data storage
Inside a geodatabase in Oracle
Inside a geodatabase in SQL Server
Inside a geodatabase in DB2
Inside a geodatabase in Informix
Administering ArcSDE geodatabases

An overview of ArcSDE geodatabase administration

What is ArcSDE?
Installing and upgrading ArcSDE
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
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

The Contents tab

Working in Details view

Changing the columns in Details view

Modifying the default settings for exploring contents

Exploring an item's properties

Organizing your data

Converting data to a different format
Exploring an item's geography

Previewing an item's geographic data

Exploring data in Geography view

Creating thumbnails
Searching for items
Working with metadata

About metadata

Metadata standards and the ArcGIS metadata format

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
Data support in ArcGIS

An overview of data support in ArcGIS

Data formats supported in ArcGIS
CAD data
Coverages
NetCDF: multidimensional, time series data
Raster data
Shapefiles
Tables and attribute information
Terrains
Extensions
3D Analyst
ArcGIS Data Interoperability extension
ArcGIS Publisher
ArcScan
Business Analyst
About ArcGIS Business Analyst
Business Analyst toolbar

Using the Business Analyst toolbar

Site prospecting on the map using the Site Prospecting tool

Site prospecting using the Site Prospecting tool context menu

Site prospecting using the ArcMap Find tool

Dynamic Ring Analysis tool

Using the Business Analyst Assistant

Using the Project Explorer

Identify Business tool
Organizing your work and creating a study area
Adding data to Business Analyst

Adding data to your map

Adding customers or stores from tabular data to your study area

Adding stores as tabular data to your study area

Adding customers or stores from map-ready data

Creating an empty customer or store layer

Entering customer or store addresses manually

Adding customer or store data containing x,y coordinates

Analysis layer setup

Adding business listings

Adding an Excel table

Importing a Business Analyst add-on datapack

Setting field visiblity

Managing existing customer or store layers

Substituting your own terms for customers and stores
Trade areas - customer data required

Creating a trade area using customer-derived areas

Market penetration

Trade area penetration

Creating a trade area using distance decay areas
Trade areas - no customer data required
Monitor and manage trade areas

Creating the Monitor Trade Areas trade area using Measure Cannibalization

Creating the Monitor Trade Areas trade area using Track Trade Area Change

Managing existing trade areas
Analysis
Modeling
Working with maps
Tools
Finding a route
Reports and batch tasks
Setting Business Analyst preferences

General tab

Dataset tab

Analyses tab

Misc tab

Data tab

Drive Time tab

Segmentation tab
The Business Analyst 9.2 Importer
Data descriptions
Business Analyst tools reference
Appendix

My Output Data folder structure

Report templates

Use of Projects in ArcGIS Business Analyst
Territory Design
Geostatistical Analyst
Maplex
Getting started with Maplex
Using Maplex to set label positions
Label fitting strategies
Resolving label conflicts
Military Analyst
Military Overlay Editor
Network Analyst
PLTS
Schematics
Working with ArcGIS Schematics
Schematics Designer
Spatial Analyst
Survey Analyst
Tracking Analyst
Getting started with Tracking Analyst
Working with temporal data
Symbolizing temporal data
Displaying temporal data
Tracking Tools
Charting temporal data
Creating and applying actions
Working with real-time data
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
Displaying and querying routes 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

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
Network analysis
Mobile GIS
GPS
Tablet PC
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
Customizing and developing with ArcGIS

An overview of customizing ArcGIS
Customizing the user interface

About customizing the user interface

Basic user interface elements

Hiding and showing toolbars

Creating custom toolbars

Changing a toolbar's or menu's contents

Changing a command's appearance

Creating shortcut keys

Setting toolbar options

Saving your customizations
Writing macros using VBA
Extending ArcGIS desktop applications
Guide to data that comes with ArcGIS
ESRI Data and Maps
Working with StreetMap data
Licensing and desktop administration

Administering the ArcGIS License Manager

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
ArcGIS Image Server
GIS Servers and services