Collapse all Welcome to ArcGIS Desktop Help Copyright information GIS Dictionary

What's new in ArcGIS

What's new in ArcGIS 9.2 Migration guides

Getting started

Fundamentals of GIS data 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 Introducing ArcGIS Desktop What is ArcGIS 9.2 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 ArcGIS Desktop extensions Tips and tricks within ArcGIS Tutorials Tutorials Getting Started Quickstart tutorial index 3D Analyst tutorial index Animation in ArcMap tutorial index ArcGIS Publisher tutorial index ArcReader tutorial index ArcScan tutorial index Building a Geodatabase tutorial index Data interoperability tutorial index Database servers tutorial index Editing geodatabases tutorial index Editing GIS features tutorial index Geocoding tutorial index Geoprocessing tutorial index Linear Referencing tutorial index Maplex tutorial index Representations tutorial index Spatial Analyst tutorial index StreetMap tutorial index Tracking Analyst tutorial index Toolbars Getting more help

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

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 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 Navigating maps and layout pages 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 Getting started with laying out and printing maps Map elements Grids and graticules Rulers and guides Working with data frames in layout view Creating interactive and paperless maps Map output Working with graphs and reports Looking at data with graphs (Pre-ArcGIS 9.2) Looking at data with graphs Creating reports

Editing and data compilation

An overview of editing and data compilation Getting started with editing Common editing tasks Common point editing tasks Common line editing tasks Common polygon editing tasks Common annotation editing tasks Common multipoint editing tasks Editing data in a different projection Creating new features Editing existing features Moving features Rotating features Copying and pasting features Deleting features Adding and deleting vertices Moving vertices Editing attribute values of a vertex Reshaping lines and polygons using a sketch Splitting polygon features Splitting line features Trimming lines Extending lines Flipping lines Scaling features Clipping features Stretching a feature's geometry proportionately Simplifying and smoothing 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 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

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 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 An overview of documenting tools and toolboxes An overview of the Documentation Editor Entering topics in the Documentation Editor Using the page editor Documenting models Documenting scripts Viewing documentation for tools Changing tool dialog appearance Referencing a compiled help file Exporting tool documentation to an HTML file 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 Managing intermediate data Accessing ArcSDE data in tools Sharing Python modules Sharing tools on an ArcGIS Server Keeping track of geoprocessing history Advanced modeling through simulations An overview of advance modeling through simulations General concepts of modeling through simulations Developing the different modeling approaches

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 Analysis toolbox An overview of the Analysis toolbox Comparison poster of Overlay and Extract tools Analysis toolbox sample applications Extract toolset Overlay toolset Proximity toolset Statistics toolset Business Analyst toolbox Cartography toolbox Conversion toolbox Coverage toolbox Data Interoperability toolbox An overview of the Data Interoperability toolbox Tools Data Management toolbox 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 An overview of the Geostatistical Analyst toolbox Understanding geostatistical analysis Working with a geostatistical layer Creating a grid from a geostatistical layer Geostatistical Analyst toolbox sample applications Tools Linear Referencing toolbox Multidimensional toolbox An overview of the Multidimension toolbox Tools Military Analyst toolbox An overview of the Military Analyst toolbox Data Management toolset Geometry toolset Utilities toolset Military Overlay Editor toolbox Network Analyst toolbox Server toolbox Spatial Analyst toolbox Spatial Statistics toolbox Samples toolbox An overview of the Samples toolbox Conversion Data Management Tracking Analyst toolbox An overview of the Tracking Analyst toolbox Tools Environment Settings Environment settings General settings Cartography settings Coverage settings Geodatabase settings Raster Analysis settings Raster Storage settings

Geodatabases and ArcSDE

An overview of the Geodatabase An overview of the Geodatabase Table basics Feature class basics Raster basics Types of geodatabases Common Geodatabase Tasks Architecture of a geodatabase Designing a geodatabase 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 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 An overview of administering file and personal geodatabases File geodatabases: compressing vs. compacting Compacting file and personal geodatabases About compressing file geodatabase data Upgrading personal geodatabases File geodatabases and the file system Working with geodatabases using SQL

Data management with ArcCatalog

Data support in ArcGIS

Extensions

Geocoding and address management

Getting started with geocoding 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 Understanding address locator styles Commonly used address locator styles Preparing reference and address data Standardizing your reference data Building an address locator Locating addresses Additional geocoding techniques Alternative searches The Alternate Name table tab The Alias Table dialog box Building an address locator for alternative searches Searching for an intersection Building a composite address locator Keeping an address locator current Distributing your address locator Deciding to share an address locator Collecting address locators Making your address locator public Accessing distributed address locators Sharing pre-9.2 address locators Adjusting your address locator file Exploring the address locator file Why change your address locator file? Changing default settings Changing default settings in the address locator template file Table schema and the locator file Accommodating alternative reference table schema Modifying the query Accommodating changes in the geocoding rule base files Address Locator Properties dialog box About StreetMap data

Linear referencing

Network analysis

Using the Network Analyst extension Analyzing geometric networks

Mobile GIS

GPS Getting started with ArcMap GPS Support Adding the GPS toolbar Connecting to a GPS device Simulating a connection to a GPS device Using the GPS Position window Changing the display options Keeping the current location in the view Adding a destination Writing GPS locations to a log Tablet PC ArcPad integration

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 Getting started with ESRI Data and Maps United States (census) United States (hydrography) United States (landmarks) United States (transportation) United States (other) StreetMap USA World Europe Canada Mexico Elevation and image data Working with StreetMap data

Licensing and desktop administration

ArcGIS Image Server

GIS Servers and services

An overview of GIS services Servers and the services they provide User, author, administrator, and developer roles Types of ArcIMS services Types of services in ArcGIS Server WMS service Using GIS Services in ArcGIS Desktop applications Thinking about maps in web-enabled GIS applications Understanding map caches in ArcGIS Managing server connections in the GIS Servers folder Authoring and publishing services 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