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Welcome to ArcGIS Desktop Help
Copyright information
GIS Dictionary
What's new in ArcGIS
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
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

Core ArcMap toolbars

ArcCatalog toolbars

Extension toolbars

ArcScene toolbars

ArcGlobe toolbars

ArcReader 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

Geographic transformation methods

Equation-based methods

Grid-based methods
Supported map projections

List of supported map projections

Aitoff

Alaska Grid

Alaska Series E

Albers Equal Area Conic

Azimuthal Equidistant

Behrmann Equal Area Cylindrical

Bipolar Oblique Conformal Conic

Bonne

Cassini-Soldner

Chamberlin Trimetric

Craster Parabolic

Cube

Cylindrical Equal Area

Double Stereographic

Eckert I

Eckert II

Eckert III

Eckert IV

Eckert V

Eckert VI

Equidistant Conic

Equidistant Cylindrical

Equirectangular

Fuller

Gall's Stereographic

Gauss-Kruger

Geocentric Coordinate System

Geographic Coordinate System

Gnomonic

Great Britain National Grid

Hammer-Aitoff

Hotine Oblique Mercator

Krovak

Lambert Azimuthal Equal Area

Lambert Conformal Conic

Local Cartesian Projection

Loximuthal

McBryde-Thomas Flat-Polar Quartic

Mercator

Miller Cylindrical

Mollweide

New Zealand National Grid

Orthographic

Perspective

Plate Carree

Polar Stereographic

Polyconic

Quartic Authalic

Rectified Skewed Orthomorphic

Robinson

Simple Conic

Sinusoidal

Space Oblique Mercator

State Plane Coordinate System

Stereographic

Times projection

Transverse Mercator

Two-Point Equidistant

Universal Polar Stereographic

Universal Transverse Mercator

Van der Grinten I

Vertical Near-Side Perspective

Winkel I

Winkel II

Winkel Tripel
Vertical coordinate systems

About vertical coordinate systems

Vertical datums

Geoid
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
Navigating and interacting with maps
Navigating maps and layout pages
Interacting with maps
Adding graphics and text to maps
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
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
Editing and data compilation

An overview of editing and data compilation
Getting started with editing

About editing your geodatabase in ArcMap

Adding the data you want to edit

The structure of vector datasets

Adding the editing toolbars

Starting and stopping an edit session

The sketch construction tools

Using the snapping environment

About setting distance units

Setting direction measuring systems and units

Shortcut keys for editing in ArcMap
Common editing tasks
Creating new features
Editing existing features
Editing attributes
Editing annotation

An overview of editing annotation

Creating new annotation features

Creating and editing annotation that follows features

Editing the size and position of annotation features

Editing annotation in the Attributes dialog box

Editing the appearance of annotation features

Editing feature-linked annotation
Editing dimension features

About editing dimension features

Creating dimension features

Modifying a dimension feature's geometry and style
Using a digitizer
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
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

An overview of writing geoprocessing scripts
Getting started with writing geoprocessing scripts
Accessing tools within a geoprocessing script
Batch processing with geoprocessing scripts
Messaging and script tools
Data properties and access when scripting
Working with AMLs
Scripting object: Properties and Methods
Geoprocessing environments
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
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
Geodatabases and ArcSDE
Data management with ArcCatalog
Data support in ArcGIS
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
ArcGIS Data Interoperability extension

An overview of the ArcGIS Data Interoperability extension

Key concepts of the Data Interoperability Extension

Using the Data Interoperability Extension tools

Common tasks using the Data Interoperability Extension
ArcGIS Publisher
ArcScan
Business Analyst
About ArcGIS Business Analyst
Business Analyst toolbar
Organizing your work and creating a study area
Adding data to Business Analyst
Trade areas - customer data required
Trade areas - no customer data required
Monitor and manage trade areas
Analysis
Modeling
Working with maps
Tools
Finding a route
Reports and batch tasks
Setting Business Analyst preferences
The Business Analyst 9.2 Importer
Data descriptions
Business Analyst tools reference
Appendix
Territory Design
Geostatistical Analyst
Maplex
Getting started with Maplex
Using Maplex to set label positions
Label fitting strategies
Resolving label conflicts
Military Analyst
Getting started with Military Analyst
What's new in Military Analyst 9.2
Data Management
Coordinate tool
Terrain Analysis tools
Geodesy tools
The conversion tools
MA catalog wireframe symbology
Military Analyst in ArcGlobe
Military Analyst tools reference
Military Overlay Editor

About MOLE

What's new in this release

Installation and setup

Accessing the MOLE getting started guide

MOLE documentation and additional ways to get help

MOLE considerations for ArcView users
Using MOLE with 2D maps
Using MOLE with 3D maps
The MOLE geodatabase schema
Using MOLE in terrain analysis
Tracking, real-time, and MOLE
Using MOLE with ArcSDE
Using MOLE with ArcIMS
Advanced topics
Frequently asked questions
Network Analyst
PLTS
What's new in PLTS for ArcGIS
Getting started with PLTS
Managing hard-copy and data products
Creating geodatabases with PLTS
Creating features
Editing features in PLTS for ArcGIS
Editing feature attributes in PLTS
Symbolizing data (PLTS)
Validating data with GIS Data Reviewer
Generating grids with the Grid Manager
Creating map series with MPS-Atlas
Working with cartographic elements in PLTS
Geoprocessing in PLTS for ArcGIS
PLTS for ArcGIS Aeronautical Solution
PLTS for ArcGIS Defense Solution
PLTS for ArcGIS Nautical Solution
PLTS for ArcGIS product specification development
Schematics
Spatial Analyst
Survey Analyst
Tracking Analyst
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

Updating your reference data

Versioned data and the address locator

Rebuilding address locators
Distributing your address locator
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

About StreetMap data
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
Editing routes
Creating and editing event data
Working with route event data

An overview of working with route event data

About overlaying event data

Overlaying events

About aggregating event data

Aggregating route events

About transforming event measures

Transforming event measures

Accessing the Route Events Geoprocessing wizard
Network analysis
Mobile GIS
GPS
Tablet PC

An overview of Tablet PC technology

ArcGIS and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition

Adding the Tablet toolbar

Pen tool

Highlighter tool

Eraser tool

Commands on the Tablet toolbar
ArcPad integration
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
Customizing and developing with ArcGIS

An overview of customizing ArcGIS
Customizing the user interface
Writing macros using VBA
Extending ArcGIS desktop applications
Guide to data that comes with ArcGIS
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
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