Using ArcGIS Desktop
Release 9.3 Last modified May 27, 2009	Print all topics in : "Introducing ArcGIS Desktop"

NOTE: Click here to view a PDF of the printed book, Using ArcGIS Desktop .

Using ArcGIS Desktop gives you an overview of the ArcGIS Desktop system and shows you how to access the basic functions of the software. Chapter 1 introduces ArcMap, ArcCatalog, and ArcToolbox—the basic framework of ArcGIS Desktop—including the structure of each, the functions each performs, and how they're used together. It also provides insight into the underlying design concepts of ArcGIS and describes where to get help.

Chapters 2 through 5 get you started with the specific tasks you'll perform as you use ArcGIS. They're organized around the major functional areas of the software: geographic data management data compilation and editing, mapping and visualization, and geographic analysis. Each chapter contains an overview and then describes common tasks.

The book covers the functions most people will use, plus a number of specialized tasks that you may need for specific applications. It illustrates the various tasks you can perform, shows where to access them in the user interface, and shows how to get started with a particular task using basic or default settings.

In addition to providing an overview of ArcGIS Desktop, this book can be used as a quick reference to the interface and common tasks. The book includes functions available in ArcInfo—the full-function ArcGIS Desktop product—as well as in the ArcView and ArcEditor products.

To learn more, you should refer to the printed book Using ArcGIS Desktop that is included in your software package or click here to view the book in PDF format.

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