Collapse all Welcome to ArcGIS Desktop Help Copyright information Acknowledgements GIS Dictionary

What's new in ArcGIS

What's new in ArcGIS 9.3 What's new in ArcGIS 9.3.1 Migration guides

Getting started

Fundamentals of GIS Three views of GIS 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 Comparing Geoprocessing and Spatial Analysis Introducing ArcGIS Desktop Tutorials Toolbars Getting more help Using this Help system Getting help within the applications ArcGIS Desktop Resource Center ArcGIS Desktop Documentation Library Accessing ESRI Software Training Using the GIS Dictionary Contacting Technical Support Support for users located outside the United States Contacting ESRI

Map projections and coordinate systems

Getting started with map projections Geographic coordinate systems Projected coordinate systems About projected coordinate systems About map projections Projection types Planar projections Conic projections Cylindrical projections Other projections Projection parameters Geographic transformations Supported map projections Vertical coordinate systems

Mapping and visualization

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 About creating new features Creating point features and vertices Creating lines and polygons Creating segments using angles and lengths Creating segments using angles from existing segments Creating segments that are circular arc curves Creating segments by tracing features Creating buffers Mirroring features Combining features from different layers Intersecting features Merging and separating features Copying parallel line features Creating a fillet curve between two lines Creating cul-de-sac lines Creating lines with the Traverse window Creating lines with the 2-Point Line window Creating lines with the Offset Line window Editing existing 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 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

Tables and attribute information

Understanding tables and attribute information An overview of tables and attribute information About tabular data sources Common tables and attributes tasks Keyboard shortcuts for working with tables Creating tables and managing attribute information Displaying tables and attribute information

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 Opening ModelBuilder Creating a simple model Saving a 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 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 Sharing and connecting to UNC pathnames Accessing ArcSDE data in tools Techniques for sharing Python scripts Managing intermediate data in shared models Sharing stylesheets Checklist for sharing tools and toolboxes Geoprocessing with ArcGIS Server Keeping track of geoprocessing history An overview of geoprocessing history History log files Geoprocessing history in metadata Advanced modeling through simulations An overview of advanced 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 Input and output data considerations 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 Terrain toolset TIN Creation toolset TIN Surface toolset 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 An overview of the Business Analyst toolbox Analysis toolset Customer Setup toolset Modeling toolset Reports toolset Segmentation Analysis toolset Segmentation Profiles toolset Store Setup toolset Thematic Maps toolset Trade Areas toolset Cartography toolbox Conversion toolbox Coverage toolbox Data Interoperability toolbox Data Management toolbox An overview of the Data Management toolbox Data Comparison toolset Database toolset Disconnected Editing toolset Distributed Geodatabase toolset Domains toolset Feature Class toolset 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 Table toolset Topology toolset Versions toolset Workspace toolset Geocoding toolbox Geostatistical Analyst toolbox Linear Referencing toolbox Military Analyst toolbox Mobile toolbox An overview of the Mobile toolbox Tools Military Overlay Editor toolbox An overview of the Military Overlay Editor toolbox Utilities toolset Multidimensional toolbox An overview of the Multidimension toolbox Tools Network Analyst toolbox Server toolbox Schematics toolbox Spatial Analyst toolbox Spatial Statistics toolbox An overview of the Spatial Statistics toolbox Modeling spatial relationships Spatial Statistics toolbox sample applications What is a Z score What is a p-value Analyzing Patterns toolset Mapping Clusters toolset Measuring Geographic Distributions toolset Modeling Spatial Relationships toolset Rendering toolset Utilities toolset Samples toolbox Tracking Analyst toolbox Environment Settings Tool errors and warnings

Geodatabases and ArcSDE

Data management with ArcCatalog

An overview of ArcCatalog About workspaces Getting started with ArcCatalog Building the Catalog Managing the Catalog's contents Exploring an item's geography Previewing an item's geographic data Exploring data in Geography view Creating thumbnails Searching for items About search results Finding items using the Search tool Searching with geographic criteria Searching with temporal criteria Searching with keywords Working with search results Working with metadata About metadata Metadata standards and the ArcGIS metadata format ArcGIS support for the ISO 19139 metadata standard 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

Image and raster data management

Understanding raster data Supported raster data Supported raster dataset file formats Technical specifications for raster dataset formats About the ESRI Grid format About MrSID rasters BIL, BIP, and BSQ raster files Raster data with subdatasets Building a customized raster format Properties of raster data Designing a raster database Design methodology for a raster database Why store rasters in a geodatabase Example raster case studies including the storage decisions Raster datasets as attributes More details about rasters in ArcGIS Building and managing a raster database Raster display and visualization Raster analysis and geoprocessing Serving raster data Serving raster data

Data support in ArcGIS

An overview of data support in ArcGIS Data formats supported in ArcGIS CAD data Coverages What is a coverage Summary of coverage feature classes Coverage resolution (precision) How coverages are stored Creating a new coverage Understanding and maintaining attributes in a coverage About fields (items) in coverage attribute tables Creating a new INFO table About the coverage extent Coverage tics Defining a coverage's coordinate system Coverage topology Coverage tolerances Coverage relationships and relationship classes Coverage data limitations Importing an ArcInfo interchange file (E00) NetCDF: multidimensional, time series data Shapefiles About shapefiles, dBASE tables, and file types Shapefile file extensions Creating new shapefiles and dBASE tables Adding and deleting fields in shapefiles Creating and updating indexes in shapefiles Defining a shapefile's coordinate system How to salvage a corrupt shapefile Terrains

Extensions

Geocoding and address management

Getting started with geocoding Understanding geocoding Preparing for geocoding Building an address locator Defining the address locator components Creating an address locator Modifying an address locator's settings Managing address locators in ArcMap Managing address locators in ArcCatalog Migrating address locators created with ArcGIS prior to version 9.2 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

Linear referencing

Network analysis

Using the Network Analyst extension Analyzing geometric networks

Mobile GIS

Interoperability and standards support

Overview of interoperability Overview of OGC and ISO support ESRI protocols and programming interfaces GML support in ArcGIS WFS support in ArcGIS WCS support in ArcGIS WMS support in ArcGIS KML support in ArcGIS

Customizing and developing with ArcGIS

Guide to data that comes with ArcGIS

Licensing and desktop administration

GIS Servers and services

An overview of GIS servers used with ArcGIS Using ArcIMS with ArcGIS Desktop Using ArcGIS Server with ArcGIS Desktop An overview to using ArcGIS Server with ArcGIS Desktop About the roles of GIS end users, authors, developers, and administrators Types of services in ArcGIS Server Authoring and publishing services for ArcGIS Server An overview of authoring and publishing services Data access considerations for ArcGIS Server Publishing resources Administering ArcGIS Server with ArcCatalog Creating and publishing web maps for ArcGIS Server An overview of Web GIS A framework for deploying Web GIS Web GIS concepts for GIS users Types of GIS map applications Steps for implementing GIS map applications How to build online base maps Building operational map layers Managing the performance of GIS mapping services Distributing maps, globes, and layers on the Web